Diastasis Recti help

Check out Nancy Anderson, on insta she has some good info on diastasis recti. Her handle is nancyandersonfit. It might be of some use. I am doing her ab rehab course at the mo. I have 2 boys but both were emergency c-sections so I am trying to heal my core. I’ve had to do quite a lot of research to find which one worked for me

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I will! Thankyou! Oh wow really, thankyou again means alot,

If you have Instagram look up Hannah bower 2. She has a great program on it and she’s very sweet and inspiring.

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I will thankyou! X

i had this when getting up in my pregnancy, my midwife said it was nothing to worry about and was a result of being fit, my stomach has gone back normal x

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Oh that's strange she told me i had torn my stomach muscles i thought i was fit until she said that x

It is a result of torn muscles, my midwife just said it was because I was fit and petite🤷🏻‍♀️ my stomachs fine now so yours should be to🤞x

You are using your rectus muscles to sit up, use your tva. Or better yet, roll to the side and push up with your arms. Use your tva to support your core when needed, and strengthen your tva. Make sure you use good posture, dont change it bc of the bump. It can be a pressure issue so a physical therapist could help with that (ex. I was clenching my pelvic floor)

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Oh i see okay! Its so difficult to not use my stomach muscles as i move in general its so annoying x

Katie Crew on Instagram had a really good post that I wished I'd watched when I was pregnant. She shows a technique to use and explains what it is and why it happens really well!

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Aw wow okay thankyou! X

Avoid using your abs whilst pregnant! Roll on to your side before getting up from reclining on your back and do the reverse when lying down. No point doing exercises for diastasis now, wait until baby’s born and once your doctor says it’s OK you can start doing gentle rehab exercises to help your abs knit back together.

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Oh okay i see im mad i didnt know about it earlier i havs back problems so i use my stomach muscles way more than usual anuway z

You can use your core during pregnancy and still prevent further separation at later stages. Practice breathing techniques where on the exhale you engage the Transverse Abdominal Muscles, you can then use this when you try to sit up. Do this in a mirror, you should see your belly button draw to the spine then up slightly. It’s not about breathing and sucking in the belly, it’s about waking the muscles and engaging them. There are some superb examples on Instagram: The Bloom Method Munirahudanpt Goodfortheswole Momsintofitness Nancyandersonfit Our fit family life These pages help educate on the core and pelvic floor. You will not get this kind of information from Midwives and NHS care, so it’s important we make ourselves aware of it all. From the first week after birth you can do breathing exercises to re engage to core and connect. You do not have to wait 6 weeks. Helen Keeble Physio is also a great lady to book an appointment with as she is a specialist. Hope this helps x

100% of women have an element of abdominal separation by their 35th week of pregnant, it's completely normal and often resolves after birth. If at all concerned post birth once things have settled down I would see if your GP can refer you to a women's health physio for an assessment

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Ah okay yeah i wikl definitely email them x

I thought this as I have it,but the midwife told me that it’s normal & not to worry? But I’m still confused on it

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Im really confused as i was told its bad x

Exercises certian ones.

I had the same thing and it fully healed itself within 2 months PP. Try not to strain you stomach muscles, as that will make it worse. After you have your baby, get a really good stomach wrap/ waist trainer. Don’t begin any abdominal or core workouts until you get doctor clearance. Muscle strain while they are trying to heal can make it worse or just more difficult for your body to do what it needs to 😌 also, just don’t be hard on yourself. Your body will be different after doing the difficult work of making a human. You will get back to feeling like yourself eventually... it may take time but you’ll be stronger and better 💪🏼 🖤🖤🖤

Femfusion fitness on YouTube! Healed my gap from 2 1/2 to 1 1/2 fingers! All free! Also gives you a great understanding of how the muscles work!

Try the MUTU system!

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Yes! The mutu system! That or a women’s physical therapist. I’ve done both and both are very effective.

I’ve been using the Every Mother Program and so far it’s helped a ton!! I was having crazy back pain and now I hardly have it anymore too!

