What is Diastasis Recti?
During pregnancy your body goes through some unbelievable changes. One of them is the expansion of your abdominals as your uterus grows.
As your pregnancy progresses, the right and left sides of your rectus abdominis muscle separate as your Linea alba (the tissue between that set of muscles) stretches to make room for the baby.
Because of this, many women will notice an indentation in the middle of their bellies, right down the centre of the six pack area. But for some mammies the gap is wide and needs help being repaired. A wider separation is called diastasis recti. Some separation is normal but it is considered diastasis recti when the gap is significant. Here are some tips and exercises to heal diastasis recti.
How to fix Diastasis Recti
To heal diastasis Recti we need to rebuild the core from the inside out. Strengthening the deepest abdominal muscles the transverse abdominis (TVA) will provide support for those muscles that have been stretched.
We are looking to avoid exercises such as crunches and planks until you have regained ab strength and your diastasis gap has started to close, as exercises that are too demanding can actually make your diastasis recti worse. We also want to regain strength in your pelvic floor and diaphragm so is it’s important to concentrate on breathing properly and to engage your pelvic floor during each exercise.
Here are three three examples of simple exercises you can do at home to rebuild the transverse abdominals
Pelvic tilt on hands and knees
Pelvic tilts are a nice gentle way to not only work the TA and pelvic floor but they also help stretch out the base of the spine helping to relieve lower back and pelvic pain. On hands and knees make sure hands are directly underneath shoulders and knees directly under hips Relax your abdomen, keep your back flat and take a breath in. As you start to exhale, suck your bellybutton towards your spine and tuck your tailbone under and hold for a second. Take a deep breath in as you lower your belly back to the starting position. Repeat this ten to twenty times.
Toe taps
Toe taps will work the transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis and also work the obliques and hips. Lie on your back with a neutral pelvis (More of that later), knees bent, arms at your side, taking a breath in raise one leg and then the other as you exhale into table top position, with knees in line with your hips. Engage your core and as you exhale and keeping your right knee bent, dip your toe down towards the floor, Inhale and bring it back to starting position Exhale and repeat with your left leg. Repeat ten to twenty times.
Bird/Dog
This exercise is a little more tricky so only attempt when you feel a little stronger in your core. Bird/Dog will work deep into your abdominals and also work your back and glutes.
On your hands and knees with a neutral spine and flat back exhale as you raise your right arm and left leg into starting position in line with your torso. keeping your pelvic floor and abdominals engaged, exhale and you bring your right elbow to meet your left knee, inhale as you bring your arm and leg back to starting position.
Repeat this ten to twenty times.
