7 Ways Having a Baby Makes You Sexier

Sure you're handling dirty diapers by the pail-load and have breast milk stains on your shirt. But, whether or not you believe it, you're actually hotter than ever.

By Valerie Tejeda for TheBump.com

You've realized you're powerful

"Feeling sexy is about power," says J. Maria Bermúdez, PhD, a family therapist and associate professor of marriage and family therapy and human development at The University of Georgia. And don't you feel strong having just gone through the birth process? Heck, you created a whole (pretty amazing) human. If you can do that, you can do almost anything, mama -- making you feel pretty smokin' -- and look it, too.

You're in charge

Not only did you create this person, but you're responsible for pretty much everything that happens with him. You're making big decisions by the handful, and lots of new moms find they're more outspoken than ever before, on their baby's behalf. That newfound confidence can transfer over to the bedroom.

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Breastfeeding = nature's boob job


Okay, so you've got stretch marks and a little extra in the middle that you didn't have before, but those boobs -- thanks to the breast milk, they're ginormous. "Sadly, so many women correlate sexiness with weight when they shouldn't," says Bermúdez. Instead of thinking about all those things you think are "flaws," remember that the stretch marks will fade and the baby weight will drop. Wear some lingerie that accents your breasts (even if you have to tell your partner "hands off" because they're sore), and you're bound to feel extra alluring.

You're in touch with your body

"You're witnessing your own transformation and it's amazing," says Bermúdez. "Its a miracle what your body does." While you're appreciating some of the cool things your body can do, it just might be easier to appreciate the others -- namely having amazing sex.

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You're less self-conscious


When you give birth, you pretty much have to leave all your humility at the door -- are we right? Many women find that, after going through that process, being naked without a supermodel body is a little easier. Sex doesn't have to happen when there's perfect lighting and mood music. It can be when you finally get baby to take a nap, while you're wearing your partner's tee shirt and your hair hasn't been brushed. "You can redefine sexy on your own terms. But it a choice," says Bermúdez. "There is something about the process of motherhood that accentuates a woman's beauty."

You're on a new-mom high

You're exhausted, a little stressed and you haven't showered today, but you're also really, astonishingly happy to have this new little person in your life. "Regardless of how society standards of beauty are, beauty radiates from the inside out," Bermúdez says. Let's face it. Happy is sexy.

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The sex gets better (really!)

Heard rumors of a horrible sex life after baby? So not true. After you give your body time to heal, and get the okay for your doctor, you may just have the best sex of your life! (Yes, we're serious.)

Getting back in the sack at first may be painful and awkward, but with time, some moms say the transformation into motherhood has triggered a whole new, amazing sex life. "I think sex is better now because I really know my body more because I had a baby, and my husband's reassurance about me made me feel sexier," says mom Ashley Bailey.

Maybe it's being in touch with your body; maybe it's the self-confidence; maybe it's exploring all those changes that have gone on down there, and figuring out what works best now. Or maybe it's the closeness you and your partner feel once you become parents together.

"Good sex is about love, connection, intimacy and commitment," says Bermúdez. "It really has the potential to be great."

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