I have this too! My youngest is 2

I have this from my first and it has thrown everything off this second pregnancy. The abdomen being separated affects the whole pelvic girdle which can make for painful hip and pelvic pain down the road (this pregnancy has been BRUTAL)! I was working with a PT until about 35 weeks and then we agreed it wasn’t helping and needed to reassess after birth and really start rehabbing my muscles

Does anyone have any advice for when it doesn't go back to normal? It has been ten months after I have had my daughter and I still have separation

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You can see a Pelvic floor/ab physical therapist specialist. I follow Nancy Anderson and she has programs on how to correct your abs postpartum

YouTube has lots of DR exercise videos (I’ve done them and my baby is nearly 2 and they’ve made a big difference in only 6 weeks). You can also see a doctor for a psysio referral if you think it’s quite bad. If you are still breastfeeding you may need to wait until you’ve stopped for a few months to see the true healing.

try to avoid movements that cause the coning. Roll to the side, swing your legs and push up rather than just getting up. It’s completely normal but important to protect your abs so that it doesn’t get worse!

I have this too with my current pregnancy .A lot of resources I’ve looked up says it’s best to work on it after pregnancy and just to ride it out till then . Doing exercises now might only cause more damage for example if weren’t super active /working out before pregnancy.

My PT Katie Harris in TO helped me regain my PF muscles to close the gap

Always sit up on your side, rather than bolting up, when getting up or rising out of bed. I think posture is one of the main things to be aware of, and improving posture now will stop the gap from getting bigger. Maybe talk to the doc about seeing a physio x

The MUTU program is amazing. It’s very effective. Also, seeing a women’s physical therapist. They specialize in the pelvic floor which is connected to those an muscles. The both did wonders for me!! I highly recommend both. I did have a friend that got surgery when she was done having kids.

I’ve had this too since my first. Now my second is 1 and it’s still there. Mine is so severe it gave me hernia. I’ve done exercises and it just closed a little . I hope I don’t have to get surgery

check out goodfortheswole and getmomstrong in IG..they specialize in postpartum..i have gone to pelvic floor PT, and they follow and state the same stuff, their not just IG influencers

Gotta get those muscles working again. Unless you want mesh in your stomach like me.

I had mine surgically repaired when they fixed my umbilical hernia.

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Omg I have an umbilical hernia too!! The worst!!

Did they say you couldn’t solve it without surgery,

My midwife told me to go to target and get correction underwear

Check Pinterest for help closing! Also YouTube! I have the same problem! 😩

Thankyou everyone for your advice really means alot xo

Hi Sian, nice to see lots of comments and people sharing resources! I’m a Pilates instructor and mummy to 9month old Maia and along with my friend and fellow Pilates instructor, we are hosting an online Pelvic floor and abdominal health workshop. Inspired by comments and requests from people just like yourself! We will be sharing exercises, information, resources and answering questions. The idea is to share this toolbox so that we can empower and assist in the healing journey. Anywho, if you think you’d like to join us, feel free to contact me. Either way, happy healing 🌟👏🏼

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Thankyou lovely xo

I would love to learn more!

I have it too. It’ll close back up after delivering and once cleared you can exercise to strengthen those muscles.

Had to have mine surgically fixed. 30cm hernia because the diastasis was ignored. It did NOT fix itself with exercise after first pregnancy, got worse in 2nd. In the end I paid to go private for advice snd they nearly keeled over when they saw the hernia bulging out. Please find someone who understands the issue to check uou out first before doing anything else as doing the wrong stuff can make it worse, not better x

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What kind of doctor looks into this?

I go to physical therapy twice a week and it is the best because it is also my me time. Beantown physio in Brookline has a PT that specializes in women's health her name is Lisa Scallia. She is wonderful.

