Often, women discover diastasis several weeks after giving birth. Despite the fact that a lot of time has passed since the birth of the baby, the mother’s belly still remains protruding. At the same time, neither proper nutrition nor regular physical activity can help cope with this problem.
Diastasis after childbirth is a fairly common occurrence, and in order to eliminate this problem, it is worth knowing exactly what exercises you need to do to get rid of diastasis.
Normally, the rectus abdominis muscles should fit quite tightly to each other and be connected to each other by a tendon. With diastasis, these muscles diverge along the midline and the gap between them can be from 2-3 cm to 10-15 cm.
Causes of diastasis
The main triggers for the occurrence of diastasis in women are pregnancy and childbirth, and the risk increases if a woman gives birth frequently. As the fetus grows, it begins to put pressure on the anterior abdominal wall, which causes discrepancies and overstretching of its muscles. In addition, the pregnant woman’s body produces the hormone relaxin, which softens the abdominal tendon, making it quite elastic.
After childbirth, the mother's belly should again become the same as before, but this does not always happen. Mothers who had a very large belly during pregnancy are at risk of developing diastasis after childbirth - with multiple pregnancies, polyhydramnios, or if the fetus is very large, the muscles stretch much more than normal. If the expectant mother did not encounter problems with excess weight before pregnancy and devoted time to exercise to strengthen her abdominal muscles both before and after pregnancy, she will not face such a problem.
Is diastasis dangerous?
Often this problem is only of an aesthetic nature - the new mother tries her best to get rid of the formed tummy, but all efforts are in vain. However, it happens that diastasis causes discomfort and sometimes causes serious health problems. Thus, pain may appear in the lower back and abdominal area, which may intensify after lifting weights or prolonged physical activity.
The most dangerous is diastasis of the third degree, when the muscles diverge by 10 cm or more - the abdominal muscles weaken, the risk of hernias and prolapse of internal organs increases.
How to detect diastasis
- lie on your back and bend your knees;
- your fingertips should be placed on the midline of the abdomen 3-5 cm above and below the navel;
- The abdominal muscles should be kept relaxed and the head should be raised off the floor;
- if you feel separation of the abdominal muscles, this indicates diastasis.
Precautions for diastasis
If you have diastasis after childbirth, you should avoid anything that leads to increased intra-abdominal pressure. You should adapt to lifting weights and carrying your baby correctly and monitor how correctly you get out of bed or chair and do not forget to control your cough.
- When coughing, place your palms on your abs and apply light pressure. This way your stomach won't swell too much.
- Make sure your posture is correct - you should not slouch or sag in the lower back.
- You should not lift weights that weigh more than 5-6 kg. When lifting lighter objects, extend your arms by bending your elbows.
- If your baby calms down only in your arms, use it while wearing a postpartum bandage or simply swaddle your belly.
- Get out of bed and get into it only by lying on your side. When you rise from a chair, transfer your weight to your left or right buttock, pull your stomach in, making a semicircle of your body to the left (or right) side. You should stand up mainly using the strength of your legs.
- You should forget about sleeping on your stomach, because in this position there is an increase in pressure on the tendon and anterior abdominal muscles, due to which they stretch even more.
Sometimes a woman who has recently become a mother does not know what to think when all her efforts to tidy up her belly after childbirth remain unsuccessful. With a balanced diet and adequate exercise, the abdominal muscles not only do not regain their previous tone, but begin to bulge even more. The reason for this strange “behavior” of the body may be diastasis of the abdominal muscles - it is this pathology that prevents a woman from regaining her former slimness.
To understand what the pathology is with such a diagnosis, you need, first of all, to know the specifics of the anatomical location of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall. The rectus abdominis muscles are connected by tendon fibers woven into a strong mesh. The abdominal linea alba is the name given to where these muscles meet. When this ligament, for one reason or another, expands, and the rectus muscles diverge to the sides, they speak of their diastasis.
