The Post-Baby Belly Blues

Many changes happen to your body when you become a mother. Your breast may start to droop. Your shoe size may have gotten bigger. You may have also noticed that your belly still has a bulge after giving birth. The technical term for that bulge is diastasis recti, which happens commonly among women who go through pregnancy. Fortunately, it is reversible. There are methods for diastasis recti repair so you can have more confidence and strength with your postpartum body.

What are Diastasis Recti

Your rectus abdominus, which you may know as your abs, connects at the midline of your belly. As your baby bump grows during pregnancy, it stretches the tissues that connect your abdominal muscles. Your body also produces hormones that make these tissues more elastic to make room for your growing child. After giving birth, your abdominal muscles should return to their original positions. However, this return does not happen with all mothers, and as many as 60% of mothers can have diastasis recti. As a result, you appear to still have a bulge in your belly. Some people call it the post-baby belly or pooch. A mother who went through multiple pregnancies is also likelier to experience it.

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How to Check if You Have Diastasis Recti

You can better see and feel the gap between your abdominal muscles when you lie down. As you are lying down, place your fingers on your midline at your belly button. You can also make the gap more obvious by activating your abdominal muscles. To do so, slightly lift your head like you are doing a crunch. Start checking by running two fingers with some gentle pressure along your midline above and below your belly button.

Are There Dangers?

The apparent consequence is bulging post-baby belly. Diastasis recti are not life-threatening, but women may also experience some complications. The gap can compromise your abdominal strength and can lead to posture problems, poor pelvic stability, and low back pain. Your abdominal muscles are also responsible for protecting the organs in your belly, like your stomach and intestines. Diastasis recti can lower this support. You may also get a hernia in extreme cases.

How to Treat It

You should rest within the first two months after giving birth. Doing so allows your abdominal tissues to repair themselves during this period. As your abdominal muscles recover, avoid exercises like crunches, situp, or similar movements. Avoid aggravating the condition by steering away from activities that stress the core, such as heavy lifting.

Once your abdominal area has recovered, you can promote the healing process by opting for the diastasis recti repair methods. These methods will not only fix your appearance but also restore your abdominal strength. Although surgery is an option, there are cheaper and more natural ways. There are pregnancy-safe exercises that can help re-strengthen your abdominal area and stimulate the tissues to repair themselves. You can do these exercises at home or with a trainer or physical therapist specializing in postpartum care. Not only will you get rid of that post-baby belly, but you will also be free of the back pain and mobility issues that come with diastasis recti.

Pregnancy is challenging, and the life that comes after giving birth is even more so. Do not let that post-baby belly hold you back from your postpartum life. Diastasis recti repair can let you live motherhood to the fullest without worry for yourself or your child.