Having a baby takes its toll on you. And some women just take longer to “bounce back” after squeezing a human being out of their body.
While every woman’s childbirth experience is unique, having a baby definitely changes both you and your body, sometimes in ways you didn’t expect.
Though it’s been over two months since The Valley star Kristen Doute gave birth to her rainbow baby, daughter Kaia Lily, she’s still recovering. Recently, she confessed that she’s not quite ready yet to be intimate with her fiancé Luke Broderick.
Kristen Doute isn’t “physically or mentally” ready for sex with Luke Broderick after giving birth
When People caught up with Kristen on August 21, she admitted that she and Luke have yet to resume their sex life since the arrival of Kaia Lily. Most doctors recommend waiting at least six weeks to resume relations after giving birth, but Kristen is over two months out.
“We’re not [having sex] yet, but I have a lot of promises,” Kristen said. “I really want to have the craziest sex with my fiancé. I’m just not there yet physically and mentally.”
Later, Kristen shared what surprised her most about finally becoming a mom, even though she’s seen several of her friends go through it. “Oh my God. Everything,” she laughed. “I feel like there are a million things that people don’t tell you … There’s a lot of talk about pregnancy, but I think pregnancy at this point is really obvious. You just figure [it] out.”
The James Mae founder added that the “fourth trimester” (postpartum) “is the hardest in so many different ways: physically, mentally, emotionally … Just all of your feelings and your body images … It’s gnarly.”
Just prior to giving birth in June, Kristen talked about how she was feeling in her last weeks of pregnancy. “I am very ready,” she admitted at the time. “I’m not going to lie … I am physically miserable.”
Chiming in, Luke added, “She says all the time that she feels ‘large and in charge.’ She’s very aware of her body at this moment.”
Though she definitely looked forward to “no longer being pregnant,” Kristen worried about the birthing process. “I’m the most anxious about actually giving birth, just what the experience will be,” she said. “You can have a plan, but there really isn’t a plan at the end of the day. It’s all up to her.”
In the meantime, Kristen has been open about the possibility of wanting more than one child.
The Valley is now streaming on Peacock and Hayu in the UK and Ireland.
TELL US – WILL KRISTEN BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO FEELING LIKE HERSELF AGAIN? WILL SHE HAVE ANOTHER BABY?
