If you have had babies then you possibly know all about diastasis recti and ab separation, or you possibly don’t? Which is why you are here! No worries, I am going to break it all down for you in this quick little blog post in order to help you heal your abs and close the gap. I’m just going to start by saying, if you are at all concerned about your ab separation after your pregnancy then you should seek help from a doctor to find the best solution for you.
What is Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis recti is the partial or complete separation of the rectus abdominis, or “six-pack” muscles, which meet at the midline of your stomach. Diastasis recti is very common during and following pregnancy. This is because the uterus stretches the muscles in the abdomen to accommodate your growing baby. One study found that up to 60 percentTrusted Source of women may experience diastasis recti during pregnancy or postpartum. (Healthline.com)
Some women will notice their ab separation begin to improve on it’s own in the weeks and months after delivery; however, some might have to do some extra work to close the gap on their ab separation. Often if left untreated, diastasis recti cases with a larger than two finger width gap can lead to poor trunk and core stability, back pain, poor posture, pelvic pain, or hernias.
HOW TO TEST FOR DIASTASIS RECTI
In this video I show you exactly how to check for an ab separation on your own body, and no matter how long ago you had your babies, I still suggest giving this test a try. You can easily test for a gap by lying on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Next you want to put one hand behind your head and your other hand on your stomach. Lift your shoulders and head up off of the floor and at the same time use your other hand to feel in your stomach above and below your belly button for a separation. You can use your fingers to measure the size of the gap and as mentioned above if you have a gap larger than 2 fingers it is recommend you see a physical therapist or doctor for further examination and or treatment.
If you have other questions about Diastasis Recti,
I go into more detail ABOUT MY JOURNEY AND CURRENT SITUATION in my latest YOUTUBE Video – Diastasis Recti Exercises – Close the Gap for Postpartum Moms
The Best Beginner Core Exercises To Begin To Fix Your Diastasis Recti (That Helped Me Close My Gap!)
These are the 5 CORE exercises I recommend starting with:
Pelvic Tilt – Aim to start with 3 sets of 10 reps
Pelvic Tilt With Single Leg Raise – Aim to start with 3 sets of 5/6 per leg
Glute Bridge – Begin with 3 sets of 10 reps (add advancements shown in the video below as you build strength)
Quaduped – Begin for 3 sets of 10 (5/leg)
Side Plank – Begin with a basic side plank x 20 seconds per side
I hope this article helps you become more aware of diastasis recti and the importance of core strength in general. I honestly feel that after going through two pregnancies, I value my core strength so much more now. Feeling strong and confident through both pregnancies (even when pushing) as well as how I was able to recover postpartum fairly quickly really makes me even more of a believer that core and total body strength is worth much more than esthetics!
Read more about my fit pregnancy and postpartum journey (with both babies) HERE
If you need help with closing your gap or improving your core strength, feel free to shoot me a DM on Instagram (@MichelleRootsFit) or Contact Me Here
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