The underlying cause of the pathology can be considered congenital weakness of the connective tissue of the lower part of the white line. Under the influence of constantly increasing intra-abdominal pressure during pregnancy and childbirth, this area is greatly stretched and does not return to its previous position. This is also facilitated by the active synthesis of relaxin, one of the pregnancy hormones. The substance softens and deprives muscle fibers of tone, thus making the ligamentous complex of muscles and joints of the pelvis more mobile. This is what muscle diastasis looks like after childbirth:
Who becomes an accessible target for diastasis?
Women in the following categories are at risk:
- pregnant women with a large child;
- pregnant with several babies;
- pregnant for the second (third or fourth) time;
- with a diagnosis of polyhydramnios.
In addition to such obvious reasons for the development of diastasis as pregnancy and a high degree of stress during childbirth, there are other factors that contribute to the appearance of pathology. Among them are:
- increased physical activity with incorrect exercise technique;
- prolonged intense cough, which is accompanied by severe straining;
- loss of muscle tone due to sudden fluctuations in body weight (for example, rapid weight loss);
- predisposition to the development of a hernia.
Symptoms of diastasis
Among the obvious signs of diastasis after childbirth are the following:
- unnaturally convex navel;
- a protruding rounded belly, even if quite a lot of time has passed since childbirth;
- regular constipation;
- constant pain in the back and lower back;
- the appearance of fatty ridges in the abdominal area.
If you have at least one of the listed symptoms, you can suspect the presence of diastasis after childbirth.
Diagnosis of diastasis
The following test will help confirm concerns about diastasis: lie with your back on a flat, hard surface, bend your knees, placing your feet on the floor. Place one hand behind your head while contracting your abdominal muscles. With your other hand at this time, feel the longitudinal area in the middle of the abdomen. Diastasis will be indicated by the presence of a dimple immediately below the navel or directly at the site of the navel. Knowing how to determine diastasis after childbirth, you can guess the development of the disease even before visiting a doctor.
Don't panic if you feel "huge holes" under your fingers in the first few weeks after the birth of your baby. At this time, the connective tissue is still very soft and vulnerable. Proper implementation of special exercises and, most importantly, time will return it to its former strength and elasticity, and the diastasis pits will noticeably decrease.
Degrees of development of diastasis
When there is no pathology, the distance between the rectus abdominal muscles does not exceed 2 cm. The degree of pathology depends on the gap between the xiphoid pectoral process and the navel. To understand what treatment to prescribe to eliminate abdominal diastasis after childbirth, the doctor will first determine the degree of pathology.
The course of diastasis is characterized by 3 stages:
- At the first stage, the rectus muscles diverge by a maximum of 5–7 cm along the white stripe. This anatomical metamorphosis does not affect the appearance of the abdomen and is considered normal after the first birth. A woman may experience occasional nausea, pain in the epigastric region, discomfort when walking, and occasionally constipation.
- The second stage of diastasis of the rectus muscles after childbirth is diagnosed when the muscle discrepancy exceeds 7 cm. In this case, it is externally noticeable that the lateral abdominal muscles are not in good shape.
- In the third stage of the disease, the size of the fossa between the rectus muscles is more than 10 cm. For this reason, a woman may be diagnosed with an umbilical or abdominal hernia, and there is a risk of atrophy of muscle fibers and displacement of internal organs. A severely saggy belly can even limit the patient’s ability to work.
How to remove diastasis after childbirth: the main prohibitions
To eliminate this pathology, a woman needs to understand what cannot be done in her situation, so as not to aggravate her condition even more. First of all, you need to minimize the pressure on the weakened abdominal wall. There is a list of special prohibitions for this:
- Do not lift objects that weigh more than 5 - 6 kg. When lifting light objects, bend your elbows rather than straighten them out.
- To hold or rock your baby, you must wear a postpartum bandage or tightly wrap your belly with a cloth.
- When coughing, apply light pressure with your palm to your stomach to prevent it from becoming too inflated.
- You can only get out of bed and lie down on it while lying on your side. To get up from a chair, first focus on your legs and transfer your body weight to one of the buttocks, while simultaneously drawing in your stomach and turning your body in a semicircle in any direction.
- Try to maintain an even posture at all times - you cannot slouch or bend too much in the lower back if you have diastasis.
- Sleep on your back or side, but never on your stomach, otherwise the pressure on your abdominal muscles will increase significantly.
