Could this be the temporary fix your relationship has been needing? The postpartum period is a notoriously difficult time for first-time parents, with more than 1/5 of partnerships breaking down within the first year after the birth of a child. In recent years, we have seen a rise in open relationships during this period, but why is this happening, and how might this benefit your own relationship?
It is common for pregnancy to change your partner’s libido, whether they are male or female.
The time you have together as a couple is significantly reduced because there is now a tiny baby that has to be prioritised over your sexual needs.
Bedsharing is also common during this period to ensure everyone gets a good night's sleep, meaning you aren’t guaranteed to have the bed solely to yourselves anymore to take care of your sexual needs.
Furthermore, if you are a woman who has not long given birth, your libido can be lower in this period due to the hormonal changes your body is undergoing.
Personally, before I had my son, my sex drive was significantly higher. I liked to think of this as my body telling me that it’s done what it was supposed to do, so sex is no longer required. However, there are countless benefits to having sex for pleasure; if your reduced sex drive is impacting your relationship with your partner, it’s important to speak with your doctor to make sure this isn’t a sign of something more sinister, such as postpartum depression.
For men, although they aren’t experiencing the same physical changes, this can still be a difficult period because of the changes their partner undergoes.
Witnessing childbirth can be extremely traumatic, and it was reported that more than 31,000 men were suffering from PTSD as a result of this in 2021 alone. 1 in 10 men also experience anxiety and depression within the first six months following the birth of their child, confirming that these feelings are not exclusive to women after childbirth, just perhaps exacerbated by the hormonal impact.
Consequently, partners with imbalanced sex drives are choosing to enter into open relationships to help their relationships survive and remove the guilt that comes from failing to meet each other’s sexual needs.
Couples are recognising that there is a separation between sexual appetite and love, choosing to remain in long-term relationships while also ensuring their sexual needs are met, and they seem to be happier for it!
If sexual incompatibility is causing a temporary issue in an otherwise healthy relationship, why not consider opening the relationship? It doesn’t have to be forever…
Written by Leah Marie Cox
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