Is this Diastasis Recti? - pictures attached

[KinderEggg]

I used to have a lovely flat stomach. Then I had DS who is now 4.

I started working out a year ago to improve my fitness and posture. But my stomach wouldn’t go flat. Until I googled and came across a condition called Diastasis Recti!! Never heard of it before. I’ve been doing planks, core workouts etc so have I made it worse??

I didn’t know where to put this thread. Where can I get it moved to if not relevant?

Hard to tell from that picture. Lie flat on your back and do a semi situp, if you get a vertical bulge down the midline of your stomach then that is diastasis recti.

Pretty sure diastasis recti is a lump in the middle, close to your diaphragm, I had it after my second and it was a little egg shape just at the top of where abs would be if I had any visible ones 😂

Not to be rude lovely, I think that it's just fat/extra skin from being pregnant that is the reason your tum isn't flat!

The extra skin is a bugger. I have visible abs at the top, but a terrible flappy lower belly.

I am not medically qualified but it looks like mine, only I'm bigger. I look about 6 months pregnant.

After an 18 month wait I saw a woman's health physio who confirmed I have diastasis recti. There doesn't seem to be much she can do though. I was told not to do planks as can make the doming effect worse.

If you feel your abdominal muscles just above your belly button and the gap is bigger than 2cm I think it's classed as DR. Its easier to feel if you're lying on your back.

I actually hate that it's not part of standard check PP to see if you have DR, I asked my GP to check if I had it.

Semi sit up position. Can anyone tell now?

I have been doing planks for a year! No one told me about Diastasis Recti. Never even heard of it.

I won’t be able to tell as I would just wish I didn’t have it. I wish it was a standard check too or at least tell women about it.

I found out by reading online too, when I asked the physio she checked and said definitely, I have a 5 fingers wide gap and that it is unlikely to close now. I have come across exercise programs online that claim to help but I'm not sure if they are any good so can't justify paying.
The reason I said it's like mine as you mentioned exercising and nothing working and the way your belly button looks, I have lost lots of weight but the rest of me looks OK but the st9mach doesn't change :-(

Have you tried any Google ones?
Most HIIT or dumbbell workouts have planks incorporated in them so I don’t know what to do now.

**youtube instead of google

I had this and used Carly Rowena and Bodyfit by Amy DR videos on YouTube. I did see an improvement but I've only had one child and I probably started the exercises about 4/6 months after giving birth. It probably wouldn't hurt to do the moves as they focus on building your core strength back up.

There's a few online coaches or programmes that specialise in DR/post-partum training. @ getmomstrong on instagram has some good resources

Ive never heard of this before but think i have it.

Only really bothers me when i sit up. I have put on tons of weight since giving birth.

I do actually want to start losing weight so why does some exercise affect it?

Lie flat on your back with knees up. Place your fingers a couple of inches above your belly button and do a semi sit up. You should feel your abdominal muscle close around your fingers. Measure how wide that gap is, while clenched in that semi sit up position.

Go for a Mummy MOT. They will diagnosis and give you exercises to help.

Planks won't fix it. It's your deep core you need to heal.

GetMomstrong on Instagram is incredible too. Her Core Basics programme is spot on.

I get that :-(
I knew I had dr though.
My baby is 17 and my stomach is still not flat. Its not big either though if that makes sense, so carry on doing the right things