Diastasis of the rectus abdominus is a separation of the midline muscles in your belly during and after pregnancy. Most experts agree that virtually all women experience some separation of the midline muscles during each pregnancy. This is the body's totally natural and normal way to make room for the growing baby!
When does diastasis become an issue? After the baby is born, it takes time for your body to recover from being pregnant. All of the organs need to move back into place, the uterus needs to contract down to a smaller size, and abdominal muscles need to regain their strength and stamina to hold your body upright and your organs in place. The most important thing to do after you have a baby is rest! You should take at least 2 weeks to rest without any heavy lifting or doing too much (don't even walk too far!) After that you can slowly begin to move more, by taking short walks and beginning some mild exercises (look into pelvic floor activations and some safe stretches). Continue to rest and spend some well deserved time with your new little bundle of cuddles!
A few signs that you are doing too much too soon are: 1. urinary incontinence. 2. increased bleeding. 3. feeling that your organs are going to fall out or lots of pressure/ bulging. If you experience these, stop doing the activity that caused it and rest a bit more. The greatest gift you can give your body is time to heal properly!
If you still have a diastasis at about 12 weeks postpartum, it is probably time to get a checkup with a qualified chiropractor, pelvic floor PT or other postpartum specialist. Although you don't have to wait until there is a problem to begin seeking care. I focus my training on pregnancy and postpartum care and can help guide you through an appropriate strategy to healing. My recommendation to all of my pregnant patients is a 2 week postpartum checkup. At this checkup, we can evaluate how the pelvis is aligned and moving after labor and delivery. We can determine if there are any imbalances present and then begin to formulate a plan to encourage balance and proper alignment and motion.
Please reach out with any questions! I look forward to supporting you in your journey to healing!
The image shows a separation of the whole rectus abdominus. Each person is different and each diastasis is unique. Some people will have a separation at the belly button, some will have the separation only above or only below the belly button, others will have a whole midline separation as shown.
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