What to do with diastasis after childbirth
Diastasis is a pathology that, unfortunately, over time not only does not go away on its own, but also gets worse. Features of the treatment of this disease are determined by its stage of development. Thus, diastasis of degrees I and II can be eliminated with the help of special gymnastics aimed at strengthening the anterior abdominal wall and lateral abdominal muscles, due to which the rectus muscles will be brought together. Correction of stage III pathology can be carried out exclusively through surgical intervention.
Exercises for diastasis after childbirth
From time to time, with muscle effort, pull in your stomach for 30 seconds, then relax and after a few seconds repeat the exercise again. The frequency of exercise during the day can be whatever you want, the main thing is not to train until painful sensations appear in the abdomen.
- Lie on your back, raise your head slightly and lift your shoulders off the floor, stay in this position for 30 seconds. Repeat 30 times.
- Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Exhale and lift your pelvis off the floor. When you reach the top point, tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.
- While in the starting position from the previous exercise, lift your straight leg up so that a right angle is formed between it and your torso, then return to your previous position. Repeat 10 times for each leg.
- Press your back against the wall, place your feet at such a distance from it that an angle of approximately 45 0 is formed between them and the wall. Hold a medium-sized ball between your knees. Now start squatting slowly until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Stay in this position for 20 - 30 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 – 20 times.
As you can see, the exercises are very simple, but their implementation will not leave a trace of stage I and II diastasis, provided that you exercise regularly (ideally every day).
Pay attention! The upper abdominal muscles (ordinary straight abs) cannot be loaded during diastasis - such exercises will only contribute to an even greater separation of the muscles. It is also contraindicated to separately lift the upper or lower body so as not to inflate the internal abdominal cavity.
Specifics of therapeutic exercises
To achieve successful results and eliminate diastasis forever, you need to exercise correctly. First of all, this concerns breathing and proper retraction of the abdomen.
In order for the anterior abdominal wall muscles to retract naturally, take the baby in your arms more often - this will give a load to the deep transverse abdominal muscles that encircle the torso, like a corset. As for breathing, during physical exercise you need to inhale deeply through your nose, making sure that your lungs fill with air gradually and your stomach inflates slowly. Exhale through the mouth, imagining how, as the lungs empty, the abdominal muscles rise upward, like an elevator.
Surgery for diastasis
The solution to the problem of pathological divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles by surgery is to remove the diastasis hole and strengthen the abdominal wall. Essentially, the surgery brings both cosmetic and functional benefits. Please note that you should contact a surgeon in exceptional cases: in stage III diastasis, when there is a risk of developing serious complications in the functioning of internal organs.
There are two surgical ways to eliminate diastasis:
- Tension plastic surgery of “native” tissues, when the edges of the diastasis are tightened by suturing muscles and ligaments.
- Non-tension plastic surgery using special mesh-shaped prostheses. The prosthesis is attached to the edges of the diastasis so that it brings its edges together and covers the entire area of pathology. After about 2 months, the prosthesis mesh becomes overgrown with connective tissue and a dense anatomical septum appears between the rectus abdominal wall muscles.
The photo shows diastasis after childbirth and after surgery.
Rehabilitation after tension plastic surgery takes a fairly long period of time, during which you should not lift objects that weigh more than 10 kg. For the first 3 months after surgery, a woman needs to perform a special set of exercises that will provide her abdominal muscles with adequate load to return to their “pre-pregnancy” shape.
If the surgeon used a minimally invasive technique during the operation, the patient will be advised to get out of bed on the first day after the procedure. In this case, you must definitely wear a bandage, which will be an indispensable part of a woman’s wardrobe for another month. The next day after minimally invasive surgery, the patient can go home.
Constant physical activity should be introduced 2 weeks after surgery to eliminate diastasis. You will be able to fully return to your normal lifestyle in about 5 weeks.
Diastasis: dispelling myths
There are a large number of misconceptions about diastasis, like any other disease, that can simply confuse a woman and thereby prevent her from thinking rationally when the question of eliminating the pathology arises. Here are the most common myths about diastasis that should not be taken seriously:
- the disease provokes irreparable changes in the abdomen and abdominal cavity - it is useless to fight;
- diastasis can only be eliminated surgically;
- diastasis is the cause of regular bloating and flatulence;
- muscle separation during diastasis is certainly accompanied by pain;
- muscles affected by diastasis will remain affected forever.
