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I’ve had a few of you ask me about Diastasis Recti and how to heal Diastasis Recti after pregnancy. Honestly, I had NO CLUE as I’ve never had to deal with this…so I had to do a little research to find out more about diastasis recti and what it’s all about!
What is Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis recti is fairly common during pregnancy and postpartum. It’s when the right and left halves of the rectus abdominis muscle spread apart, right about at the bellybutton.
This widening of the abdominal tissue occurs because of the force of the uterus pushing against the abdominal wall.
Also, during pregnancy, a woman’s body is surging with hormones that soften connective tissue. This explains why my wrist that I had surgery on started to hurt again during my pregnancy!
A small amount of widening of the abdominal wall is common during pregnancy, but if there is a separation of more than 2 to 2.5 centimeters, it’s considered problematic.
How can you tell if you have diastasis recti?
- You have a gap of more than 2.5 finger-widths when you fully contract your abs
- You can see a small mound protruding along the length of your tummy
- The gap doesn’t go away as you contract your abs
If you have any of these symptoms, be sure to contact your OBGYN.
Why is having diastasis recti a problem?
Diastasis recti reduces the strength of the abdominal wall, which can contribute to lower back pain and pelvic instability.
If you think you have diastasis recti, make sure to avoid the following:
- Exercises where you are lying backwards over a large stability ball
- Movements such as ‘triangle pose’ in yoga, where the upper body twists and the arm extends away from the body
- Yoga postures that stretch the abs such as upward dog, cow pose, and backbends
- Any abdominal exercise that flexes the spine off the ground, like crunches, roll ups, etc.
- Any exercise that causes your abdominals to bulge out upon exertion
- Lifting very heavy objects
To lessen the severity of diastasis recti, you must strengthen the deep abdominal muscles, your transverse abdominals. I recommend a program specifically designed for this, like the programs available at befitmom.com
