Split tummy muscles

[glitternanny]

I heard about this for the first time the other day 27weeks!

Anyone got any info on it all I can find out is repair, not prevention?! I don't know what causes it or anything and I haven't read anything about it anywhere it just came up in conversation....

[nancerama]

I had them, but wasn't aware until my 6 week postnatal check up and my doctor pointed it out. It's almost certain that you will get this if you have a c-section as they have to hoik the muscles apart to get the baby out. Of friends who have given birth naturally, some had it, some didn't. No idea why.

After 5 weeks of doing 10 sit ups twice a day, mine are almost back together.

It doesn't hurt at all, but it made me feel a bit funny being able to put my hand between the muscles into the squishy bit!

[Booboostoo]

I had them a little bit but not due to the c-section. What caused them was that I had very good abdominals before the pregnancy and the muscles got pulled apart through the natural process of the tummy growing to accommodate the baby. At week 11 my muscles are returning to normal through gentle, regular exercise.

I don't think there is anything you can do to prevent it happening, but in most cases it is very easy to repair through exercise and you don't need anything more invasive.

[lollystix]

I didn't really think you could prevent it. Had it with ds2 and 3 (not ds1 who was a section). They send you to physio if it's more than 4cm on day 10 after baby. I went both times - did their exercises a bit and all fine. Tummy will never be the same but it's more a loose skin issue due to being so stretched so often. Don't think sit ups advised for split muscles - have read can make it worse. I don't have time for sit ups though.

[cleanteeth]

The only little bit of advice I've ever heard was from a physio therapist when I was pregnant and that was to not lie down flat in the bath if you can help it cos when you get up a lot of the time your splitting your tummy muscles without realising. you can see it when you get like a ruches up when you go to sit up, best thing to do is roll over on to your front and get up on all fours

[InMyPrime]

My yoga teacher mentioned this in our class this week and said that it can happen for any reason but one of the major things to do if you want to prevent it is to avoid getting up from a reclining position by sitting straight up, as in your pre-pregnancy days. So if you're getting out of bed or up from any prone position, turn on your side first, pull yourself up with your arms and use your feet first.

Straining the abdominal muscles is the problem and when you're pregnant you can do damage more easily, partly because you don't notice you're doing it. The main advice seems to be to avoid any excess strain on the abdominals in pregnancy i.e. never do sit ups, avoid lifting heavy things etc.

[cleanteeth]

Thats exactly what I meant inMyPrime, but you worded it an awful lot better!

[nancerama]

My GP told me to do the sit ups

[lollystix]

Seriously nancerama - I'm never doing sit ups again - not till I hear it's ok just cos of my history - sure you've probably not done any damage though. My gp recommended a book - how to lose your mummy tummy - it's really difficult but effective - good for if you've had these issues -I just don't have the time to do it really - should work on it if I'm ever not pregnant. Pelvic floor seems to be more pressing issue tbh

[thankheavenforlittlegirls]

After I'd had DD1 the physio visited me on the ward and said she wouldn't bother checking my abs as my baby was under 8lbs (DD1 was 6lb 9)! She told me split abs only happened if baby is over 8lbs. Not sure if this is true or not, she was a proper hospital physio.....

[lollystix]

Mine were 6lbs 7 and 7lbs 13 but I'm quite small myself