To avoid becoming a victim of such false truths, you should discuss all your doubts and concerns with a competent specialist.
Statistics say that for approximately 40 - 45% of women in labor, the problem of diastasis becomes a reality, however, many manage to avoid surgery. If you have a basic desire and perseverance, you can get rid of the pathology with the help of simple physical exercises. At the same time, it is important to remember that diastasis does not have the ability to eliminate itself and can only be defeated by your active actions.
Trainer about diastasis. Video
The load on the rectus abdominis muscles increases significantly during pregnancy, which can lead to their stretching and the formation of diastasis. The operation in this case is effective, but not mandatory. Special gymnastics and physiotherapeutic procedures will help solve the problem if you start treatment immediately after childbirth.
Of course, the birth of a baby is the happiest and most desirable event for a woman. And only external changes in the body and the state of the body can slightly overshadow it. This diagnosis is one of these unpleasant consequences of pregnancy.
As you know, the abdominal muscles are divided into two groups:
When the rectus muscles diverge to the sides and the linea alba between them widens, this disease is formed. The white line is the connective tissue at the junction of the tendons (abdominal suture). Its integrity is never compromised, but thinning and stretching of the connective tissue occurs. With an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, thinned, but dense and elastic areas protrude along the midline and can be easily palpated. An increase in pressure provokes any tension in the abdomen, for example, simply raising the head while lying down or even coughing.
It is important to understand that this is not a hernia. With this pathology, the relief of the anterior abdominal wall is preserved and a hernial sac does not form. This means that complications such as inflammation or strangulation of the intestine, or the development of adhesions are excluded. But you should contact a surgeon or physiotherapist if you have the following symptoms:
Women are prone to this phenomenon:
The danger of having the disease is that in the absence of noticeable symptoms and corrective exercises, muscle separation progresses. Therefore, immediately after the surgeon diagnoses the pathology, it is necessary to begin treatment.
With diastasis, a notch forms along the white line of the abdomen
Why does it appear
In pregnant women, diastasis appears due to the pressure of the enlarging uterus on the abdominal wall. Weakened muscles are not able to support it and the connective tissue simply diverges to the sides. This is the first reason.
The second reason is the weakness of this tissue. During pregnancy, the effect of relaxin increases. This hormone helps increase the elasticity of ligaments and joints, which simplifies childbirth. But for connective tissue this is a provoking factor in the formation of the disease.
With diastasis, the transverse muscle moves apart due to stretching of the connective tissue
How to determine presence: diastasis test
It’s easy to determine for yourself whether you have this disease.
To test for diastasis yourself, you need to lie on the floor with your feet firmly pressed to the floor.
Some exercises, swimming, yoga will help with postpartum diastasis
How to do the Vacuum exercise correctly - video
Prohibited exercises
If you have an illness, you cannot perform a number of exercises.
Taping, wearing a bandage, massage
Taping involves applying a special elastic cotton tape with an adhesive base (tape) to problem areas. Tapes are applied along the gap or along its width with a tension of up to 50%. This method of treatment is physiological and is characterized by painlessness and comfort for patients. The effect of the procedure is as follows:
Combined use of this procedure with physical exercise promotes the formation of a muscle corset.
The bandage is also used as an auxiliary physiotherapy procedure. Wearing it is a good support for the muscles, especially during exercises to restore the muscle. Manual classic or hardware vacuum-roller massage effectively strengthens and tightens the skin and prevents sagging in the abdominal area.
Massage for diastasis after cesarean section can be performed no earlier than six months later, when the suture has completely healed.
Muscle taping, massage, wearing a bandage will complement corrective gymnastics in the treatment of diastasis
Surgical treatment
The goal of surgical correction is to eliminate the disease and strengthen the abdominal wall, which is achieved in two ways:
Video: what not to do with diastasis
Prevention
During pregnancy and even at the planning stage, prevention is important. It consists of regular training that strengthens the muscles of the pelvic floor and abs, increasing the elasticity and flexibility of the abdominal wall - twisting, bending, Kegel exercises, yoga therapy. The following will also help prevent muscle divergence:
Sleeping or frequently lying on your stomach increases the load on the linea alba and stretches it.
