How did you fix your muscle split?

[littleraysofsunshine]

:)

[selsigfach]

Baby hasn't arrived yet (41+2!) but I plan on following this guidance here if/when it does.

[littleraysofsunshine]

Will check it out

[Eatscones]

I am working on sorting it out. Mine was quite bad at 5 finger widths of a split. The help I've been given is all about gentle exercise. For the first six weeks after giving birth I was to work on posture and tightening stomach muscles doing gentle pelvic lifts. After 6 weeks lots of lower abdominal exercises. And of course always do your kegles!?? *selsigfash's' link is spot on.

[Newmumtoo]

Have you seen an improvement in your muscle separation, Eatscones? Mine is big, too, and I worry it will never get better.

[littleraysofsunshine]

Newmumtoo, I think the same. Sometimes I feel improvements then I don't most the time. I've had three big babies close in age, 5cm gap then 7-8cm gap and I'm very slim.. My belly button is completely deformed into a hernia and my intestines bulge.. What it looks like anyway and physio confirmed this...

I do small exercises but I don't feel a lot of control in the main problem area.

Physio said that it does take a while for the pregnancy relaxen hormone to leave your body and stays even longer when Breastfeeding.. Which I still am doing at ten months pp.

My body has had non stop pregnancy and Breastfeeding hormone in for 4.5yrs! So I think it may take me a while...

I just want the control back, not get digestion problems where my muscles don't hold me in. Not get back ache and just looks horrid to me. I'm proud of what I've achieved but my tummy is a wreck

[naturalbaby]

I was also pregnant or breastfeeding for over 4yrs non stop and had a muscle split. I started boot camp once I'd stopped bfeeding my last baby and they do a lot of ab work - lots of planks as well as sit ups have really tightened things up. I still have to consciously keep my muscles in and think about my posture but it's much better. There's a lot of good advice on mutusystem.com/ this website.

[Eatscones]

I think it is improving newmumtoo. My ds is 10 weeks now. I'll let you know after my next physio on the 10th. I started at five finger widths and then was at 3-4... So I'm hoping it is continuing in that direction. Some days i hurt it again lunging for my toddler who is testing all her limits, but overall I think it is improving.

[babynelly2010]

never fixed itself after second baby. I am referred to surgery but opting for private tummy tuck next year, just trying to decide if I am really really done with babies right now. My separation is very bad and gets more terrible with exercise, i have an umbilical hernia too.

[Newmumtoo]

Eatscones, that's good to hear. Hope it gets better for you :-)

[clairemarie5]

So this is that weird hollow line I feel down the middle of my stomach when I tense my muscles!? I wondered what it was! Muscle split?? I thought it was only me who had this and never bothered to ask anyone!