Hysterics as Woman Shares Mom Libido Equation: 'The Accuracy'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A Texas mom has gone viral for her hilariously accurate take on postpartum intimacy.
In a reel on Instagram, 32-year-old Maddie Muhs (@maddiethemomma) shared her formula for the "mom libido 101" using a class-style blackboard and chalk. Muhs explained the set of parenting metrics that determine the somewhat-elusive state of a mother's sexual desire with her partner.
From left: Maddie Muhs shows Instagram viewers a chalkboard with a "mom libido" equation.
From left: Maddie Muhs shows Instagram viewers a chalkboard with a "mom libido" equation.
@maddiethemomma
"The amount she slept last night, plus how much food she's eaten—sitting down—times the amount of help her partner gave her, divided by the annoying f****** comments, minus the number of times she was touched by her children today," Muhs said in the reel.
As an example, she walked viewers through a scenario where a mom got eight hours of sleep and ate three full meals. Her partner did pickup and bath time, but he was "really annoying" twice.
"Then, we have to subtract by the 1,000 times that she was touched today," Muhs added.
The answer to the formula? "Not a f****** chance," she concluded.
Muhs told Newsweek that her inspiration behind the reel came from personal experience.
"I feel like there is a huge misconception that things just go back to normal after having a baby," she said. "There are so many variables that are overlooked: hormones, exhaustion, time, etc. I wanted moms to realize they weren't alone if they weren't 'in the mood'."
Although the reel was meant as a joke, Muhs' reel on postpartum libido is something many parents can relate to.
A 2016 study from the Couples and Sexual Health Research Laboratory found that 59 percent of new mothers and fathers reported experiencing 16 or more sexual concerns postpartum.
For moms, top concerns included decreased frequency of intercourse, body-image issues, sleep deprivation and physical recovery from childbirth.
"There is absolutely no one-size-fits-all for anything postpartum," Muhs said. "I wish I had known how much becoming a parent can affect all aspects of your life—not just physically, but emotionally, too."
Muhs said that how much having children affects all faucets of life—especially intimacy—is something that rarely gets discussed.
"The hormonal shifts, sleep deprivation, constant touch from your child, and the mental load of parenting can really impact desire and intimacy," Muhs said. "I also wish I had understood that this is completely normal and doesn't mean there's something wrong with you or your relationship."
Muhs' reel has clocked up more than 7 million views, with many viewers praising her honesty.
"The accuracy" one user laughed.
"Math has never made more sense," another added.
While the reel left many fellow moms in hysterics, Muhs said that there were also many "riled-up men" among the comments.
"[There was] a lot of talk about whether or not sex is a 'need' and not just a want," she added.
Muhs also acknowledged the pressure that moms feel to bounce back, not just physically, but also to the sexual relationship parents previously had together.
"But the reality is that connection and intimacy often need to be redefined after kids," she added.
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