To remove an unsightly protruding abdomen and prevent the appearance of an umbilical hernia, postpartum diastasis must be treated. The described methods - special gymnastics, muscle taping, surgical correction - will help cope with the problem.
“Normally, the rectus abdominis muscles fit very tightly to each other and are connected to each other by a tendon (this is the so-called linea alba),” says Natalya Kirillova, gynecologist at the Family Planning Center of the Eastern District of Moscow.— Diastasis is spoken of in cases where these muscles diverge along the midline. The gap between them can be from 2-3 cm to 10-15 cm.”
Why does diastasis occur?
The main provocateurs of its development in women are pregnancy and childbirth. Moreover, the more often a woman gives birth, the higher the risk. The fact is that during pregnancy, the growing fetus puts pressure on the anterior abdominal wall, causing overstretching and divergence of its muscles. Plus, while carrying a baby, the expectant mother’s body produces the hormone relaxin, which softens the abdominal tendon and makes it extremely elastic. After childbirth, everything “falls into place.” But, alas, not always. “If during pregnancy a woman had a very large belly (this happens with multiple pregnancies, polyhydramnios, or when the fetus is large), the muscles and tendons stretch much more than normal,” explains Natalya Kirillova. — Most often, women who were overweight before conception face diastasis. If a woman watched her figure before and during pregnancy and regularly did exercises to strengthen her abdominal muscles, then she is unlikely to develop diastasis after childbirth.”
Why is he dangerous?
In most cases, this is only an aesthetic problem: the new mother cannot get rid of her “tummy” with the help of traditional diets and exercises. But in some cases, diastasis causes discomfort and sometimes serious health problems. A woman may be bothered by pain in the lower back and abdominal area, which intensifies after prolonged physical activity or heavy lifting. “The most dangerous is diastasis of the third degree (muscle discrepancy of 10 cm or more),” says Natalia Kirillova. “It leads to weakening of the abdominal muscles, increasing the risk of hernias and prolapse of internal organs.”
Diastasis test
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor. Place your fingertips on the midline of the abdomen 3-5 cm above and below the navel. Keeping your abdominal muscles relaxed, lift your head off the floor. If you feel a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles, this is diastasis.
Diastasis: precautions
If you have diastasis, first of all, avoid anything that increases intra-abdominal pressure. You need to learn how to lift weights correctly, carry a baby, get out of a chair or bed, and even sleep and cough.
Do not carry weights weighing more than 5-6 kg. Do not lift the lighter ones with outstretched arms, bend them at the elbows.
If your baby calms down only in your arms, carry him wearing a postpartum bandage or, as they do in India and China.
When coughing, place your palm on your abs and press lightly on it so that your stomach does not inflate too much.
Lie down on the bed and get out of it only by lying on your side. If you need to get up from a chair, transfer your weight to your right or left buttock, pull in your stomach and, making a semicircle of your body to the right (or left) side, stand up mainly using the strength of your legs.
Maintain correct posture. Don't arch your lower back, but don't slouch either.
Sleep on your back or side. The stomach position is not suitable for you! This position of the body increases the pressure on the tendon (linea alba) and the anterior abdominal muscles, that is, you stretch them even more.
Exercises for diastasis
“Many classic abdominal exercises are contraindicated for diastasis,” says Elena Korpanova, Ph.D. PhD, fitness instructor at the Happy Child family club. — In particular, you cannot do full crunches, leg raises from a lying position (and their variations), push-ups, and bending exercises. All these movements cause either a strong protrusion or significant retraction of the abdominal wall.”
When performing exercises against diastasis, special attention should be paid to breathing - while inhaling, you should not inflate your stomach too much. If you have been diagnosed with the second degree of diastasis, and before pregnancy you did not train your abdominal muscles, it is better to do the exercises in a bandage.