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Yes, I started with a separation of almost 4 fingers and I am now at 1 finger. Besides the mental health break. We start we a little 5 minute massage then targeted exercises and finish with 10 min electric massage stimulation plus cold and hot compresses. She sometimes tapes my belly too for a total if 1 hr app twice a week. I can do it now because I don't work during the summer and my daughter is 2 yrs old so much easier more my family to help out. I have been doing it for 8 weeks.

Have you seen improvement?

Does anybody have pain with it?

Hi there I had it as well as my sis, after delivery will be back to normal, no need to worry about it. It is normal for the muscles to stretch as belly is growing. I haven't use the muscles on my belly after belly growth, cause they can damage. Use ur arms to get up and all will be fine. Xx

I’ve had diastasis recti 4 years. I’ve just used google, YouTube, etc for resources to understand it and find exercises. The exercise are great to help strengthen core so that you don’t hurt your back. Abdominal breathing is the best for tightening.

I did not even know this was a thing😳 or that it was bad to use my stomach muscles. I just thought it was normal. 35weeks today, I guess I'll have to live with consequences now and hopefully it'll be okay or I can do exercises after baby is here😬

Hi ladies, This isn’t a promotion, I just want to share I do have a free video on my FB page ( @movementwithtamara ) that you can watch! It’s by bodywise Pilates and it’s a video between my friend who specialises in pelvic floor health and her friend who is a women’s health physio and has lots of info. (It’s free btw) if you have time, please watch and spread the knowledge 🙏🏼 there just isn’t enough out there and we need to help share this info 🤗happy healing! Tam xx

How can I tell if I have this or if its just added weight/fat from pregnancy? I'm 8month pp. Do i need a dr to diagnose this?

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https://youtu.be/Y7l82ZXNhSE

Hannah bower on insta or her website has an amazing core guide for this

I had it with both pregnancies along with an ugly painful umbilical hernia. I had mine surgically repaired when I had my hernia fixed. Dr. said not to fix unless you're done having babies.

I am 11 months pp and have diastasis recti. It hasn’t got any better over time and is affecting my back. I have done the finger thing and the separation is 4 fingers. We aren’t sure if we are having another yet but my tummy looks really swollen and sticks out on the right side. It’s definitely affecting my confidence and I just hate myself right now. Hard because we struggles so much to have our baby (3 miscarriages), but he was very big for my frame - he weighed in the 95th - 97th centile most of the pregnancy! Has anyone had the surgery here and could advise how it went? Need to make my mind up wether I want 1 child and a ‘normalish’ looking tummy again, or wait and deal with the blobby tummy and have another. Then have the surgery. How were your tummies carrying another baby with this muscle separation? Sorry for all the questions! X

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Congratulations on your birth! 😀 Have you tried any of the specific exercises? They work wonders. Also if you are still breast feeding you let stomach may still reduce. I’d look into physio etc before surgery. I agree though it’s best to try and improve it before a second pregnancy. X

My first was 10 lbs 4 oz. Started at 4cm got down to 1. Got pregnant with twins that were a combined 14 lbs and they are almost exactly 3 years apart. Had a 4 cm gap again, 6 m pp and down to a 2. If you do have another make sure you heal as much as you can first. I feel much better this time than i did with my first (stronger and no back/hip pain). I dont plan on having the surgery

Every Mother is the program I've been using. It has basically corrected my situation, though I didn't technically have a clinical case.

I’ve got a Post natal PT who give exercises to strength your core and help minimise the movement that causes the doming x

Pretty much 100% of women get it when they go beyond 35 weeks. Clare Bourne Physio is a good person to follow on Instagram for this. I also talk about it a bit as it comes with being a pre/post natal specialise PT. If you want to get it checked out PP, see a women's health physio x

https://youtu.be/sNcmGhLI4Hk It worked for me

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How long did it take for it heal completely?

Waist train

You can always try physical therapy!

@Sophie

I'm over 2 years pp and still have diastasis recti. Fix it! You need a strong core to carry around that growing baby. Weak core =back problems. I'm working on mine now.

Look up Mom+Me strong! Ashley is amazing.