Repairing Diastasis Recti after birth is key, as it not only helps with your “mummy tummy” but getting your core strength back is essential to prevent permanent damage to your lower back & spine.
What will you experience if you have abdominal separation?
It’s pretty safe to assume that every mum experiences some degree of abdominal separation during pregnancy. In some cases, it can be detected while you are still pregnant around the 25-week mark either on an ultrasound or during an exam but becomes more difficult to diagnose later in pregnancy. If the muscles stay separated after birth, they won’t be properly aligned to support your back and posture which could lead to back pain.
The separation (diastasis) is exactly what your body is supposed to do when it’s pregnant if it needs to. The issue is only when it doesn’t snap back together in your post-partum months.
You might feel a general weakness in your core or you might notice a protruding belly. You might even continue to look like you’re four months pregnant. Some women experience continued incontinence past 8 weeks post-partum. In other cases, back pain might be present. Many of these symptoms are common post-partum issues, so abdominal separation is often not diagnosed.
To check if you might have abdominal separation, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Place two fingers right above your belly button. Then, raise up like you’re doing a crunch. You should feel your abs hugging your fingers. If you can’t feel anything with two fingers, try it with more fingers until you feel your abs. Do the same test, but this time with your fingers right below your belly button. If the space is bigger than two fingers or you feel your muscles bulging, you might have abdominal separation.
Your healthcare practitioner or a fitness professional trained in post-partum exercise would also be able to confirm.
OK, now how do I heal my core?
First, if you do have abdominal separation, don’t panic. The body will start to repair some of the separation on its own.
But, strengthening your deep core (the transverse abdominis (TA)—your body’s natural corset) and pelvic floor with gentle exercises helps to properly realign the muscles. Here are five tips:
1. Practice deep belly breathing to activate the entire core musculature: Keep in mind the gentle abdominal exercises that are best to help your core heal after pregnancy aren’t intended to get your heart rate up.
2. Log rolling to get up: Don’t jackknife up out of bed or when you’re laying down. This just adds pressure to the tender muscles you’re trying to heal. Instead, continue log rolling like you did while pregnant.
3. Avoid crunches, sit-ups, abdominal twists and leg lifts: You might think more aggressive and traditional forms of abdominal exercises would get you results faster, but your priority needs to be strengthening your transverse abdominis first. If you attempt more traditional ab exercises and notice any “pooching” or “doming,” that’s a clear sign that your core hasn’t healed enough yet to do these types of exercises.
4. Brace for good alignment when in forward-leaning positions: Whether you are buckling baby into the car seat or bending from the hips to pick up a laundry basket, your abs can experience additional pressure when in forward-leaning positions so you must be intentional about using a breath to brace your core.
5. Core support bands: While your abs are healing, core support bands help stabilize your abs, support your back and improve your posture. You can wear core support bands up to approximately three months post-partum.
If you suspect you might have diastasis recti, don’t despair. At Lola&Lykke, we offer products to support new mums just like you including our Core Restore Support Band. We look forward to being there for you throughout your post-partum journey.
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