Matthew McConaughey's Girlfriend Avoiding Sex for 40 Days After Baby

USMagazine, Friday, January 29, 2010, 7:18am (PST)

Talk about patience!

Camila Alves is making her boyfriend Matthew McConaughey wait 40 days before having sex so she can recover from giving birth to their second child, three-week-old baby girl Vida.

See the first photo of baby Vida!

"Where I come from, we believe in something we call a 40-day break after the baby," the Brazilian model and mother of two -- they also have 18-month-old son Levi -- tells StyleList. "You have to let your body do its own thing. You give it time to recover and let everything settle down."

See photos of incredible post-baby bodies!

She adds: "You kind of respect all the hard work your body has just done and give it a break. For these 40 days, you really take it easy. By that I mean no sex, light, healthy food, no trips to the gym. Then, after 40 days, you are good to go."

Check out pics of more pregnant models

Although the Shear Genius host says the reprieve -- which is a typical recommendation for most new moms -- "is nice" because "there is not so much pressure" to rush back into anything, she is starting to struggle.

Unfortunately for McConaughey, it's not the sex she misses most.

"I confess, I am getting a little anxious to workout. I miss it," she says. "Not just to get my body back in shape, but for me, for my head!"

Look at all the adorable star babies born this past year

So when are the 40 days up? Vida was born Jan. 3, which means McConaughey has to hold out until Feb. 12 -- just in time for Valentine's Day!