Advertise on podcast: My Delight with Sarah Bartel

Here's the episode with all the things married women wish someone had told them when they first got married. Maybe you've been married a while, and no one ever told you. It's not too late to learn! Maybe you're a newlywed, or about to get married. You're in a great place to learn good habits early, before you settle into practices in your marriage that work against good lovemaking--practices that are unhelpful, harmful, or even sinful. If you want help unpacking these Ten Truths further, you can learn more in The Wedding Night and Beyond: The Catholic Bride's Guide to Sex in Marriage. This is good for engaged women, newlyweds, AND wives married decades who never learned all this at the beginning (which, let's be honest, is probably most women!). https://canafeast.com/weddingnight Other resources mentioned in this episode The Catechism of the Catholic Church  2363 The Ohnut by the Pelvic People (device to reduce penetration depth to prevent pain) The Obligation Sex Series by Sheila Gregoire (excellent blog article series by an Evangelical Christian author/speaker) A Closer Look at Sexual Coercion (straightforward article on a hotline website) My Delight podcast episode "Marital Debt is Not Church Teaching" My Delight podcast episode "What is Sexual Coercion?"  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

Your brain is your most important sexual organ. As you go through your days, weeks, months, and years, you need to make space in your brain for relaxation, creativity, fun, and pleasure... if you want to have those in lovemaking. You have to learn to periodically value other things more than productivity. -Connection -Rest -Play -Delight A woman in a chronic stress state is not going to be able to enjoy sex very much.  In this episode, Sarah shares some examples for how you can slow down and connect with yourself ....and with your husband!... in order to create the foundation you need for good lovemaking.   🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

When Megan Gephart first signed up for the My Delight course, her husband was deployed. She and her husband were both active duty military, and they wouldn't be together for months, but she was decided to use the time while he was away to start work on herself before. Years later, Megan is still seeing the fruits unfold in her marriage.  She shares her story of the tremendous changes she made. 🍍 She decided not to push through pain any more--and to finally talk to her husband about it. 🍓 She realized her pleasure mattered just as much as her husband's--which led to even more more honest, open communication than she'd ever had before in her marriage. 🍇 Now creating time to be together is a big priority. Hear the story of the weekend getaway that was like "heaven on earth"--though events, tensions, a nursing infant, and a big NFP decision leading up to the weekend could have derailed it.   🫐 She went from avoiding intimacy and avoiding non-sexual touch to finding her way to turn towards and actively choose connection.  🍒 Listen to Meghan share the genius shift her therapist suggested that is helping non-sexual touch go SO much better in her marriage now! Megan and her husband are now preparing a new adventure with military orders to Germany. She shares how they are being intentional about preparing for this new adventure (and all the packing and tasks leading up to it), while continuing to communicate closely about prioritizing their marriage, improving their love life ever more, and preparing for the years when they'll be that loving, affectionate silver-haired older couple sitting on their porch swing! Follow Megan Gephart's work supporting Catholic women entrepreneurs and professionals with coaching for strategy, operations, and sustainable growth at Apostolic Fruit.  She also co-hosts the Apostolic Fruit podcast with her business partner, Anna Saucier.  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

Most marriages have one spouse who is more interested in sex, and another who is less interested. This is desire difference. While this is normal--most marriages have a desire difference one way or another--it causes a lot of tension in marriages. Sarah brings on her husband, Nathan, to talk about understanding desire difference from a husband's point of view at a deeper level. Beyond just physical libido, he shares about the yearning for connection with their wives he hears from men he's worked with who have the higher desire. He also shares what it's like for the husband who has the lower desire. Understanding is key, and so are actionable skills that couples can use to help navigate the different factors at work. Sarah and Nathan point some paths forward to creating more connection--including not making sex the only source of connection in the marriage.  They discuss the importance of recognizing the wife's mental load, and how the wife and husband can work with that.  Affirmation and gratitude, non-sexual touch, empathy, and curiousity all help husbands and wives grow closer, feel seen, feel like they matter to the other, and grow in their unity and emotional connection. Catholic husbands interested in Nathan's free Desires Differences workshop can join here through March 12th. Replays of past calls are available. Desires Differences Workshop: https://canafeast.com/desire  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

When we fast, we can expect a pattern of five spiritual attacks--whether the fast is from food, behaviors like scrolling, people-pleasing, or other comforts. The enemy works in our false attachments: to things, to false gods, and to false comforts. He likes to get us to put something above God in our life, and that creates disorder. Fasting restores order. It puts God back as the center of our life. Of course the enemy will pursue our soul when we do this.  Learn his tactics, learn that this is normal (you are not failing), and then learn how to gently and lovingly restore proper order after an attack.  Denise Jelinek joins Sarah to break down the play book for each of these five attacks... and shares what to do about them. They touch on authentic self-care and tie it all in to  Join Denise in fasting from the scale and finding peace with food this Lent in her beautiful and deeply transformative 63 Surrendered Program!  Ash Wednesday Sale: Get it for $1 a day (coupon code: Lent63) Join here: https://weightlosswiththeholyspirit.com/  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

