Ab Separation after Pregnancy: Diastasis Recti explained
Have you noticed a dome shape in your core while exercising? Do you still look pregnant months postpartum? Does it look like you have a mom pooch? An ab separation also called diastasis recti might be to blame. This can be fixed if you follow prescriptive exercises dedicated to closing the gap in your tummy.
In this article, we help you figure out how to prevent diastasis recti, and how to fix it if you have it.
What is diastasis recti
Firstly, let’s answer, “What is diastasis recti?”. Diastasis recti is a separation of the rectus abdominis, also known as the six-pack muscles. These two lengths of muscle run parallel to each other at the front of your core and are connected by a thin tissue called linea alba. Naturally, there is a small separation between the muscles. They don’t actually connect, but the gap is meant to be small.
This gap grows bigger during pregnancy to make room for a growing uterus. When the baby is growing the abs muscles move out to the side and the linea alba is stretched. After the baby is born and the uterus begins to reduce to its original size, the muscles should move back into position. For some, the linea alba is so stretched out so that the ab muscles don’t move back together. Like an overstretched rubber band.
If the separation remains larger than 2 cm, it is considered diastasis recti. With a large gap, it can make the core dysfunctional, causing weakness, back pain, and pelvic floor issues such as pelvic floor tightness or weakness.
How to know if you have diastasis recti - The self test
You can easily self-test to determine if you have diastasis recti. Lie on your back and place the tips of two fingers above your belly button. Press the fingers deep into your belly, lift your head and shoulders slightly and you’ll feel the sides of your abdominal muscles. Turn your fingers sideways to see how wide the gap is.
Move your fingers below your belly button to check this area, too. If you can fit two fingers width, or more, between your ab muscles, it’s considered a diastasis recti. If the gap is less than two fingers wide, you probably don’t have it.
I walk you through the diastasis recti test in my video. Do the test with me here.
You don’t always need to do the test to tell if you have diastasis recti. It is often visible when there is coning in the core during certain exercises, such as sit-ups and crunches.
Coning is when the linea alba pushes out and it looks like a triangle, or a cone. This means the internal pressure is exceeding the functional capabilities of the core so it pushes out where there is least resistance. In this case, it’s the stretched linea alba.
Coning or doming during pregnancy looks like this:
Coning or doming postpartum looks like this:
How to prevent diastasis recti during pregnancy
You might be wondering how to prevent diastasis recti during pregnancy, but the truth is, everyone will get diastasis recti when their uterus expands. The goal is to keep the gap small by focusing on exercises that target the deep core during pregnancy.
These deep core muscles are called the transverse abdominis and obliques. You need to learn to connect to and build up these muscles and avoid training the six-pack.
You should also look to train the core’s side muscles, the obliques. You can train these with standing side crunches and side planks, which are safe during pregnancy.
It’s not just while working out that you want to think about these muscles, though. Avoid putting strain on your rectus abdominis when you sit up from the sofa, bed, or yoga mat. Make sure you roll over to your side and sit up from there, using your hands to help if needed.
Posture is so important when it comes to preventing diastasis recti. Avoid leaning back and popping your belly out. To help with this, you need to find a neutral position for your pelvis. Here’s a tip for how to do it: pretend you have a bucket of water between your hips. Tip a little out the front, then out the back. Find a middle spot where no water would fall out. This is your neutral pelvis position.
Breathing correctly is also important when it comes to preventing diastasis recti. Use your breath to help you engage your core properly. Do this by exhaling during the hard part of an exercise.
When it comes to preventing diastasis recti during pregnancy, it’s important to avoid sit-ups, crunches, planks, and push-ups. These exercises are going to work your six-pack muscles and create too much intra-abdominal pressure. Also any type of exercise where you lie on your back and lift head and shoulders off the ground should be avoided.
How to fix diastasis recti
Reading this blog means you're keen to know how to fix diastasis recti. You’ve come to the right place. Thankfully, you can fix this problem, and you should. Living with it can lead to:
Umbilical hernia
Back pain
Urinary incontinence
Pelvic and hip pain
To fix diastasis recti, you need to strengthen the transverse abdominis—the deepest core muscles. These controlled exercises focus on the breath and have a big impact rather than a big burn.
Avoid any exercises that train the front of the core, the rectus abdominis (the six-pack muscles). That means no planks, sit-ups, crunches, push-ups, or similar. Again - as a rule of thumb, any exercises where you lie down and lift your head and shoulders off the ground are a no-go.
You can start exercises even a few hours after birth if you’re up to it. These include diaphragmatic breathing and pelvic floor contractions. Everything else needs to wait 6-10 weeks, depending on the birth you had.
It’s best to start working on closing diastasis recti as soon as possible. However, some people have had the issue for years and can still heal the gap.
Exercises for diastasis recti
Your workouts should focus on exercises for diastasis recti. Avoid lifting both legs off the floor from a lying position and from lifting the head and shoulders off the floor. This puts too much pressure on your core and can cause it to dome.
Here are some great exercises for diastasis recti.
1. Glute Bridge
Place your feet on the ground and bend your legs. Your arms rest next to you. On your exhale, lift your bottom, activate your pelvic floor and squeeze your glutes. Bring your hips back down on the inhale, but keep them an inch above the mat. On the next exhale, come back up. Repeat this 15 times.
