A guide to demystifying Diastasis: what to do before, during, and after pregnancy to benefit your health, decrease negative effects and optimize your recovery.
By Hailey Valentine | Pre & Postnatal Trainer
If you're pregnant, you’ve probably heard about Diastasis Recti. It’s maybe even instilled some deep fears about your body after pregnancy.
You’ve come to the right place.
I’ve packed this guide with well-researched facts and practical advice to put those fears to rest. My goal is to help you replace anxiety with peace and confidence.
We’ll cover the following topics:
What is Diastasis Recti?
How can I self assess?
What is Diaphragmatic Breathing?
How & why should I exercise?
How & why should I work my core?
What exercises help with postpartum recovery?
What is Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis is a separation that happens in your core. Your "core" is a whole unit including the entire abdomen, diaphragm, erector spinae (muscles around the spine), and pelvic floor muscles.
We’ve all heard of “six pack muscles.” These are actually two major muscles within the abdomen called the rectus abdominis. The two sides of the rectus abdominis are held together by a thin connective tissue called the linea alba.
It is absolutely natural for this tissue to thin out and stretch during pregnancy. Don’t let this freak you out. After all, your body is making room for a growing baby, a placenta, and extra fluids. Imagine if it didn’t stretch to accommodate your changing body - it would be impossible to grow a baby!
The linea alba stretching shows up as a "gap" between the two sides of the rectus abdominis. That is what we call Diastasis Recti (DR). You’ll see this separation become more noticeable towards the end of the second trimester and into the third. Each woman’s body is different, so some experience a wider or deeper gap than others.
The video below explains this process in more detail with visuals.
How can I self assess?
After you’ve had your baby, here are a few ways to assess the severity of your diastasis. Check to see if:
The gap is wider than two fingers along your linea alba.
You can sink your fingers deep with little resistance.
You’re experiencing pain, localized bulging or frequent doming along the linea alba (during exercise or daily activities).
If any of the above scenarios is true, I’d encourage you to make an appointment with a pelvic health professional for more guidance and support.
If you are already postpartum, use the video below for guidance in your Diastasis self-assessment.
What is Diaphragmatic Breathing?
Diaphragmatic breathing and deep inner core work is one of the most beneficial things you can do to support your abdominal wall muscles. Strengthening these muscles prepares your body to react well to all the pressure on your core.
Diaphragmatic breathing and inner core work is especially crucial if you exercise during pregnancy. These techniques help protect you from coning, bulging, and pelvic floor dysfunction.
You can use deep belly breathing as a key breathing technique during labor. It’s also one of the first things you can do to jumpstart your healing journey postpartum.
Check out the video below for a “how-to” on diaphragmatic breathing and connecting your breath to pelvic floor muscles.
How & why should I exercise?
Exercising during and after pregnancy is extremely beneficial to you and your baby. It significantly improves your functionality as a mom and speeds up your healing. You may have been told to avoid most exercise and lift no more than twenty pounds. Let’s actually think about that for a second.
Imagine the day-to-day life of a mother. Most of her day involves moving, bending, squatting and lifting. A car seat alone usually weighs 10-20 pounds, but that’s rarely the only thing a mom carries at one time. Add to that the strain of walking with a child on her hip, lifting groceries, bending down into a crib, getting down on the ground to play, etc. You get the point. Moms need strength and mobility to tackle the functional challenges of motherhood.
As you exercise, there’s one main thing to watch for when it comes to minimizing the effects of DR. You want to avoid creating a dome or bulge along your linea alba. You might even notice this when you sit up out of bed. If you’re consistently seeing doming or bulging, try avoiding or modifying that specific move until that symptom is no longer present. Here are some exercises commonly associated with doming/bulging:
Front-loaded exercises (planks and push-ups)
Straight arm pull-downs
Crunches or sit-ups
Hanging knee raises or toes to bar
Overhead presses
This list does not mean you need to eliminate these exercises altogether. Some women can perform them throughout their entire pregnancy with no problems. As long as you stay symptom-free throughout your pregnancy, I encourage you to keep working out and modifying moves as needed.
However, there are a few workouts/moves I recommend you completely avoid. They are not core-specific exercises, but they’re worth mentioning.
HIIT workouts
Barbell hip thrusts
Olympic lifts where the barbell pattern is compromised
Any exercise in prone (belly facing) position
Exercises laying on your back IF it causes dizziness
*Add a 15 degree incline if you feel dizzy.
Watch the video below for more details on a visual of doming/bulging and modifications for specific exercises.
How & why should I work my core?
Why is core strength so important? You might have been told to avoid ALL core work while pregnant because it could worsen DR or compress the baby. But there’s no evidence to support that claim. In fact strengthening your core is massively beneficial and can actually help decrease the severity of DR.
Let me explain how. Your spinal column relies on your core muscles and ligaments for support. Think about all the movement your spine goes through in a day. Now add the extra weight it’s supporting with a growing belly and breasts. It’s a lot! That’s why it’s so vitally important to strengthen your core to support ALL of your spines’ movement. If you choose not to, you’ll likely experience more back pain and a longer healing journey postpartum.
Let’s get specific. The four spine movements are:
Flexion (rounding the back)
Extension (arching the back)
Lateral flexion (bending side to side)
Rotation (twisting side to side)
Each of these movements directly strengthen your core. Watch the video below for demonstrations of each.
Click image above for link to view + print
What exercises help with postpartum recovery?
What can you do immediately postpartum to heal faster? As you rest and care for your sweet babe, you can easily practice diaphragmatic breathing and some light upper body mobility.
When I say “healing,” I mean regaining strength and functionality of the abdominal wall. The stretched out “gap” between your rectus abdominis will actually never fully close, and that’s completely natural.
It’s important to remember that each woman has a unique recovery journey. The amount of time you need to heal depends on MANY factors. These include DR severity, number of pregnancies, genetics, and age. Take it slow and give yourself grace. You just went through a major physical transformation. Carrying a baby for nine months and bringing them into this world is no small feat.
Check out the video below for five early postpartum moves to help your abdominal wall and DR recover and heal.
Click image above for link to view + print
I hope this guide helps you feel more educated and confident in your own pregnancy and postpartum journey. Rest assured knowing that even though every pregnancy is unique, you are not alone in it. You are SO strong, and we are in this together. I’m here every step of the way.
Keep a lookout for my pre and postnatal exercise program coming soon! It will include a private, close online community where we can share stories and support one another.
Praying for the health of you and your babe!
Hailey Valentine | Valentine Fitness
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