It's almost Lent! Listen to the voice of the Lord speak: "I will lead her into the desert, and there I will speak to her heart." Hos 2:14 So many good Catholic married women feel like there's a desert of some kind in their love life. Maybe it's a libido desert, or a postpartum desert, or a menopause desert. Maybe it's the ache of not feeling as desired by your husband as you'd like. Maybe lovemaking just feels humdrum and routine So many different kinds of deserts! The scriptures can renew our minds and bring supernatural inspiration. In this episode, Sarah shares three lessons from the Song of Songs to help guide your love life. As she reads this scripture through the lens of a Catholic sex and marriage coach, she sees: 1. The Bride's body image is very positive! 2. Great use of words and talking between the Bridegroom and the Bride. More Catholic couples should be talking about their love life with each other and talking while making love. You have a love story. Keep telling the story! 3. Use all 5 senses. The Song of Songs uses vivid language for all five senses. How can you incorporate and highlight the sense of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing in different ways to enliven your time coming together?  Sarah shares just a few examples of ideas in this episode, but more is available in her Bloom in the Desert virtual retreat happening Feb. 18-24. It's free! Learn more from the Song of Songs to inspire your love life, do fun homework, win prizes, enjoy a safe Catholic community of sisters in Christ all committed to growing together.  Enroll here: https://canafeast.com/desertbloom  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

Making you feel guilty for saying "no." Wearing you down with asking over and over. You just want to get some sleep... the babies will be up at 5 am, so you just give in to get it over with. ...These are all examples of sexual coercion, which is a form of emotional abuse.  Sarah is joined by Jenny DuBay, a certified trauma-informed Catholic coach, certified deconstructing gaslighting specialist, and certified narcissistic abuse specialist to talk about sexual coercion in marriage and the importance of consent to sex in Catholic marriage. Just because you're married doesn't mean you have to be constantly sexually available.  That's not the teaching of the Catholic Church, and Jenny uses her theology degree and deep knowledge of TOB and Church teaching to dive into this topic. Listen in if you want to hear about the many different forms sexual coercion can take in Catholic marriage... and what to do about it. Get Jenny's DuBay's book Don't Plant Your Seeds Among Thorns: A Catholic's Guide to Recognizing and Healing from Domestic Abuse (EnRoute Books and Media, 2024) Learn more about Jenny at https://www.jennydubay.com and learn more about healthy relationships in the articles on her SubStack at: https://www.createsoulspace.org/  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

How does nutrition impact our hormones for libido and perimenopause thriving?  Sarah is joined by Catholic nutritionist Rita Johnson of the Health and Hormones podcast to chat about how what you eat can impact your libido and perimenopause hormones.  Along the way they chat about the power of dreaming, mindset shifts, and four high-protein breakfast ideas to anchor your blood sugar and set you up for a stable day... the kind of day more likely to leave with with some extra energy for intimacy at the end of it, if you want! You can find Rita at https://healthandhormones.org. Interested in the 5-day Perimenopause Workshop that Rita, Sarah, and other Catholic experts are offering Jan. 26-30? All sessions will be recorded so you can catch the replays. Walk away with a workbook full of practical strategies. https://healthandhormones.org/perimenopause-workshop  Want Rita's free handout on hormone health? https://birdsend.page/forms/9473/cDk9YT4KSn  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

Ladies, this is your invitation from Sarah to join her on a "Daughters of Grace" Women's pilgrimage to France in May 2026! It's this May 4-13th, in the footsteps of St. Thérèse, her mama St. Zélie, St. Joan of Arc ("I was born to do this!"), and of course, all guided, inspired, and devoted to Our Lady. You'll pray at Notre Dame cathedral, the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal, Mont St. Michel where we'll seek the archangel's strength and protection, and culminate with a healing of hearts at Lourdes. The themes of the dignity of women, feminine genius, the theology of the body throughout  a woman's life cycle, and healing the heart of a woman will all be woven throughout the pilgrimage. Sarah shares her pivotal memory of encountering St. John Paul II at World Youth Day in Paris in 1997 in an atmosphere of joy, gathered with thousands of youth from around by the Holy Spirit.  In this episode, Sarah shares seven reasons why she loves France and wants to take you there with her.  1. The country's devotion to Our Lady 2. French saints!  3. Breathtaking cathedrals (French Gothic architecture 😍) 4. Beauty  5. Intelligence + Elegance 6. The French Language 7. The Food The pilgrimage costs $4,199 for the land-only package in which you arrange your travel to and from France, or $4,999 flying from Seattle.  More info at https://canafeast.com/france Want to go, but can't?  Pray this novena to see if a way might open up through the Little Flower's prayers! My Novena Rose Prayer O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love. O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God to grant the favors I now place with confidence in your hands . . (mention in silence here) St. Therese, help me to always believe as you did in God’s great love for me, so that I might imitate your “Little Way” each day. Amen Want to join the free online formation on the pilgrimage themes?  Sign up at: https://canafeast.com/france  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

