The Follow-Up: Intimacy After Baby

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

Dr. Mona Amin

Medicine, Kids & Family, Health & Fitness, Parenting

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 3 November 2025

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

No one prepares you for how much your relationship changes after having a baby. The exhaustion, hormones, mental load, and body changes all take a toll on desire and closeness, and it’s rarely talked about honestly. In this Follow Up episode, Dr. Mona talks with Dr. Tracy Dalgleish about what really happens to intimacy after baby. They unpack why desire often dips postpartum, how to reconnect emotionally and physically, and why great sex isn’t about frequency. It’s about connection, communication, and redefining what intimacy looks like now. This episode is for any parent who’s ever thought something’s changed between us and I don’t know how to fix it. You’re not broken, you’re human, and this conversation will help you find your way back to each other. Why desire often drops after childbirth and how to understand it without shame How hormones, sleep, and stress affect intimacy The difference between spontaneous and responsive desire How to start rebuilding emotional connection in 10 minutes a day The role of small rituals like check-ins, laughter, and simple touch in rekindling closeness Why there’s no normal amount of sex, only what feels right for you and your partner Ways to talk openly about what you both want and need Dr. Tracy's new book, "You, Your Husband, and His Mother" is now on sale: Order your copy here. Want more? Check out the full episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to the Peds Doc Talk podcast and the follow-up.
0:05.6	I'm Dr. Mona, your pediatrician and mom friend online.
0:09.0	And on the follow-up, we revisit favorite episodes in less time than it takes your in-laws to offer unsolicited parenting advice.
0:15.8	Let's talk about something that no one really prepares you for.
0:18.9	Intimacy after having a baby.
0:21.9	It's one of the biggest relationship shifts new parents face and one of the least talked about. Everyone tells you when
0:26.6	you can have sex again at that six week mark, but no one talks about wanting to. No one talks
0:31.9	about the resentment that creeps in when you feel touched out or the disconnect when you and your
0:36.7	partner can't seem to get back
0:38.1	on the same page emotionally or physically. This week I'm joined by Dr. Tracy Doglish, a couples
0:44.7	therapist and author who helps parents rebuild connection after kids. We're breaking down why
0:49.9	desire often disappears after childbirth and how to find it again. The pressure society puts on
0:55.3	parents to bounce back sexually. How small meaningful moments, playful touch, shared laughter,
1:01.7	emotional, awareness and honesty matter far more than a calendar of scheduled sex. And perfect timing
1:08.4	because Dr. Tracy's new book, You, Your Husband and His Mother, comes out
1:13.3	November 4th. It's a must read for anyone navigating that tricky in-law dynamic. Because let's
1:19.8	face it, you don't just marry your partner, you marry their family too. This episode is for
1:25.2	every parent who's ever thought, something's changed between us and I don't know how to fix it because you're not broken.
1:31.1	You're human and this conversation might just help you reconnect in ways that last.
1:35.4	Download this episode, tag at the Pete's Doc Talk podcast at Pete's Doc Talk and at Dr. Tracy D.
1:41.2	And let's talk about what intimacy really looks like after baby, emotionally,
1:45.5	physically, and everything in between.
	...

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