To be completely honest, my libido is not where it was pre-babies, but the reason why has little to do with birth or breast feeding. I spend all day in "Mommy Mode" changing diapers, bathing, dressing, feeding, soothing, etc. all day, every day, and the job of mommy doesn't have set hours. I'm on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Sometimes that means getting up a couple times in the middle of the night. It doesn't exactly equate to me feeling sexy or in any kind of sensual mood. I have to work at going from "Mommy Mode" to "Lover Mode" and it takes more than the flip of a switch to get me firing on all cylinders so to speak. I give all of myself to my kids. I need some time before I can let go of all the stresses of a day full of toys and tantrums and diapers enough to even think about that.
So yes, breastfeeding does release hormones that affect my enjoyment of sex, but my lack of desire is because when I have the time to sleep, I want to sleep! And my husband will agree that the benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh the "convenience" of bottle feeding. (how is mixing formula and washing and sterilizing bottles every feed convenient?)
I'd wager formula moms have less sex too. I think we all have less sex after a new baby enters the picture, pretty normal I think!
I find articles like this super frustrating because not only do they perpetuate myths about breastfeeding, but they also polarize the genders! As if it's women's fault that the sex has gone out of relationships, that their partners are SOL. Or, perhaps you're both tired because you're both caring for the baby. Or, perhaps it's a natural phase to go through. We're constantly fighting nature. it just makes men seem like they're waiting around for us to lay on our back and open our legs again, but it's a lot more dynamic than that.
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