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Diastasis Recti Ab Rehab: Postpartum Exercises

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Why are there not more free resources on how diastasis recti repair on the internet? Why are people not giving proper instruction on how to properly activate the abdominal muscles, pelvic floor muscles and core to close the abdominal separation? Why is it so hard to find good, reliable and accurate information when it comes to ab exercises postpartum!?

A diastasis recti aka mummy tummy is when something that happens naturally during pregnancy along the linea alba (the rectus abdominis stretch) but there’s still a two finger width gap 6-12 weeks after baby is born between your ab muscles. There are things you can do during a workout while you’re pregnant to reduce your chances of getting a diastasis recti like avoiding crunches or doing planks later in pregnancy. For many women, the abdominals will go back together without abdominal exercises.

These are a few of the questions that I had after Tommy was born. After Connor, I went and saw a physical therapist. She wasn’t covered by insurance and she was hard to find.

During my visits we worked on building strength in the pelvic floor muscles, releasing them as well, working on proper breathing techniques to engage the abdominal wall and transverse abdominis. We worked on proper breath work by elongating my spine, having a neutral pelvis and drawing my belly button up towards my collar bone on the exhale. I got to relax a bit on the inhale. We also focused on having good posture to reduce low back pain. While I didn’t have a “pooch” or “bulge” like many many moms, I did have a minor DR and wanted to fix it before it caused me any lower back pain or intra-abdominal pressure. I was clearly seeing a lot of coning and doming during my pregnancy which was normal, but postpartum, I could still see them!

It was a great experience for me but I know not all moms have coverage for their kids so they can go spend an hour healing something that might not go back… You may not have the money to see a pelvic floor specialist or you might just not have one near you that is any good!

That is why I created this three part video series. First, check to see if you have a diastasis recti. If you do, then you’ll want to start with Stage 1 of this video series. You can do these exercises right away after childbirth. I did them 7 months postpartum because I didn’t think I had a DR. I didn’t… too much, too soon made my 2 finger “normal” gap worse at 6 months and I got one then!

DR or no DR, if you want to start doing ab exercises right after giving birth, start with stage 1. Graduate to stage 2 2-4 weeks later. Graduate to stage 3 2-4 weeks after that. I am still doing stage 3 at almost 10 months postpartum! Let me know if you have any questions below.

If you live in Boston, I saw Melissa Hines of Wellest Integrative Health and highly recommend if you are looking for a PT for your pelvic floor. Here is why I finally went to see a pelvic floor specialist despite knowing what I should and shouldn’t be doing!

If you live in Boston, I saw Melissa Hines of Wellest Integrative Health and highly recomend if you are looking for a PT for your pelvic floor. Here is why I finally went to see a pelvic floor specialist despite knowing what I should and shouldn’t be doing! I have a list of Pelvic Floor Specialists as well in Boston and surrounding suburbs if you’re interested in seeing someone who is covered by insurance.

Stage 1 – First Postpartum Ab Exercise Routine

This video above should be the first stage of diastasis recti recovery exercises. A lot of it is just proper breathing, breath work, posture, engaging the pelvic floor and connecting with your deep core muscles. You can begin these exercises if you are 2 weeks postpartum or later. Even if you are 6 months postpartum and have a diastasis recti, start here!

Stage 2 – Heel Slides, Toe Taps

Once you are comfortable with the above exercises, you can move to this next set. If you are newly postpartum, I’d wait until you are at least 6 weeks postpartum OR 2 weeks after you began phase 1.

Stage 3

Once you’ve mastered stage 2, feel free to move on to stage 3 which should be no sooner than 2 weeks after you begin stage 2. For some it might not be until you are 12 week postpartum so please go at your own pace ensuring that you can maintain proper core connection and you do not notice and coning or doming while you perform these exercises.

Make sure to pin this post to save for later if you are currently pregnant!

Let me know how you did on Instagram @SarahFit.

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Comments

  1. Sophie says

    January 27, 2021 at 6:43 am

    I really appreciate you posting this because the only alternative I’ve found online is a £150 program which I cannot afford. Thankful to find this after 16 months of searching!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

    Reply
  2. Victoria says

    February 2, 2022 at 9:33 am

    This is awesome! I am starting this today although I am three years post Partum lol! I’m getting back into fitness and noticed that my diactis recti is still present (I seen the bulge right in the middle of my stomach only and then thins out to my “Fupa” or mom pouch. After doing some planks it really flared up so I realize I need to get it under control but I was never given the proper ways of getting it under control! Thank you for providing this and free at that!!

    Reply
  3. Jacquie says

    September 13, 2022 at 10:50 pm

    I can’t wait to start following your videos for healing my DR! I am 2 years postpartum but have realized my mom pooch is not going to disappear on its own like it did after my first.
    One question I have is: once the separation is healed, do I still need to do any of these exercises to maintain things?

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 28, 2022 at 12:59 pm

      You should be all set once it’s healed!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. My Everyday Ab Workout – Health Club Nutrition Folsom says:
    September 18, 2019 at 11:03 pm

    […] is possible to start performing my Ab Rehab as soon as a few weeks later after giving birth. Wait till you graduate to the phase to perform the […]

    Reply

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