What should you wear as you climb into bed with your husband for a lovemaking night? Sarah invites you to consider: Wearing something that makes you feel good.  1. It might feel good in terms of comfort. It might feel cozy and comforting on your skin and keep you warm.  2. It might make you feel good because it looks good on you. It's your color. The cut and fit suit you and flatter you. That's another wonderful reason to wear something to bed!  3. It might make you feel good because it feels sensual, with slinky, soft fabric. 4. Maybe it feels good because you feel feminine, sexy, or confident in it. That can help you get in the right attitude for lovemaking.  Lingerie is okay. You don't have to wear it, but you can. There's nothing immoral about it, and in fact, it is quite likely that some of the lace made by St. Zélie Martin's workshop was for lingerie. If you want to wear lingerie, consider a model-free store such as  Mentionables. (Get 10% off with the affiliate link: https://www.shopmentionables.com/BARTEL) Or, consider the unique, hand-made, fair-trade pieces made by Ginger and Peach. https://www.gingerandpeachlingerie.com Another tip is to go to an upscale department store, try on some chemises and nightgowns to see what you like, and then see if you can find them for a fraction of the price on eBay. Imaginary lingerie is another great way to go! It fits perfectly, looks great on you, doesn't itch, scratch, or ride up, and it's FREE!  5. Don't do this if it's bringing you down!  Is ratty, stretched-out sleepwear dragging your energy down and making you feel frumpy and un-sexy? You deserve to feel good. If it's dragging you down, ditch it, and make an intentional choice to wear something that makes you feel good as you climb into bed to meet your husband.  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

What is a sex sabbatical? How do you know if you need one? What do you do during it, and how do you change up your dynamic afterwards? In this episode, Sarah shares how a sex sabbatical can be a helpful way to reset your love life in marriage. If you're in a cycle of obligation sex, forcing yourself to have painful sex, or just feeling burnt out, used, or resentful about sex in your marriage, a sex sabbatical can be just what a wife needs. It can give her the time to reflect on how she got to this point, it can give her space to research and learn more, and it can give her time to plan out and design a better chapter going forward, after coming together with her husband again. A husband and wife can use this time to develop other areas of intimacy in their marriage that may have gotten neglected. They can work on their communication, deepen emotional intimacy, and expand their repertoire of non-sexual touch.  Resources mentioned in this episode: Mary Bruno, Missing Pieces: Female Perspectives on Sex for Catholic Women (book) Cana Feast Retreat Library (at-home Catholic date night retreats for a small dose of cemotional connection) Abundant Catholic Marriage Course (comprehensive online program for a big dose of emotional connection) Ruth Buezis, Awaken Love: The Truth about Sex That Will Transform Your Marriage (book)  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

What does the Blessed Virgin Mary have to do with your love life as a Catholic wife? Is it even appropriate to turn to her for help in this area, seeing as she is a virgin--the Virgin of virgins, in fact? Yes! She is the passionate spouse of the Holy Spirit, and you do not need to be shy of asking her help with this intimate sanctuary of your marriage.  -Mary is the perfect model of active receptivity. This concept can help you grow in your love life. Some women need to develop the "active" side of this more, and for others, perhaps it's the "receptivity" they need to work on. Meditating on what "active receptivity" means for you can be helpful. -You can ask Mary's help by praying a novena to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots for help undoing knots of shame, ignorance, wounds, and other obstacles holding you back from enjoying peace, freedom, and wholeness in your love life. -St. John Paul II was deeply devoted to Our Lady, and he is also the pope who has written and spoken most on sex and marriage. -Consider consecrating yourself to Our Lady, praying the Rosary, and approaching her for help. Her help and protection are powerful.  St. Maximilian Kolbe's Consecration to Mary (read about the preparation as well):https://militiaoftheimmaculata.com/act-of-consecration-to-mary/ St. Louis deMontfort's Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary 🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

