Pregnancy Blog: What is Diastasis Recti during Pregnancy?
Several my clients and friends have asked me what it is…I can hardly say it…but let me explain what it is. Here goes…
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Diastasis Recti, or separation of the abdominal muscles, is a common side effect of pregnancy, yet many expectant and new mums don’t even know what it is, let alone whether they have it.
The Rectus Abdominis muscle is the vertically orientated “six pack” muscle that is susceptible to splitting open when the uterus grows upward out of the pelvis. The two sides of the muscle are held together by a fibrous connective tissue. The strain of the muscle can cause that tissue to open like a zip above and below the belly button. It sounds terrible but the separation itself is surprisingly painless because the connective tissue has no nerve supply. What you will feel, though, is an achy low back after the muscles start to open. Why? Because the muscles lose their mechanical advantage once they separate, so they become weak and no longer protect the lower back.
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What can you do?
You can test yourself to see if you already have a separation. If you do, you must modify activities during pregnancy to avoid increasing the separation.
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The test: Lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat, place your fingers on your tummy an inch above your navel, pointing toward your knees. Press your low back flat, then tuck your chin to lift your head and shoulders off the floor. You should feel the two sides of the rectus abdominis muscle with your fingers. If you can get fewer than three fingers into the gap side-to-side, the separation is considered within normal range.
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If you have Diastasis Recti of 3-finger width or more: If you are pregnant, you should stop abdominal exercises and do other exercises until after baby comes. If you are unsure, go and visit your local midwife or GP to get it checked out.
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What exercises can help to prevent it during pregnancy:
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Tip 1: Correct your posture
It sounds simple, but years of habit can take a bit to correct. In fact, some studies show it takes thousands of repetitions to correct bad habits.
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From a standing position, stack your rib cage over your pelvis and keep your pelvis stacked neutrally over your feet. Or as I like to call it ‘close your ribs’. Don’t stand with a swayback and open rib cage. This exacerbates the issue. The smallest of changes – closing the ribs and stacking the pelvis over the feet – takes pressure off the Linea Alba (where the Recti separation occurs).
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Tip 2: Activate the Transverse Abdominis & Pelvic Floor
You will want to start training the pelvic floor and transverse abdominis – these muscles act as a sling to support the baby and are extremely important both during pregnancy and after pregnancy. It will also help in getting a flat stomach after the baby is born.
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Tip 3: Stretching and strengthening
It goes without saying, if we take care of our body it will more than likely take care of us. Daily exercise is essential. And that doesn’t mean a solid 40-minute exercise routine every day, it can mean moving 20 minutes a day. In your first trimester you feel extremely tired and nauseous. In your second trimester you feel like superwoman. And in your third trimester all those the weight on your body and tiredness kicks in.
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See detailed article link: https://www.momsintofitness.com/diastasis-recti-dos-and-donts-exercise/
Safe Exercises.
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Lying on your back with knees bent, cross your arms in front of your body and place your hands on your sides. Press inward with your hands as you press your lower back flat and tuck your chin to lift your head off the floor, while simultaneously drawing the hands closer together to bring both sides of the rectus abdominis muscle together. Count to five and relax.
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Post Pregnancy Correction
If you have had your baby, you can do exercises, to help bring the gap back together, incorporating gentle abdominal exercises. Always see your midwife of GP before starting physical activity after birth, especially if you have had a C-section.
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Does Diastasis Recti heal on its own?
In most cases, Recti Diastasis usually heals on its own over a postpartum period of 6 weeks to 3 months. Further intervention may be required if recovery of Diastasis Recti Abdominis does not occur. Specific therapeutic exercise may help improve the condition. Umbilical hernia may occur in some cases.
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All information is correct at time of publishing (December 2019). Written by Kerry Norris
