Author

in

Diastasis Recti help

How do i help this issue? As my stomach muscles are completely stretched to the middle when i get up 😩

Read more on Peanut

The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.

Learn more about our guidelines.
Add a comment
Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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)

Avatar

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!

Avatar

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.

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

Exercises certian ones.

Avatar

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 šŸ’ŖšŸ¼ šŸ–¤šŸ–¤šŸ–¤

Avatar

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!

Avatar

Try the MUTU system!

Avatar

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!

Avatar

I have this too! My youngest is 2

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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!

Avatar

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.

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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.

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

Thankyou everyone for your advice really means alot xo

Avatar

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 šŸŒŸšŸ‘šŸ¼

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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.

Avatar

Does anybody have pain with it?

Avatar

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

Avatar

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.

Avatar

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😬

Avatar

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 šŸ™šŸ¼ there just isn’t enough out there and we need to help share this info šŸ¤—happy healing! Tam xx

Avatar

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?

Avatar

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

Avatar

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.

Avatar

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 ā€˜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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

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

Avatar

Waist train

Avatar

You can always try physical therapy!

Avatar

Avatar

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.

Avatar

Look up Mom+Me strong! Ashley is amazing.

Read more on Peanut

Trending

in our community

When do things get easier?

As we entered the 9-12 month stage, my son started crawling and pulling himself up. He also became more clingy and does not play alone, still doesnt sleep through the night, and this week has been sick (so EVERYTHING amplified). I am tired and overwhelmed. Please lie and tell me things get better. 🄺

Avatar

5

My little one is struggling with sleep

Hey! I'm in need of some advice please girls! My little boy is 20 months turns 21 months in 2 half weeks. He use to sleep through the night now he is waking up every single night in the early morning, I've had to transition him to a toodler bed as he kept climbing out his cot. Just need some advice on what I can do to help him get back in to a sleep pattern?

Avatar

3

4 month bed time

What time do you put your babies to bed?
What time do you start your 'routine?'
My LO currently goes to bed around 10.30pm, and I know i need to start bringing it forward. Everytime ive tried, it takes longer for my LO to settle.
We are exclusively breastfeeding. Any advice Mamas?

Avatar

1

13

6 month old autistism

My 6 month old makes no eye contact with me and doesn’t respond when I call him. Can this just be a phase or personality trait as apposed to autism

Avatar

7

5.30am wakeups 😫😓

My 15 week old has started waking up about 5.30am and is really hard to settle back down - it’s like he thinks it’s time to wake up for the day. He used to go to bed at 9pm and was up at 8am but now he goes to bed between 7.30-8pm as he’s knackered by then but waking up at 5.30am😓. Any advice to get him to sleep a little longer in the morning?! Even an extra hour would be lovely 🤣

Avatar

3

Colostrum storing?

Has anyone successfully extracted colostrum before the baby’s born? Apparently it gets produced from 16w pregnant and you can start storing it in the freezer but I’m 34w looking at my nipples and the syringes on amazon wondering how it works?? Like what did you use and did it hurt? 🄲

Avatar

9

Read more on Peanut