So many moms feel touched out by the end of the day and don't want their husband to touch them, especially not in lovemaking.  How do you handle this? In this episode, Sarah shares 4 tips for handling that touched-out feeling that affects moms with young kids as well as other hands-on caregivers. 1. Set boundaries with your kids to save yourself from some of the unwanted touches throughout the day--for example, teach them not to tug at your clothes, if that drives you nuts.  2. Take the time you need to reset and regulate after a high-touch day. You can calm your nervous system down. Scrolling and screens won't do this; a walk, a book, quiet time by yourself can. After you reset, you might be more open to touch than you thought you could be. 3. Your back, feet, and legs probably aren't touched-out. It's usually your arms, upper torso, head, and maybe core/ lap area that are. After you reset, invite your husband to touch you in those places that haven't been overstimulated. Try a back massage, a foot rub, or a leg massage first. Once you're feeling good from those touches, you will likely feel more open to touch in your upper torso, arms, head, and core/pelvis/lap area.  4. Are you an HSP? Take the quiz to see if you're a Highly Sensitive Person. https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/ Learning that you are an HSP can help you learn how to take care of yourself better. Know that overstimulation from touch will affect you more than others, and give yourself extra reset time and white space in your day.  Learn more about the superpowers and sufferings of being an HSP at hsperson.com, and learn to talk with your husband about your bubble. Sometimes your bubble of personal space will be big, other times smaller and more porous. Use this, or some other image, to communicate with your husband about whether coming in for some touch is welcome or not at any given time.  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

Mary Bruno wrote Missing Pieces: Female Perspectives on Sex for Catholic Women in response to a lack of women's voices among the popular speakers and authors who are most well-known for bringing messages about theology of the body and Catholic teachings on sex and marriage. The theology and teachings are beautiful and true, but they implicitly assume that sex will be pleasurable.  What if it's painful, as up to 75% of women will experience at some point in their lives?  What if they desire it more than their husbands do?  What if they don't realize that there's skill to learn in this area, and incorrectly assume it will be amazing right off the bat, starting from the wedding night?  These are some of the experiences Mary addresses in her book. Join Sarah and Mary in a fascinating discussion in an area that needs more attention! Mary Bruno, Missing Pieces: Female Perspectives on Sex for Catholic Women, 2024.  Find Mary on her website, marybruno.com Follow her in IG @whitelotusblooming  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

How do you find time for sex when you'e a busy mom with young kids? First, Sarah shares three mindset shifts, plus a bonus note on attitudes about motherhood: 1. You NEED to make time for your marriage. You don't find it, you make it. You need to make time for emotional connection with your husband, and also for sex. Ideally, you want both of them together, but if you only have time for one, consider prioritizing emotional connection first. Consider scheduling it, and have an attitude that accepts that preparation will make it better--just as Mass is scheduled, and entails many layers of preparation (the homily, music, flowers, usher plan, etc.). 2. Emotional connection is so important for making lovemaking meaningful and pleasurable. Women are designed to thrive sexually in an atmosphere of heart-to-heart connection with their husband, which includes that feeling of being truly known and seen.  3. Good lovemaking takes time: ideally, 15-60+ minutes per session. If you don't care about it feeling good and bonding, or you don't care about feeling mutual pleasure, you don't need much time. However, that is likely to lead to you, the wife, feeling left behind, used, and resentful. You will be more likely to see sex as just another chore to check off your list.  4. Motherhood does not have to mean you are frazzled and exhausted. That is not a sign that you are doing it right. It is incredibly demanding, but look for where you can bring in help and make space for more in your life than just caring for your kids. Make time to cultivate your mind, your friendships, your hobbies... and your idea of yourself as a lover, not just a mother.  That said, here are four ideas for making time for good lovemaking in marriage: 1. Weekend afternoon, during the little one's nap. Put on a movie and set out snacks for the bigger kids. Then, Mommy and Daddy go to their bedroom to have "a little nap."  2. Cereal Night. This is a weekday night in which you serve the easiest dinner possible--maybe even just cold cereal, in plastic bowls! Streamline the bedtime rooutine. Make it the simplest, easiest possible version of dinner and bedtime. Then, once the kids are in bed, Mom and Dad make a bee-line for their bedroom WITHOUT PICKING UP THEIR PHONES, laptop, or tablets first. (Those screens are "thieves in the night" that will steal your precious opportunities for emotional and sexual connection! They're a trap. Stay off, or an hour later you'll find yourselves scrolling or surfing, and then too tired to really have good lovemaking.)  3. Set Your Alarms for the Middle of the Night. Get in one solid sleep cycle, and set your alarm for 4 hours after your heads hit the pillow. Then, wake up, make love in the dead  🔥 Free Guide to 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit for Improving Intimacy for Catholic Wives  https://canafeast.com/MyDelight-9-Skills 🤔 What is Allowed for Catholics in the Bedroom? Find out in the 19-page "What's Allowed List" ($10) https://canafeast.com/mydelight-whatsallowed MORE RESOURCES Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women) Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10) Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.