Diastasis Recti: What Every Postpartum Mum Needs to Know
Table of Contents
What Is Diastasis Recti?
Your body has been through something incredible – growing, nurturing, and bringing life into the world.
But in the process, your core muscles may have changed in unfamiliar ways.
Diastasis recti is one of those changes, and if you’re noticing a softness or gap in your belly, know that you’re not alone.
Simply put, diastasis recti occurs when the abdominal muscles gently move apart due to the stretching of connective tissues between them.
Think of your abs as a fabric that holds everything together—when stretched too much, they lose some strength.
This stretch can cause weakness in the core, a slight bulge in the belly, or even discomfort in the lower back.
Diastasis Recti happens naturally during pregnancy as your uterus expands to make room for your baby.
But it can also occur from other forms of strain, like lifting heavy objects without engaging your core or doing exercises that push outward on your stomach.
How to Know If You Have Diastasis Recti
Suppose you’ve noticed a softness in your belly, a feeling of weakness in your core, or a slight bulge when you sit up.
In that case, you may wonder: Do I have diastasis recti?
The good news is that you can perform a simple at-home check to determine what’s happening in your body.
Try this gentle self-check:
- Lie on your back comfortably with your knees gently bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Place one hand behind your head for support, and use the other to feel your midline, just above your belly button.
- Start With A Deep Inhale, then exhale as you lift your head and shoulders slightly.
- With your free hand, feel for a gap between your abdominal muscles. If you can fit two or more fingers between them, you likely have some level of diastasis recti.
What’s next?
I recommend seeking a women’s health physiotherapist who can provide a more detailed assessment and personalised guidance to help you heal safely.
What’s most important to know?
Diastasis recti isn’t a flaw or a failure—it’s just a signal from your body that it needs gentle, mindful support to regain strength.
Healing is possible with the proper movement, breathing, and core connection.
Your body is wise, resilient, and ready to rebuild.
You don’t have to rush—take it one step at a time.
What Causes Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis recti happens when the connective tissue (Linea alba) between your abdominal muscles stretches, creating space between them.
This stretching occurs when there is too much pressure on the abdominal wall. It occurs most commonly during pregnancy, but it can also result from other factors, such as improper core exercises or sudden weight gain.
Healing starts with understanding.
So, let’s examine some key contributors to diastasis recti and how, with care, you can restore your core strength.
Hormonal Changes and Connective Tissue Weakening
During pregnancy, your body produces hormones like relaxin, estrogen, and progesterone to help soften connective tissues and ligaments, making room for your growing baby.
What Research Says:
A study in Obstetrics & Gynecology Science (2020) found that higher levels of relaxin lead to increased laxity in the linea alba, making it more prone to overstretching.
This change in hormones leads to some women experiencing more severe abdominal separation than others based on their body’s unique hormonal response.
Hormone levels decrease after birth, but the linea alba doesn’t instantly regain its former strength—especially without focused recovery.
That’s why some mums feel like their core still feels weak months after giving birth.
Encouraging Thought: Your body knows how to heal, and you can support it by moving with care.
Exercises that gently reintroduce core engagement help rebuild strength in a safe and supportive way.
Increased intra-abdominal pressure
During pregnancy, your uterus expands outward against your abdominal muscles.
This expansion increases intra-abdominal pressure, and if your core isn’t correctly engaged to support this change, the pressure is absorbed by the linea alba, causing it to stretch even more.
What Research Says:
A study published in The Journal of Biomechanics (2019) found that poor transverse abdominis (TVA) activation leads to higher abdominal pressure, which in turn increases the severity of diastasis recti.
The TVA is your deepest core muscle—like a built-in corset providing stability and support.
Empowering Thought: You don’t need to “suck in” your belly to heal—it’s all about learning how to breathe and engage your deep core properly.
Dynamic breathing and gentle core activation exercises can significantly affect how your body regains strength.
Multiple Pregnancies and the Cumulative Effect on the Core
If you’ve had more than one pregnancy, you may notice that diastasis recti feel more pronounced the second (or third) time around.
That’s because each pregnancy places further strain on the abdominal wall.
The separation can widen if your core hasn’t fully recovered in between.
What Research Says:
A Physical Therapy (2015) study found that women with multiple pregnancies had significantly higher rates of diastasis recti compared to first-time mums.
The study also highlighted that having pregnancies close together (less than two years apart) increased the severity of abdominal separation.
Encouraging Thought: If you’ve had multiple pregnancies, your body can still heal.
Focusing on core and pelvic floor rehabilitation between pregnancies can help restore strength and support your body for future pregnancies or postpartum recovery.
Improper Core Engagement During Pregnancy & Postpartum
Moving, exercising, and carrying your baby can help or worsen diastasis recti.
Specific movements place extra pressure on the weakened abdominal wall, making healing more difficult.
Movements That Can Slow Healing
Without proper core engagement and breathwork, the following exercises may cause more strain and worsen diastasis recti:
❌ Crunches & Sit-Ups
❌ Full Planks
❌ Leg Lifts
❌ Heavy Lifting Without Core Support
What Research Says:
A Physiotherapy (2014) review found that traditional ab exercises like crunches were ineffective in healing diastasis recti, while functional core training (like TVA activation and pelvic floor exercises) was far more beneficial.
Empowering Thought: Healing diastasis recti doesn’t mean avoiding movement but choosing the correct movements.
Breathwork, deep core activation, and functional strength training can all help you feel strong, supported, and confident again.
Final Thoughts: You Are Strong, and Healing Is Possible
Diastasis recti won’t hold you back.
It indicates to you that your body needs support and care for recovery.
You can always work towards rebuilding strength with gentle core engagement and mindful movement with some mind over time, especially since it has undergone some thorough physiological changes.
Your body can become strong at any stage of motherhood.
By allowing your body to adapt naturally, you also allow your biological wisdom to take on the healing process for you.
Let’s begin your journey to recovery!
We’re here to help you reconnect with your body with safety and guidance.
References
- Lee, D. G., & Hodges, P. W. (2015). The Role of Core Stability in Pelvic Girdle Pain and Dysfunction. Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy.
- Hills, N. F., Graham, R. B., & McLean, L. (2019). The Relationship Between Pelvic Floor Muscle Activation and Abdominal Muscle Function in Women with and Without Diastasis Recti. Physical Therapy.
- Benjamin, D. R., van de Water, A. T., & Peiris, C. L. (2014). Effects of Exercise on Diastasis Recti Abdominis in the Postpartum Period: A Systematic Review. Physiotherapy.
- Arora, M., & Liyanage, S. (2021). The Impact of Resistance Training on Postpartum Recovery and Core Rehabilitation. Sports Medicine.
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