Diastasis recti/ healing abdominals

[Olive2019]

Does anyone have any positive stories from healing diastasis recti?

I am 10months pp and my abdominal muscles have still not recovered. I saw a physio 8 weeks after I gave birth who gave me a series of Pilates-based exercises to do. I have been doing these regularly for months and am yet to see any improvement. I also tried the MuTu system thinking maybe I needed something different but I haven’t seen any change at all. I am still breastfeeding but only twice a day now.

I just wondered whether anyone had any similar experiences? All the physios have told me that I don’t have a large gap (1-2 fingers) but that it’s quite deep.

Thank you!

Find a really good pilates teacher and go to the class religiously, but make sure to tell them that you have a separation in order to leave you out of exercises that will fuck it up.

Also I had some good results with bodyfx dance (online class) but go gently as I found my back really sore after doing it too enthusiastically.

I am now waiting to save up to get a tummy tuck when my kids are older... not from the vanity tautness angle, but just from the satisfaction of not having to worry about it any more or take measures to protect it from opening more. It’s a massive pain.

Thanks so much for your reply - I’ve been to a few Pilates classes but each instructor seems to have a different idea of what you can/can’t do so I’ve found the whole thing pretty dispiriting. I suppose I have more options now though seeing as lots of classes are being run remotely. How long did it take you to see an improvement?

I noticed a massive difference in teachers between ones who were also physiotherapists (there are quite a lot of pilates teachers who are trained physios) and just the type of pilates teachers who are uber fitness bunnies. I stopped going to one teacher who was clearly amazing at everything else but who just didn't believe in keeping diastasis protected (she just thought after a certain point it'd be fine).

Have you had another child? Mine got worse with second child. To be honest mine is still one to two fingers but less deep. it closes for a bit then widens again. Which is why I want surgery!

Thanks wetcarparkrain - that’s great advice. This is my first baby but I would like another. I am slightly concerned about the effect such a weak core would have on lower back pain/spd in a second pregnancy so would really like to get it sorted before that happens.

I am hoping that when I stop breastfeeding my body will magically zip itself back together, but seeing as I’m doing that so little now I can’t imagine it’ll have much impact.

My third pg was twins. Born 9mth ago. Only discovered diastasis rectis after twins!! Mine is 3 fingers wide and quite deep aswell. Still look fking 6mths pg. Fml. Dp has given me exercises specifically for it and hoping they will help to correct it. Otherwise i will be looking at surgery.
Make sure whatver exercises you are prescribed are proper exercises specifically for this problem and that the instructor has had thorough training.
I had started back in gym and once i found i had a severe diastasis rectis i had to revise alot of my training plan. Dp then gave me other bits to do.
Def think this is something they should cover antenatally too.

Mine was 10cm after 6 months post partum. I could fit both hands in between. I worked with a personal trainer who was educated in its treatment. We mainly did weights and lifting exercises and it closed to 2cm. I doubt it’ll ever close fully Due to its size but I was happy with the results. I still do the modified exercises now so I don’t cause further damage by doing sit-ups etc

I had this, ignored it, did a triathlon when ds was turning 1. Then did my back in, slipped discs. Went back to basics, saw a good physio, started pilates with a physio once a week and did physio every day at home, every day almost without fail, built up core strength. It's closed up now. My back is not a problem for daily life but I'm only just getting back to cycling and haven't run. Ds is 3 next month. So i would say give it a year, and do your exercises.

Following as I have an almost 2cm gap, 4 months postpartum. I haven't seen anyone yet, was thinking about trying exercises from YouTube but no sure which ones to trust tbh.

@firsttime I don't know what it's called but to start with, lie flat on your back with your knees up and your back in relaxed mid position. Zip up your pelvic floor, engage your abs. Slide one foot away across the floor until fully extended, then bring it up and back to the start, then do the other one. Try not to let your back raise up. Do regular sets of these daily before moving on. You can find good focused workouts on YouTube.

Thanks so much everyone for your constructive and reassuring advice - will have a look on YouTube and just try and trust the healing process. And good luck hairwizard & firsttimemum with yours too!

Following! Also 11 months pp and looking 5 months pregnant still.. think I've made mine worse with sit ups etc too! :(

Thank you @Indecisivelurcher! Will give them a go

I'm following too! 4 months pp and I've got 2-3 fingers gap. Have contacted Dr for physio referral but wondered what success people had with exercises at home. I didn't realise it may never properly heal! Putting me off having another one, I feel like I've lost loads of weight but still look 5 months pregnant sob