Learn ten of the best exercises for diastais recti to repair and strengthen your core after pregnancy. We do a mixture of abs exercises to tone your core which helps to repair your post baby belly. 

You may be thinking, what is diastasis recti? If you’ve had children and have a tummy pooch that doesn’t go away with diet or exercise, you might have diastasis recti. This condition is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles (the “six-pack” muscles) in the front center of your abdomen. During pregnancy and childbirth, the connective tissue between these muscles stretches and thins out and can cause a gap between the muscles.

If you’ve heard about core exercises for after pregnancy or you’re looking for postpartum ab workouts, I want to show you how to do them so you don’t hurt yourself further.

It is so important for you to rehab your core muscles after pregnancy. It’s required to restore both function and physical appearance to your postpartum tummy area.

If function isn’t restored your muscles remain weak and damaged which can lead to back & pelvic pain amongst other things. It also makes it nearly impossible to achieve a toned stomach. 

If you don’t work on closing the gap in your abdominal wall, it could lead to pelvic floor dysfunction which includes urinary incontinence, back pain, constipation, and even prolapse — where your uterus or organs drop out of place

It can feel disheartening when you look at your body after having your baby and realise that your stomach in particular doesn’t look how you want it to. I still looked pregnant six months after giving birth to my second due to diastasis recti.

There are many different kinds of exercises a woman can do to lose the baby weight and get back in shape after pregnancy. But when you have diastasis recti, an exercise program specifically designed for this condition is essential.

It’s sometimes hard to tell if you have diastasis recti. It can be difficult to recognize because the bulge of abdominal skin and fat may conceal the gap between the two sides of your core. Some women think they have a “pooch” from carrying excess weight after having a baby, not realizing that what they’re actually seeing is their internal organs pushing through the gap between their abdominal muscles, which are no longer able to hold them in place effectively.

With dedicated rehab and specialised exercises for diastasis recti I was able to repair that damage and regain a body that I feel comfortable with. Sure I still have loose skin and a few visible postpartum features but that’s perfect. It’s not about getting a six pack or washboard abs, it’s about strengthening weak muscles, which in turn helps to firm up your stomach.

Dr. Eric Marshall, M.D., FACOG, FACS and the founder of The Center for Better Bones, says that when it comes to working your core after pregnancy, you’ll want to avoid doing anything that presses your belly outwards.

So what should you do instead?

It’s best to focus on core strengthening exercises that work the transverse muscle and pelvic floor.

It can take a while to feel like yourself again when you’ve had a baby as your body goes through huge changes. An important step in taking care of yourself postpartum is to strengthen your core muscles. 

No equipment is needed, it takes ten minutes and best of all it will get your results. Lets jump straight in, see you on your mat for a quick class featuring all the best exercises for diastasis recti!