Many women come to me months and often years after their pregnancies wanting to know if they can fix diastasis recti years later. They wonder if it’s too late, if they will ever see progress, and whether they should even bother trying to fix their abs. The answer is, it is NEVER too late. 

While it is true that faster results may be seen in the first year after pregnancy, it is absolutely NEVER too late to improve the strength and function of your core. 

The reality is, motherhood is all encompassing. It’s tiring, overwhelming and BUSY. So by the time you get around to feeling as though it’s time to put yourself first, years might have gone by. 

If this sounds like you, please don’t feel discouraged. The right time to start is NOW whether that is months, years or decades after your pregnancy. 

The truth is you are postpartum for life, so it’s always a good idea to include deep core and pelvic floor work into your routine. Even once you have adequately repaired the damage to your muscles and eliminated your symptoms, maintenance classes are always recommended. 

Every mama who goes through my Diastasis Done Differently Program, has access to a weekly maintenance class as well as all the content of the program for life. 

HOW YOU CAN FIX DIASTASIS RECTI YEARS LATER

While your abdominal muscles might feel non-existent, they are there and there’s a lot we can do to repair the damage and reduce the weakness. 

The truth is we never stop being postpartum, so deep core work is important in all stages of life.

Over 60% of women who have been pregnant have some level of diastasis recti. Diastasis recti is when your abdominal muscles split apart during pregnancy due to the growing baby placing added pressure on the connective tissue of the working muscles between your ribs and pelvis.

The separation can cause pain and unwanted physical traits such as a protruding belly or ‘mommy tummy’.

In the past you may have been told to do crunches and planks to build core strength but when rehabbing from diastasis recti you want to avoid these exercises and stick to a specific method that heals your abdominal muscles without putting unnecessary strain on your intra- abdominal muscles, causing more damage. 

Your posture changes during pregnancy and this can impact diastasis recti. Follow these quick postural tips to help you pay attention to how you sit and stand throughout the day.

We go into posture and alignment and our top diastasis recti exercises in detail in our Diastasis Done Differently Program but here’s my 3 biggest tips:

• Try not to flare out through your chest and ribs 

• Focus on neutral alignment of your pelvis

• Focus on sitting with a long straight spine. No slumping or slouching. 

Will my diastasis recti get worse when I get pregnant again?

It really depends on how well you recover between pregnancies and what you do during pregnancy to prevent diastasis recti. This includes how much you close the gap between pregnancies and how strong and functional your core is.

What makes diastasis recti worse? 

Any movement that bulges your abdominal wall forward can cause more damage to your diastasis recti. Everyday movements like getting out of bed or up off a chair can worsen diastasis recti. Try to be mindful about how you are using your abdominals as you go about your day. I recommend getting out of bed or off the ground when exercising by rolling to your side and pushing up from there. Exercises that should be avoided until muscles are strong are crunches and planks and anything else that causes a doming or protrusion of your belly. 

How can PELVIC MAMA help you on your journey?

Strengthening your deep corE and pelvic floor muscles will improve a diastasis recti, even years after you had your baby. Find out more about How The DIASTASIS DONE DIFFERENTLY PROGRAM Can Help You