During pregnancy I noticed that my abs had separated. I'm now 8 months postpartum and they're still separated. (This isn't entirely surprising considering I've just gotten back into my fitness regime.)
I don't want to exacerbate the issue and it seems most of my old ab and core go-to's could do this. Does anyone know what exercises I should be focusing on?
grapefruit / 4817 posts
Mine were, but at 9 months, they've mostly come back together. I looked 5 months pregnant for about 5 months postpartum because of it. I've heard the belly bandit can help, but I did the wall exercise, which is to just sit straight up against a wall, then pull your abs in and hold for 5-10 seconds. Take a rest and repeat often during the day if you can. These are super mild. I started the 30 day shred at 3 months pp, and replaced the ab exercises with these for a while since I had about 3 fingers of separation between abs and you're not supposed to do real ab work with that much.
I did find this site, which seems like it has some good suggestions, as well.
http://babyfit.sparkpeople.com/ask-the-experts-answers.asp?inID=30
coconut / 8279 posts
I had separated abs. Freaked me out in the beginning before I realized what happened.
It took about 9 months to come back together. I can still feel a line down the center where they're weaker than the rest of the muscle but it's no longer a big gaping hole.
coconut / 8279 posts
@yoursilverlining: if you lie on your back and do a crunch and hold it, feel across your ab muscles - I could feel a space down the middle of my lower abdominals that was squishy and kind of hurt if I pressed in too far. The space was a few inches wide and went from below my belly button to my pubic bone. There was a bit of separation above as well but not as bad as below.
persimmon / 1427 posts
I have this problem too, and apparently some of the ab exercises I was doing as soon as I was cleared to exercise made the problem worse, not better.
I've read a lot on the issue, but I'm also a little confused as to which exercises help and which exercises make things worse. Different articles say different things and my GP and OB/GYN weren't very helpful about this issue.
Hopefully other people will chime in with solutions.
coconut / 8279 posts
I just took it slow with my abs and did some of the exercises that encourage the muscle to go back together. It really wasn't until about 9 months that it started to feel more solid in the center.
bananas / 9973 posts
How can you tell while you are pregnant? One of DH's old college friends had this problem BAAAAD and I stuck my foot in my mouth when I asked when she was due. (To be fair though she looked about 7 months preggers and she and another of his friend were talking about "the baby" on the way - turns out it was the skinnier friend who was preggers.)
I've seen a couple of personal trainers online who advise AGAINST ab workouts in the traditional forms during pregnancy. They said it can cause the abs to separate. I even asked my OB about it since I tend to always contract my abs unconsciously. She told me try to NOT do that. All said the best kind of core workout if you're going to do any at all while pregnant would be to do PLANKS.
Both ladies I've known that had this problem needed surgery to correct it. 
coconut / 8279 posts
@shopaholic: yikes! I couldn't tell at all when I was pregnant, but I definitely felt lots of internal stretching, but nothing out of the ordinary. I was told that it commonly happens to first time moms who have tight abdominals to begin with.
bananas / 9973 posts
@rachiecakes: That's what worries me too! It seems like a curse if you had good abs to begin with because I've also heard it's more likely to happen then too! At least you were able to get yours back and look amazing btw, on your own!
coconut / 8234 posts
@LAGS: I was told no crunches, situps. I use this: http://www.befitmom.com/abdominal_reconditioning.html video. I haven't been doing the exercises as often as I should be, but it has made a difference, I'm at a 2 finger separation instead of 3.5 almost 4.
I found this 5-min workout online that has some similar exercises to what's on my Be Fit Mom DVD: http://www.lindsaybrin.com/2012/03/diastasis-recti-core-workout.html
coconut / 8234 posts
@bree72: That's a good link. Those exercises are also on the DVD I have.
coconut / 8279 posts
@shopaholic: that's the good part - because they were tight to begin with, you have a better chance of the muscle going back together, too.
& thank you! I was so depressed as the months went by and it felt like I would never be 'me' again.
clementine / 916 posts
@bree72: Thanks! I'm gonna check this out!
@yoursilverlining: Because of the gap my stomach goes into a point shape, like squish comes out between the muscles like ^. Bleh.
@Bluebonnet: Ya I agree that nothing is really clear on the matter. This website: http://www.livestrong.com/article/317998-exercises-for-separated-abdominals-due-to-pregnancy/ had some clear exercises, but they seem pretty tame. I guess that's what I have to accept.
@shopaholic: If I leaned way back to the point where I'd have to engage my abs to keep my balance, my stomach pointed out in the center really bad and was soft in the center. I had pretty strong abs before hand so the softness down the middle really tipped me off.
@mrsjazz: Thanks! I saw a BeFit article but was too lazy to watch the videos hah, serves me right. I'm gonna check these out too, thank you!
bananas / 9973 posts
@LAGS: Yikes! Yeah, I feel the strain when I lean back or try to get up from a lying down position. So I try to roll sideways up now so as not to strain the muscle.
clementine / 916 posts
Just found a good link with some straight forward exercises for anyone who's interested:
http://inspiredrd.com/2012/06/dear-diastasis-recti-im-so-over-you.html
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