How Postpartum Coaches Can Help New Moms Rediscover Pleasure
Throughout the journey of trying to conceive, pregnancy, and the postpartum phase — following childbirth — women often undergo significant shifts in their relationship with sexuality, body, and partner. While physiological changes are evident, psychological, emotional, and societal influences also shape this experience.
One of the many niche specializations you can explore as a sex and relationship coach is to be a postpartum coach. Here, you can assist new moms grappling with postpartum sexuality issues. If you are already a pregnancy coach, doula, or postnatal coach, augmenting your expertise with in-depth sexuality training enables you to provide comprehensive support to your clients.
Coaching Intimacy During Pregnancy and Postpartum
The specialized program at the Somatica Institute is dedicated to assisting new mothers in rediscovering pleasure. As a coach in this field, you will serve as a beacon for new parents, ensuring the preservation of intimacy and joyful sex during this transitional and turbulent phase of their lives.
When coaching a new mom around pregnancy or postpartum sexuality, it’s particularly important to approach the conversation with sensitivity and understanding. The Somatica specialization training will give you the tools and insights into the unique challenges during this time, empowering you to expertly support your clients navigating the physical, logistical and emotional challenges.
Physical Issues for Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Getting Pregnant: Many complex issues can arise when there is difficulty getting pregnant, or going through a process like IVF. Relationships can suffer, anxiety can reduce libido, and hormone injections may roil a woman’s bodily well-being. As a coach, you can support the couple with communication strategies to reduce tensions and create a loving and safe environment.
Recovery: Your clients may have questions about the physical aspects of postpartum recovery, healing from childbirth, vaginal discomfort or pain, or when it’s safe to resume sexual activity.
Although consulting their physician or OBGYN remains paramount, the training will give you insights into the timeline for returning to sexual activity post-pregnancy. Additionally, our Sexual Dysfunction specialization delves into strategies for approaching pelvic pain, potentially from postpartum scarring.
Body Image and Self-Esteem: Another aspect that can be deeply impacted by pregnancy and childbirth is body image. The Somatica Training encompasses a body image specialization, offering support for addressing concerns stemming from postpartum body image changes. Within this framework, emphasis is always placed on promoting body positivity, self-love, and acceptance.
Hormonal Changes: Understanding the normal and often temporary hormonal fluctuations new parents can have – and yes, both parents can have them! – is crucial. As a postpartum coach, you aid new parents in navigating the complexities of maintaining a sexual connection amidst fluctuating hormone levels and libidos.
Dealing With Changes in Roles and Capacities
Communication with Partner: Pregnancy and the arrival of a new baby can upset a multitude of emotions within a relationship. Sexual needs and desires can undergo significant shifts during this time, and as a coach, you may find yourself prioritizing the development of better communication skills in your client sessions.
Moreover, you play a crucial role in guiding the new parents through discussions surrounding chores, feelings of exclusion, and preventing resentment from festering.
Changes in Capacity: Closely related to communication is the fact that pregnancy and the time after childbirth can be taxing on the body and sleep cycle. Parents need to learn how to communicate about this changing capacity, how to notice when they are triggered or not at their best, and learn new skills for dealing with the inevitable.
Permission to Prioritize Self-Care: Parents tend to devote all of their attention to their new baby, overlooking their own wellbeing and skipping self-care. Reminding them of the significance of carving out time for self-pampering is essential. Additionally, it’s vital to evaluate whether the sex they are having fulfills their self-care requirements or feel like just another obligation.
Redefining Postpartum Sex and Pleasure
Redefining Sex and Intimacy: Your clients will need your help in finding the creativity to nurture emotional and sexual intimacy – particularly if penetrative sex isn’t on the table. Beyond redefining traditional notions of sex, you can also encourage non-sexual forms of intimacy and connection.
Rediscovering Pleasure: Postpartum, parents often embark on a journey of pleasure rediscovery, both alone and with a partner. This may involve prioritizing self-pleasure, and understanding how desires and preferences may have shifted as a result of bodily and hormonal changes.
Moreover, these new parents may confront societal messages, suggesting that they should curb their past and present sexual expression. Yet, this phase presents an exciting opportunity for self-discovery, deepened pleasure, and transformation, especially with the right support and encouragement.
Scheduling Intimacy: Your clients may need guidance in realizing that spontaneous sex may not be feasible with a new baby, given the limited time and energy. As a coach, you can assist couples in devising strategies for scheduling intimate moments, ensuring both partners feel fulfilled and satisfied.
Support New Moms as a Postpartum Coach Through the Somatica Training
While the Somatica pregnancy and post-partum specialization is not an explicit pregnancy coach certification, it does give you all the needed tools to help new parents stay emotionally and sexually connected.
No matter if you’re a parent yourself or haven’t encountered the trials of pregnancy and childbirth – you can still provide valuable assistance to your clients navigating the unique challenges that accompany these experiences.
The Next Somatica Certification Training Starts October 25, 2024!
Join us and let pleasure be your guide to an exciting new career.
Become an in-demand Sex & Relationship Coach and watch your own life transform in the process.
The next live Q&A session is on Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 11am PT