Women breastfeed babies during a mass event in Athens November 2, 2014. Hundreds of women gathered and fed babies in public to raise awareness among young mothers on the practice at the beginning of the annual World Breastfeeding Week.
IN PHOTO: Women breastfeed babies during a mass event in Athens November 2, 2014. Hundreds of women gathered and fed babies in public to raise awareness among young mothers on the practice at the beginning of the annual World Breastfeeding Week. REUTERS/Yorgos Karahalis (GREECE - Tags: POLITICS SOCIETY) TEMPLATE OUT

During the initial weeks of the childbirth, it is widely believed that a women tend to spend more time with the infant rather than to think about sex. However, a new study suggests that breastfeeding mothers may have an increased sexual drive.

Researcher Michelle Escasa-Dorne from the University of Colorado claimed that new mums in the Philippines tend to spend more time in their bedroom with their partners during the first few weeks as compared to the time when they were not pregnant. The research suggests that this could be a type of “survival strategy” to establish a bond between the infant and the new father.

Escasa-Dorne then went on to study the behaviour pattern of new mothers from the non-Western countries with low divorce rates. The main aim was to study how breastfeeding women tend to balance themselves as a mother and a lover.

The researchers conducted their study on 260 women subjects from Philippines, aged between 18 and 35. Out of the total subjects, 155 were breastfeeding women. The subjects were questioned about their menstrual cycles, sex lives and health of their relationship with their partners.

Contrary to the previous studies conducted on new mums from the western countries that showed that they end up spending less time with their partners, hence ending up affecting the intimate relationship, a study conducted by Escasa-Dorne showed that breastfeeding women from non-western countries with lower divorce rates become more sexually active and committed to their partners after the delivery.

The researchers further claimed that this behaviour among the women from Manila could be attributed to their strategy to maintain their relationship with their partners. The increased sexual drive may be a part of their effort to continue a smooth relationship with their better halves, hence providing a suitable environment for the childhood of the infant.

Escasa-Dorne further added on to clear that breastfeeding women from a non-western society may not be sexually proactive, however, they are likely to respond in a positive manner when their partner initiates a sexual activity.

“Maintaining the relationship may be important if one's current partner is beneficial to the partnership and to the tasks of parenting,” said Escasa-Dorne, reported Business Standard.

The study has been published in the Springer's journal Human Nature.

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