Exercises against diastasis
Compression
Lie on the floor, bend your knees, feet on the floor. Stretch a towel under your lower back, take it by the ends and cross your arms slightly bent at the elbows in front of you. As you exhale, lift your head and shoulders while squeezing your waist tightly with the towel. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times.
Exercise "Hundred"
Lie on the floor, bend your knees, feet on the floor, lower back pressed to the floor, arms along your body, palms down. As you exhale, lift your head, shoulders and arms off the floor. Stay in this position for a few seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times.
Lying leg curl
Lie on the floor, arms along your body, lower back pressed to the floor. Alternately bend and straighten your legs, while your feet slide along the floor. Repeat 10-15 times for each leg.
Shoulder bridge
Lie on your back, arms along your body, palms down, legs bent at the knees, feet slightly wider than your hips. As you exhale, lift your pelvis up, and as you inhale, lower it. Repeat 10-15 times.
"Cat"
Get on all fours, back straight, hands at shoulder level. As you exhale, pull in your stomach and round your back. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times.
If you regularly, at least three times a week, perform these exercises and follow the rules described above, in most cases diastasis can be dealt with in 6-10 weeks. For third-degree diastasis, surgery may be necessary: following an endoscopic technique, the doctor will suture the anterior abdominal muscles through small incisions in the abdominal wall. In all other cases, it is wiser to start with properly selected exercises.
My respect, gentlemen and especially ladies! And today we have a note on one of the most popular women's topics - diastasis after childbirth. Therefore, men, if you stopped by to see us, you can calmly return to your business, because such trouble does not threaten you due to the lack of opportunity to be in an interesting situation :).
Ladies, you will learn everything about diastasis - what it is, why it occurs especially often in pregnant women, what myths exist around it and what body movements, or rather exercises, will help improve your situation with it.
So, please sit down, let's begin.
Diastasis after childbirth: what, why and why?
Lately, I often receive letters from young mothers in the mail, in which they share their problems, in particular about diastasis after childbirth. Many people complain that there is no truth on the Internet. (not contradictory) clear information regarding this phenomenon. Due to the fact that the number of requests has exceeded the impossibility of responding to everyone, I decided to devote a full-fledged note to this issue, which is in front of you. Well, let's start with this...
Giving birth to a child is one of the main missions of a woman on this planet, and perhaps you would not be reading these lines if such a mission had not been completed by my most beloved woman. However, the birth of a child (and even more so the second) does not go unnoticed for the woman in labor and often brings a whole bunch of additional goodies, in particular, the following:
- weight gain;
- appearance of riding breeches - ears/sides;
- cellulite;
- breast enlargement/swelling;
- flattening of the buttocks;
- abdominal muscle diastasis;
- other.
Thus, it turns out that by giving life to a new little man, a woman sacrifices herself, her beauty. Therefore, after childbirth, curvy changes make themselves felt for a long time. However, there is enough information about losing weight and creating streamlined shapes, but too little attention is paid to diastasis of the abdominal muscles, although the problem is very common. Therefore, in this article let us try to understand this phenomenon.
Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.
Diastasis after childbirth: the theoretical side of the issue
Diastasis is the separation/divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles. As a result of this separation, the right and left halves of the rectus abdominis muscle (Rectus Abdominis) are moved apart relative to the middle fascia of the abdomen, the linea alba. In the picture version, the muscle divergence looks like this.
Note:
Diastasis most common (in two cases out of three) occurs in women who have given birth to a second and subsequent child.
The expansion and thinning of midline tissue occurs in response to the force of the uterus pressing against the abdominal wall, and hormones also contribute to the “softening” of connective tissue. The middle line is more 2-2,5 fingers wide (approx. 2 cm) is considered problematic. Diastasis most often appears precisely after pregnancy, when the abdominal wall is quite soft and the thin tissues of the midline of the abdomen no longer provide adequate support for the torso and internal organs. Young ladies should understand that a slight expansion of the midline occurs during all pregnancies, and this is a normal phenomenon. In some women after childbirth, the discrepancy does not exceed 1,5-2 - fingers, however, for the most part, the meanings go beyond 2,5 .
