Does anyone know if this is Diastasis Recti - separated tummy muscles?

[mumbot]

Hi everyone, I'm 9 months post c-section and I'm concerned that I may have separated tummy muscles. When I do the test (lie down, slight crunch, hands on tum) I can get 2.5 fingers width in belly button and no fingers above tummy button. Is it above the belly button that counts or actually inside the belly button. Help - confused! xxxxx

Hey. I am nine years post c section and my muscles below never really grew back the same...but you could see your GP about yours if you feel concerned and they would explain what is normal to expect. Probably you can do exercises actually. I think I was given a leaflet from hospital and they may also have a physio type person who might see you. 9 months is not that long. It does take more than a year before you can do things like stretch as far as you could before to high cupboards - stuff you don't really realise till later. Worth getting checked out if youa re concerned as you may want more babies and then the muscles will prob separate more? And then join up again. Don't the muscles separate anyway below the belly button in ALL pregnancies?

Mumbot actually you can have a diastasis around and below the belly button. I think if you're able to create a gap with the crunch test then it does imply a separation, atlhough I'm not a physio and I haven't seen your abdominals so it's hard to say. However, I had a separation after the birth of my twins - about two fingers in width. Not diagnosed by my GP who was a useless locum who needed to go back to med school and stay awake second time around (but that's a whole other rant thread) but diagnosed by me with the help of Google and a stomaach crumch and confirmed by my pilates instructor.

A good place to start would be your GP. I went back to mine and saw a different one and got referred for physio. They gave me a series of specific exercises to help close the gap, which I did. I also followed the Tupler Technique (Google it), which was fantastic and closed the gap to around half a finger, which I can live with. It took a good couple of months of doing the exercises every day but I was very motivated about it. Tupler Technique was brilliant and I think far more effective than the physio exercises, which were okay but not as intense. Whatever you do, don't try and self-rectify with stomach crunches or usual abdominal exercises - these can often make the problem worse or 'fix' the stomach muscles. You really need specific exercises to close the gap. It is possible though.

I'm currently pregnant again, although with a singleton this time, and I can see around my belly button that it looks like I'm going to get a diastasis again so I'll be revisiting Tupler next year no doubt!

Hope this helps.

Thank you ladies, that's really helpful. Congrats on the pregnancy kitstwins x