Some people have a specific list of things that they do after being intimate with their partner, while others don't necessarily have any sort of post-sex routine. If you've never given it much thought, you should know that there are some things you should and shouldn't do after sex that you probably want to know more about. Whether you and your OB-GYN talk about it at your appointments or not, there are definitely some things your OB-GYN wishes you'd stop doing after intimacy that you need to know.
Even if you've had your post-sex routine mastered for years, there might be some things that you're doing that aren't in your body's best interest. Not only that, but there might be things that you aren't doing that your OB-GYN really wishes you'd start prioritizing. Feminine hygiene practices are important because they keep parts of your reproductive and urinary systems clean, healthy, and happy, but if you're making some mistakes there — even if you have the best intentions — you might be doing yourself a real disservice. From the kind of soap you should use to the general hygiene practices that should or shouldn't be a part of your post-sex routine, OB-GYNs broke down what they want you to know.
1Douching
Although there's some disagreement on douching in general, with some doctors saying it's OK if you only do so very periodically and others saying that it's never a good idea, you definitely shouldn't douche after sex. "The biggest thing that I wish my patients would not do is douche after intimacy," Dr. Tami Prince, M.D., OB-GYN and owner of Women’s Health and Wellness Center of Georgia, LLC and a medical director for U.S. HealthWorks, tells Romper in an email exchange. "The vagina is self-cleaning and has its own good bacteria and yeast. Douching washes away the good flora and allows for bacteria and yeast that may cause infection to set up in the vagina."
2Not Going To The Bathroom
If you don't go to the bathroom after sex, your OB-GYN might actually wish that you did. "I recommend that patients urinate immediately after intimacy so that the bacteria from the partner is removed from the urethra and thus decreases risk for urinary tract infection," Prince says. Though Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale University School of Medicine, tells Romper by email that there isn't a lot of solid evidence that proves that it makes a big difference, she says that "many women do find it helpful." If it's not a regular part of your post-sex routine and you're worried about UTIs, you might want to consider trying it and seeing what happens.
3Washing With Perfumed Soap
Prince says that she wishes her patients would stop using perfumed soap when showering or bathing because the ingredients that scent the soap can irritate your vagina and even cause infections, which you definitely don't want. It's the same reason why she's not super on board with bubble baths either. Perfumed soaps just aren't worth the potential harm.
4Having Vaginal Sex After Anal Sex
So this isn't completely "post-intimacy," but Minkin still wishes her patients knew that vaginal sex after anal sex is a definite no-no. "Never go from having anal intercourse to having vaginal intercourse in the same session — introduction of too many bacteria, and not a great idea for infection issues," she says. If you're going to have both vaginal and anal sex, make sure you're keeping them very, very separate.
5Not Showering
If you don't regularly shower after sex, you should know that at least some OB-GYNs recommend that you do. "I also recommend showering immediately after intimacy with non perfume soaps and using a white washcloth or hand," Prince says. "It’s important to take precautions such as these in order to have a healthy, infection-free vagina and urinary system." That is what you want, after all.
6Showering With A Loofah
It might be time to retire your loofah, as well. Prince says that, like perfumed soap and bubble baths, loofahs can cause both irritation and infection, which you definitely don't want. Instead, as previously-mentioned, Prince recommends a washcloth or even just your hand. Your skin down there is sensitive and you don't want to cause more harm than good by cleaning with a harsh loofah.
And the next time you see your own OB-GYN, you just might want to ask them about some of the things they, in particular, think you shouldn't do after sex — and maybe what they think you should do too.
Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.
