Diastasis recti in older women

[Funkyfaerie]

Hi,
I am 58 and I had my last (3rd) baby at the age of 31. I was told at my post natal that I had this condition (4 fingers gap). I had never heard of it, but wasn't surprised I had something as I was huge with my 9lb baby and I am a tiny size 10, still am.
I went to GP and then consultant who told me it wasn't worth the operation as the muscles normally separate again.
At first ot was fine, just a bit of burning if I ate too much. But as I've got older, I get a soreness feeling, cramping if I bend over sometimes, and back ache.
What I'm asking is, is it too late to do anything about it myself, as in the exercises that I didn't do properly when younger. I do wear a support sometimes as I do a lot of mountain walking etc.
Anyone else still have it at my great age? Is it possible to still help it with exercise.
Be grateful for any response Thank you.

Hi I got this after my daughter, I was 34, probably only 2 fingers wide though. I'd say over time it did slowly close over but it never fully closed over, in now pregnant again and the midwife commented that now I'm 39 weeks she can see how badly they've separated again suggesting they never fully healed.
Over the 3 years after having my dd and getting pregnant again I found doing yoga/core strength exercises and weights did improve the condition and also helped the pelvic floor problems i suffered with also. I found that my tummy was still round in shape even when all the weight had gone so inthink if the muscles separate you'll never have a flat stomach again but it can defiantly be improved with exercises. I'd be careful within the first 6 months of the normal stomach crunch type exercise, focus on more plank type stuff that you pull the muscles in for and yoga is really good too x

I could well end up in your shoes OP. I’m 45 and expecting again. I last had a baby 5 years ago and had not resolved a 4 finger separation. I am planning on referring myself to the women’s health physio team at our local hospital when I’ve birthed this baby and see what they can offer me. Perhaps you could ask your GP? I don’t think it is ever too late to try and sort these things out. I presume you were dismissed by consultant nearly 30 years ago? I am certainly hoping that things have moved on since then. I don’t intend spending the rest of my life in low level pain and occasionally having to pop my belly button back into place. Good luck.

My mum was told it wasn’t fixable, but 30 years later she’s doing Pilates and it’s starting closing.

I did a load of physio/yoga and that helped.

Look up the 'holistic core restore' programme, it may benefit you.