Diastasis often disrupts the slender figure of a flat prenatal tummy and is a serious problem that causes aesthetic discomfort in a woman. In particular, as surveys show, ladies are embarrassed to undress and bare their tops even in front of their betrothed. Therefore, the problem definitely requires a solution. In addition to aesthetic inferiority, diastasis recti reduces the integrity and functional strength of the abdominal wall, and can also cause low back pain and pelvic instability. Genetics plays a major role in the development of diastasis during childbirth; in particular, miniature and small-sized young ladies are at increased risk. For thicker women and those who are no strangers to physical activity and fitness, pregnancy can proceed without diastasis at all.
In the modern information flow, you may encounter many conflicting opinions and advice on how to restore the abdominal wall and midline after childbirth. Most of these recommendations can worsen the abdominal separation, and in fact you will get even more diastasis.
Therefore, you need to know about...
Myths about diastasis after childbirth
So, there are the following myths regarding the divergence of the rectus muscles, and in particular the following:
- causes irreversible damage to the abdomen;
- requires only surgical intervention;
- causes constant bloating a.k.a. “mummy-tummy”;
- causes pain;
- the abdominal muscles will never recover after childbirth and will always be weak;
- all women should wait at least 8-10 weeks after giving birth before starting any exercise or postpartum recovery program.
Remember, none of these statements are true.
How to determine if I have diastasis after childbirth
The following simple test will allow you to determine whether you have a discrepancy in your abdominal muscles or whether your abdominal muscles are raised prematurely :). To identify diastasis, do the following:
- lie on your back, bend your knees, place the soles of your feet on the floor;
- place one hand behind your head and the other hand on your stomach, touching your entire midline with your fingertips at the level of your navel;
- relax your abdominal wall and lightly press your abdominal cavity with your fingertips;
- Lightly twist/lift your upper body off the floor with crunches, making sure to keep your ribcage close to your pelvis. As soon as the muscles begin to move, immediately record how many fingers fit inside them and how deep the fingers go inside;
- also record how many fingers can be placed between the tense muscles slightly above and below the navel (3-5 cm in both directions).
This home test will allow you to determine the size of the “hole” in your stomach - the area around the navel that is not covered by muscles. If such a “gap” is not palpable, then you do not have diastasis, otherwise it does exist, and the degree of muscle divergence depends on how many fingers the “hole” has swallowed. Accordingly, the larger/deeper, the stronger the diastasis.
Note:
Don't panic if you feel "big holes" in your belly in the first few weeks postpartum. The midline connective tissue after childbirth is quite soft, but over time and with appropriate exercise, it will slowly but surely regain its former density and elasticity, reducing the size of the holes.
So, you have done the test and suspect you have diastasis. Now let's decide what degree it is, and the following classification will help us with this.
- 1 type - a slight expansion of the white lines in the umbilical region, the most harmless, i.e. virtually no effect on the shape of the abdomen. Formed after the first pregnancy;
- 2 type – divergence in the lower sections with relaxation of the lateral muscles. It is reflected in the shape of the abdomen, making it slightly protruding from below;
- 3 type - divergence of the abdominal muscles along all seams, both upper and lower sections. Accompanied by the presence of umbilical hernias and an unaesthetic appearance of the abdomen.
As you might guess, all work to restore the former flat shape of the tummy depends on the stage of muscle separation. The smaller it is (1 And 2 type), t We are more likely to achieve our prenatal curves naturally (non-surgical) way. The third stage usually involves abdominoplasty. It is also important to understand that when the abdominal muscles diverge and the midline bulges, it is extremely difficult to achieve a reverse complete “tightening” (especially when 3 type) due to the fact that the linea alba does not have muscles, it is connective tissue. Therefore, realistically assess your prospects and the degree to which the efforts expended are necessary.
Why pregnant women can get diastasis after childbirth
In fact, abdominal muscle discrepancy is not only the preserve of pregnant women, it can be:
- a consequence of incorrect exercise technique;
- a consequence of performing certain exercises and sports;
- a consequence of excessive weight gain.
