Testing for a diastasis recti during your pregnancy is really not necessary. Whilst you can minimize the impact of diastasis on your core muscles by working on alignment and core strength during pregnancy, please don’t go worrying about or poking about in your bump, testing for a diastasis recti during your pregnancy.
The rectus abdominis muscle parts in a third of first pregnancies, and around two-thirds of second or subsequent pregnancies. We’d rather it didn’t, but it is common, and being aware of and adjusting your alignment and the mechanics of how you carry your growing bump will help comfort now and recovery afterward.
What you can do is work on your alignment and keep your transverse and pelvic floor muscles supple and strong throughout pregnancy, whilst avoiding exercises or movements that will exacerbate the problem. You can make changes to your alignment to reduce intra-abdominal pressure and to ensure that your whole core is carrying your growing baby, rather than all the pressure being out front and straining at the weakest point. This will ensure the effective recovery and restoration of those core muscles after the birth, and make repair of the gap easier.
Keep your body strong, aligned and working in the right direction… and most women will be able to repair the gap painlessly in 6-12 weeks.
Even if you had your baby many months or even years ago, once you start doing the right exercises, and stop doing the wrong ones, you can reverse the condition.
For information and articles about exercises for diastasis recti and exercises to avoid, see more Diastasis Recti articles
So don’t panic. And leave your poor bump alone… Mother Nature knows how to make room!
The MUTU System program includes special modifications for pregnancy that are safe and extremely beneficial providing your doctor or midwife if happy for you to exercise – get your core in the best possible shape for pregnancy, labor and beyond with these gentle and highly effective exercises, alignment and stretching techniques.
*SOURCE: Norfolk and Norwich NHS University Hospital Trial
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