To think that knowing about checking for diastasis recti should be part of ante-natal / post-natal care?

[showtunesgirl]

I was lucky enough to stumble across an article about it when I was pregnant so I knew to check for it once DD was born. I have roughly a 3-4 finger gap which means that sit ups are right out for me and instead of making my stomach flatter, it will make my abdominal gap worse.

A lot of women do get DR but aren't aware of it and as soon as they are able to, they start doing sit ups and aren't aware that it makes things worse.

If you want to check for DR, there are lots of tutorials about it on youtube but I just wish that it was part of antenatal / postnatal care so that women are better informed about it.

A three/four finger gap where? In your abdominals? How do you check? Can it be prevented?

I'll note this for future reference.

What's an abdominal gap?

Is that the gap in your stomach muscles that should get smaller as your bits go back into place? If so, midwives here check after birth and at 10 day discharge.

It is at Barnsley Hospital. PG women are offered an antenatal class for exercises to help with pg conditions at around 16 weeks, which covers it, then a "big baby" weekly post natal exercise class for ladies with DR.

I had a physio who came round and told me I had this. She gave me some exercises to do and I had an appointment to check a few weeks later

Go to youtube and look up diastasis recti check.

kinkyfuckery, my midwives checked to ensure that my uterus was contracting but weren't checking for the gap.

The is mostly found at your belly button bit but some people get gaps above and below it too.

But that's the thing BikeRunSki, I didn't have a big baby but I am petite so got REALLY stretched. I guess she was big for my body though!

I was checked by a personal trainer and told I was fine, then again by a Physio and told I had a 2 finger gap and to go easy on any abdominal work. I agree that it should be discussed during post natal care as it can leave people with long term problems.

I have 3 children, I was only checked after my 1st pregnancy, the other 2 pregnancies the only check was on my uterus.

I think it's quite shortsighted that this is not part of antenatal / post natal care as you can end up with long term back problems as one of the side effects. Imagine how much money that must be costing the NHS!

Does it effect ttc?

I don't think so but if DR isn't addressed it can worsen with each subsequent pregnancy.