Seriously, you already know and have a confirmed diagnosis of Diastasis Recti or you suspect having one. Diastasis Recti is the abdominal separation that happens or that can happen during pregnancy. It’s where the abs separate and to allow for the baby to grow as you can see in the picture below.
On this occasion, I don’t want to dive deeper into the ‘’hows and whys’’ it can develop but if you’d like to know more, read my blog post What is Diastasis Recti? How Does It Affect The Body and How It Can Develop? The sure thing is that I see Diastasis in moms more often than I’d like: If you can see any doming or bulging of your abdomen when you lift your head from your bed or attempt to sit up, it’s more than likely we’re on the right track.
Let’s say that Diastasis is on cards for you
You might be unsure whether you have Diastasis or not but your partner might be encouraging you to ‘’stop worrying about your mommy tummy right now and focus on the important stuff’’, you want to get pregnant again, don’t you? So at the end of the day who cares.
But here’s a thing: Even if you don’t care about your looks at this point in life as much (I totally get it! You’ve got enough on your plate already, you have a baby and a partner and a house to run… I’ve been there…) and your partner’s just trying to convince you that the ‘’cosmetic problem’’ it’s not a big deal, I’d like you to listen up:
It’s a matter of fact that you have a COMPROMISED abdominal wall…
Sounds scary? Think about what that does to your backside. You had this support from the front and it’s now compromised, you’re not getting that good support from the core. This very often leads to back pain or it can… If it didn’t, guess what: I wouldn’t have that many ladies coming to my office with this particular problem. … It can also lead to issues in the pelvic floor such as leaking and prolapse. These are VERY common too.
A lot of times with Diastasis Recti it’s not just about that separation
What I see regularly is that moms are really tight in the back because their ribs kind of thrust up. We get that ‘’sway back’’ as we are pregnant because the baby has to go somewhere, doesn’t it? 🙂
And after we have our babies, our body can get stuck like that, and so we experience all these stresses and strains in our body, which are contributing to the Diastasis and the other embarrassing ladies issues I’ve already mentioned above. The poaching belly, the protruding organs, all these are concerns to take into effect. So if you are planning on having more children, you have a valid point: ‘’Well, why should I get it fixed if I know that I’m just gonna injure it again…soon.’’
But hear me out mama: I’ve been a PT for almost two decades now, so here’s my experience talking to you. I used to work in an outpatient Orthopedic Physical Therapy place for a group of orthopedic surgeons years ago. And we often saw people for prehab. The patients knew they were going in for surgery, but you know what, the doctor would send them to physical therapy to prehab: To get their tissues in the best possible position, the best possible strength, the best possible elasticity, the best possible condition. Because we know that that allows the tissues to be healthy going into the surgery.
So you’re right: ‘Yes, your (mommy) tummy is going to get stretched out again.
BUT the point is that we can not only heal from this time around but maybe possibly PREVENT it from getting it bad next time. Would you rather NOT SET yourself up for success? And by success, I mean an easier postpartum healing journey. Do yourself a favor, girl, and set your body up for the best possible position, body awareness, and the state of health of those tissues, so your body can support this.
So yes, absolutely, you should get your Diastasis healed and you should get it checked out before, even if you are planning to have more kids any time soon. And especially if you’re already dealing with issues like back pain. Think about it for a minute: You’re gonna be putting even more stress on your body with Diastasis and pregnancy than just pregnancy itself. WHY would you wanna set yourself up for that?
Let’s heal your Diastasis!
Let’s feel better and stronger and more confident. This isn’t just a physical thing either. If you are feeling like you got this poochy belly, how does that affect your body image? How does that affect your self-esteem? I know you said you didn’t care. But please, think about that. And is that worth healing? Absolutely!
So here’s my honest answer for you: It is possible to heal from Diastasis after pregnancy, and you should consider getting it healed even if you plan to have more kids. any time. soon.
NOT SURE WHERE TO START? Hey girl, don’t despair! Here’s at least one thing you can do straight away:
- Watch my video ‘’3 Tips to Start Healing Diastasis Recti’’
On top of that, you can also explore my Low Pressure Fitness online program that my patients and I find very effective when tackling Diastasis (it’s my preferred way, to be honest!). But by all means, give us a call (719-270-1123), you’re not alone in this, we’d love to help you!
