You have just given birth and it may seem a bit early, but it is still wise to think about contraception in advance. You are still busy getting used to your child; as a woman you are decongesting and recovering from pregnancy and childbirth, as a partner it is often very difficult to get used to the changed home situation.

Nevertheless, we will discuss the topic of contraception at the end of the maternity week. Unplanned pregnancies are relatively common and it is important to think about contraception on time. In general, it is important that your body has about 9 months to decongest after a pregnancy.

We cannot predict when you will be fertile again after childbirth, that is different for every woman. The first 4 to 6 weeks after delivery you will still have blood loss as a result of the delivery. After that, your period can start again, but it is also possible that your period will be gone for a few months. About 2 weeks before your period ovulation takes place and you are fertile again.

It is impossible to predict when you will need sexual contact again. Sometimes after 2 weeks but sometimes only a year after birth. The advice is to wait in any case until the blood loss has completely stopped. It may be that the first sex after childbirth is a bit sensitive, but it should not hurt. When you are breastfeeding it is known that the vagina is a bit 'dryer', so it can be nice to use lubricant.

• Talk to your partner about your fears.
• Use lubricant for the first time after giving birth. The vaginal and perineal zones are less sensitive and less well supplied with blood, so that your vagina does not become moist as quickly.
• Stop penetrating if it hurts, then try again another time.
• There are also other ways to be intimate with your partner without penetrating.

There are several options for contraception, it is important to take a number of things into account; do you breastfeed or bottle feed, what you have used before and how was your experience with this, do you still want to have children? Listed below are the different forms of contraception:

Contraception safe during breastfeeding

• Condom
• Pessary
• Mini arrow (cerazette)
• Injection
• Hormone-containing swab (implanon)
• Hormone IUD (mirena) (kyleena)
• Copper IUD (T-safe)
• Sterilization

Other types of contraception

• The combination pill
• Vaginal ring (nuvaring)
• Contraceptive patch

Read the brochure for more information;'Contraception after childbirth'

Midwives Practice Uithoorn is authorized and competent to look for the best method of contraception together with you. We will inform you about this during the maternity bed and during the follow-up check. In addition, we can also prescribe various contraception and you can also contact us for the placement of an implant and both types of IUDs. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.