In pregnant women, diastasis forms when the growing uterus presses on the abdominal wall - a.k.a. 6 abs cubes. If the lower/transverse abdominal muscles are weak and unable to support a growing uterus (its increasing pressure on the rectus muscles), That 6 cubes become 2 By 3 . As a result of fetal enlargement, the linea alba (its connective tissue) stretches to the sides. Your organs will now “press” on this connective tissue, and you will look with a protruding tummy and, through the weak point - the abdominal muscles, feel and feel their divergence.
So, we laid down some theory and realized that diastasis is a protrusion of the inner abdomen from under the muscles. Now let's move on to practical measures to improve this “interesting” situation.
First, let's figure out what movements/exercises should be categorically avoided so as not to worsen the situation. These include:
- exercises that involve lying on your back on a fitball;
- yoga poses that involve stretching the abdominal muscles (dog, cow) and breathing with the stomach (vacuum);
- Abdominal exercises that involve bending the upper spine/lifting it off the floor against gravity. For example: lying abdominal crunches, cross crunches, bicycle, roll-ups, cable crunches, push-ups, planks;
- lifting/carrying heavy objects (including children);
- most four-legged exercises.
In the picture version, the compilation atlas of prohibited exercises looks like this:
In general, we can draw the following conclusion: if you have diastasis, you should avoid “direct” press exercises; you need to focus your attention on certain isometric movements. In particular, the following exercises can be performed with a separation of the abdominal muscles in order to improve the situation.
Exercise No. 1. Lying pelvic lifts (bridge).
Lie on the floor on your back, bend your knees. Start lifting your pelvis by lifting your hips up. Pause at the top, squeezing your buttocks and tensing your abs. Execute 3 approach to 10 repetitions.
Exercise No. 2. Wall squats with a Pilates ball between your legs.
Press your back against the wall and squat down to the corner 90 degrees, placing a small ball at your feet. Stay in the bottom position for 25-30 seconds, and then straighten your legs, standing up to your full height.
Exercise No. 3. Raising your leg up from a lying position.
Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Lift your left leg vertically up, lifting your body off the surface. Lower your leg, returning it to the starting position. Repeat the same for the right leg, doing 10 repetitions of each.
Exercise No. 4. Slides with your feet.
Lie on your back and put your hands behind your head, stretch your legs. Raising your straight legs slightly, begin to bring them towards your body, taking steps in the air. Execute Execute 3 approach to 20 repetitions.
Exercise No. 5. Crunch with a towel.
Wrap a towel around your torso and lie down on the floor. Cross its ends at your waist and cross it with your hands. Slightly lifting your head, neck and top of your shoulders, pull the ends of the towel, bringing your chest closer to your pelvis. Execute 3 approach to 10 repetitions.
Note:
On average, with regular exercise, at least 3 once a week, the first visible result can be seen after 1,5-2 months of classes.
Actually, these are all exercises for diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles, as you can see, simple, but extremely effective.
However, exercise is not a panacea, and the synergistic effect ( 2+2 =5 ) they will provide, working in conjunction with a tailored diet and aerobic activity. In particular, it should be remembered that when burning fat, there is a general change (reduction) in circumference, including in the abdominal area, so losing excess weight will help reduce pressure on the rectus abdominis muscles, and therefore the process of “healing” of diastasis will go faster.
Thus, it turns out that an effective plan for combating abdominal muscle separation is as follows:
- power adjustment/setting;
- incorporating cardiovascular activity into your daily routine;
- performing specialized exercises.
So, we figured out the action plan. Now let's answer the question: when can you start working to improve the situation with diastasis.
As for the start time of work, it all depends on the degree of “neglect” of the source material. Those. usually mild stages of diastasis ( 1 ) go away on their own over time - the fabric tightens itself, without unnecessary movements on your part. On average, with a proper diet and avoidance of bad habits, the period is 1,5-3 month. All further stages ( 2 And 3 ) involve actions on your part, and the deadlines can range from 5 months to 1 year. Therefore, if you are the owner of diastasis 2-3 degrees, get ready for long-term work that you can start after 2-4 weeks after the baby is born.
Well, that’s basically all I would like to talk about, now you know how to behave and what steps to take. Let's take stock and say goodbye.
Afterword
With the birth of a child, our women face many curvy misfortunes. With one of them, diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles, you, my dears, now know how to fight, so give him a hard time!