2. Single leg marching
Start with your legs bent. When you lift your heels, keep your toes on the mat. On the exhale, lift one leg to a 90-degree angle. The other foot stays on the mat. On the inhale, bring the leg back down. Alternate sides until you have completed ten on each side.
3. Toe taps
Start with your legs at a 90-degree angle and your back and head resting on the ground. On the exhale, bring one leg down and tap your toe to the ground. Press your lower back on the mat and activate your deep core. On the inhale, come back to the starting position. Alternate sides until you have completed ten on each side. Keep your head and shoulders on the ground at all times.
4. Side plank
Bring your elbow under your shoulder. Create a straight line from your shoulders to your hips, knees, and toes. If you are kneeling, your feet should point back, and your legs should be at a 90-degree angle. Lift your hips and hold for 30 seconds. After completing 30 seconds, do the same on the other side.
5. Bird dog
Start in a tabletop position. On the exhale, reach one leg back and tap to the ground. While you’re doing this, reach the opposite arm forward. On the inhale, come back into the tabletop position. Compete 10 repetitions on each side.
6. Side plank with hip dips
Your elbow should be under your shoulder, and your body should be in a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. If you’re kneeling, your feet should point back, and your legs should be at a 90-degree angle. Lift your hips up and pulse slowly up and down for 30 seconds. After completing 30 seconds, do the same on the other side.
Try my workout for yourself. Follow along with my Diastasis Recti Healing workout on YouTube.
Diastasis recti before and after
Diastasis recti can heal. You just have to put in the time, effort, and patience. Here are some of my wonderful clients who were able to heal their diastasis recti successfully. All of them completed my 8-week postpartum fitness program REBUILD.
Check out some diastasis recti before and after pics! The left picture is always the ‘before’ and the right picture the ‘after’
"My goal was to get back into fitness and to strengthen my body. All that without having to worry about what might be too much / too little after birth! The rebuild program fulfilled that 100%. It challenged me to a good extent but didn't overwhelm me. I feel much stronger and the program helped me to relieve back pain. My legs have visually changed for the better and my stomach is flatter. Most importantly: I feel great about myself!" Theresa from Switzerland
"I have two kids and already after my first I had a 4 finger wide diastasis recti. Again after my second so I was concerned and unsure how to fix it. The program helped me reduce it down to 2.5 fingers within 8 weeks! My physio was so impressed! I love that I was at the same time able to challenge my body. I love getting sweaty and the challenge workouts in the program were exactly what I needed. Do this program, you will be so happy!" Rachael from Australia
"Before the REBUILD program I still looked very pregnant even though it’s been 1 years since I gave birth. I had diastasis recti but apparently no doctor was able to figure that out. The entire year I was in and out of the hospital with postpartum c-section pain, stiches opening, and lower back pain up until the point that I wasn’t able to sit anymore. When I started REBUILD my life changed. I lost a lot of weight, my body recovered, and the pain disappeared. With the program is was able to diagnose my diastasis recti and heal it with the right exercises. Thank you!" Karinita L. from US
Common questions about Diastasis Recti
Can diastasis recti come back after healing it?
You can heal your diastasis recti and then get it again. There are two common scenarios. One is that you will get diastasis recti again with another pregnancy. To keep the gap small it I recommend healing your ab separation before you become pregnant again.
The other reason why diastasis recti can come back is if you train your rectus abdominis too much again too quickly. And if you stop doing the deep core exercises. So transition slowly from deep core exercises to sixpack exercises. If possible always continue doing deep core work.
Do you need surgery to close diastasis recti?
In most cases a surgery is not needed because exercises are very effective. Surgery may be an option for women that do not want to exercise or that don’t see success from rehab exercises. The surgery is called abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck. But with perseverance and patience, you can close it without surgery.
Can diastasis recti heal on its own?
The female body is clever. It knows what to do postpartum. This is why, for many women, the muscles that cause diastasis recti usually move back together. However, this does not always happen, especially when the linea alba is overstretched from pregnancy. It’s recommended to start diastasis recti healing exercises as soon as you are cleared by your doctor to exercise. If you skip the core rehab exercises and train your six-pack muscles too quickly, you could make the gap worse.
How long does it take to close diastasis recti with exercise?
When you consistently do core rehab exercises three to four times a week, you should see improvements. It usually takes six to eight weeks. If you are not seeing any progress by then, get in touch with a physical therapist, preferably one specialising in postnatal clients.
Does diastasis recti ever fully heal?
Diastasis recti can fully heal. A common misunderstanding is that the ab muscles should move back together completely. However, this is anatomically not possible because the rectus abdominis has a natural gap of one to one and a half fingers. For some, a two finger-wide gap is normal.
Best program to heal diastasis recti
Ab separation after pregnancy is normal, but it can cause issues if it’s not strengthened. In my REBUILD programme, we do diastasis recti-safe exercises designed to build up your deep core muscles. These targeted moves are hugely effective, and my clients have seen incredible success—even when healing diastasis recti years later.
The programme is more than just core work, though. Expect sweaty full body workouts, weight loss advice, access to an amazing community of like-minded mamas, and pelvic floor exercises.
