Diastasis recti is a term that describes a separation of the abdominal muscles due to stretching of the belly. It is most common for this to occur in post-partum women. The muscles that make up the front wall of your abdomen are called the rectus abdominis. These are the muscles you see when someone has a 6 pack. In the middle of these two muscles is something called the linea alba, which is a fibrous line of connective tissue between the rectus abdominis. From the external view, it looks like an impression that runs the length of the abdomen. Diastasis recti occurs when the rectus abdominis muscles separate causing a protruding along the length of the linea alba.

How do I know if I have this?

Diastasis recti is most noticeable when the abdominal muscles are contracting such as when sitting up from a lying position or doing a core workout. If you want to check for it, you should lie down on your back and do a crunch. It will look like a protrusion in the center of your stomach. This could be down the entire length of the linea alba or just a small portion of it. It is most likely in women who have had multiple pregnancies or had a large baby.

Is this normal?

This is very common, should not cause concern and it should not be painful. This is a normal change that happens when the body is trying to create more space in the abdomen. Now how do we reduce it?

During pregnancy, there is no reason to worry about it. The baby will continue to grow and the abdomen needs to expand to accommodate that. After pregnancy, you can start working to reduce it after a few weeks after the baby is born. Sometimes this will go away on it’s own. Other times, it may take some rehab for it to reduce. The first step is to work on intra-abdominal breathing. This will create good pressure in the abdomen and build a stronger core. From there, it is important to slowly work on strengthening the abdominal muscles. Pregnancy causes lots of changes in the body so it is not always right to go back to doing the same things you were doing before pregnancy right away. It is best to be patient and get professional guidance as you work through this healing process. Make an appointment at Focus on Health so we can help you through it!