Healing Diastasis Recti After Birth, A Mum's Honest Guide

If you've stared at your post-baby belly in the mirror and wondered why it still looks pregnant six months in, you're not alone, and you're not broken. There's a name for what's happening, and there's a way out.

What is diastasis recti?

Diastasis recti is the separation of your two rectus abdominis ("six-pack") muscles along the linea alba, the connective tissue running down the middle of your belly. Pregnancy stretches this tissue to make room for your baby. For most women, it doesn't fully close on its own.

Why it happens

• Hormones (relaxin) soften the connective tissue during pregnancy
• The growing uterus pushes the abs apart
• Multiple pregnancies, larger babies, or being over 35 all increase the odds

It's not a sign you did anything wrong. It happens to roughly 60% of women in late pregnancy and 30%+ remain separated at one year postpartum.

The two-finger self-check

You can check yourself in 30 seconds:

1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat
2. Place two fingers just above your belly button, fingertips pointing toward your toes
3. Lift your head slowly, as if doing a tiny crunch
4. Feel for a gap between the muscles

A gap wider than two finger-widths, or a soft "doming" that pokes out, suggests diastasis recti. Repeat the check below and above the navel, the gap isn't always uniform.

What to avoid (for now)

These movements pull the abs apart and slow healing:

• Crunches and sit-ups
• Planks held to fatigue
• Heavy front-loaded lifting (carrying toddler + groceries on one hip counts)
• "Sucking in" your stomach all day

What actually works

The research is clear: deep core retraining beats surface-level ab work every time. The foundation is lateral breathing, learning to breathe into your ribcage and engage the deepest abdominal muscle (the transversus abdominis) on the exhale.

A typical recovery looks like:

• Weeks 1–4: breath work and gentle activation
• Weeks 5–8: progressive core engagement in different positions
• Weeks 9–12: functional strength (squats, lifts, carrying baby pain-free)

Most mums see measurable change, 1–2 cm of gap closure plus a noticeably flatter, stronger core, within 12 weeks of consistent 30-minute sessions.

When to ask for help

See a women's health physio if you have:

• A gap of 4+ finger-widths after 6 months
• Visible doming or bulging during everyday movements
• Pelvic floor symptoms (leaking, heaviness, prolapse)
• Lower back pain that doesn't ease with rest

You are not broken. Your core held a life. Now it gets to heal, at its own pace, with intention.