It’s so important to rebuild your core and strengthen your stomach muscles after pregnancy.

This can be weeks, months or even years after giving birth. It’s never too late to start.

After the miracle of bringing a new life into the world, there can be a lot of changes to your body. And while some of these changes may make you feel beautiful, others can leave you feeling a little less than confident… especially if you are experiencing diastasis recti.

Pregnancy causes a woman’s core muscles to stretch and weaken. This results in weakened abdominal muscles that are unable to support the spine or pelvis properly.

 The result is often lower back pain. In fact, one of the most common complaints right after pregnancy is lower back pain that can extend down into the legs. This is because the body has been out of balance for so long that it takes time to repair the damage to your abs.

The good news is that if you have diastasis recti, postpartum core strength exercises can help rebuild your core muscles and get your body back after baby. Read on to learn how!

What is Diastasis Recti?

Diastasis recti is a condition where the right and left sides of the linea alba (the connective tissue that runs down through the center of your abdomen) begin to pull apart during pregnancy as your belly stretches – creating a gap in the tissue. This condition affects about two thirds of women during pregnancy, but it’s not something you should just accept.

Post-pregnancy core strength exercises are key for healing diastasis recti. If you don’t take steps to heal your abdominal wall, it can cause problems with posture, lower back pain, hernias and even incontinence down the road.

Your postpartum core (which includes your abs, diaphragm and pelvic floor) is what supports your growing tummy during pregnancy. It’s also the foundation of a strong and stable body.

The first step is to begin some simple core strength exercises. These should focus on strengthening your transverse abdominis (TA) muscles. These muscles run deep within your abdominal region and act as a natural corset for the spine and abdomen. They are also very important in stabilizing the pelvis during pregnancy, but they can become weak after childbirth.

A few of the best exercises for these muscles are:

Bird Dog

This exercise is excellent way to get your obliques working while repairing diastasis recti. It’s also great for strengthening the lower back and improving stability in the shoulders.

Start on all fours with hands directly below shoulders and knees under hips. Engage abs by pulling belly button in toward spine and wrapping your TVA muscles into your midline. Slowly raise opposite arm and leg until they are parallel to floor; keep neck in line with spine. Hold for five seconds; return to starting position. Repeat on other side for one set; repeat for 6 sets total.

 Side Plank Lifts

Side planks are good for helping your oblique muscles regain strength and stability after delivery.

After doing side planks regularly, try adding in side plank lifts to work on strengthening both oblique muscles and upper body strength at the same time.

Lie on your right side with right elbow directly under shoulder and feet stacked (left foot in front of right). Lift hip as high off the ground as you can while engaging your abdomial muscles. Lower back down and repeat ten times.

So, if you’re looking for some extra support when it comes to strengthening your stomach muscles after pregnancy, give this quick class a try. It’s very effective and suitable for all levels.