Diastasis Recti: The Secret to Snapping Back to Shape in No Time

Diastasis Recti are two words that every woman ought to know. Why? It could save you a lot of hustle and frustration when trying to get back into shape after having your little bundle of joy.

So what is it?

A Diastasis Recti also known as DRA is the separation of something called the linea alba which is a connective tissue that connects your ‘natural six pack’ (rectus abdominis).

Have you ever wondered why most women ‘carry tidy’ for their first pregnancy but tend to look 6 months pregnant when they are only 4 months gone for their next pregnancies? Well the DRA tends to be the most common cause for this situation when pregnancies are too close together and the muscles have not completely closed. During pregnancy, as your stomach expands with the growing baby and uterus which is also caused by pregnancy hormones softening your connective tissue, your body should be able to accommodate for this change. However some bodies fail to do so, as a result the linea alba can stretch, widen or split! DRA can also happen to young children whose abdominal wall has not fully developed and to men or women who perform poor abdominal techniques during exercise.

For a lot of us mothers, we always wondered why after dieting and exercise we still have flab in our mid section. Truth is, if the right steps and techniques are not taken to close this gap caused by DRA, you can forget getting your flat stomach back.

What can I do during pregnancy to limit or avoid it?

Do not think of your mid section as just the six pack. Think of it as a unit that protects your organs and spine. When you hear the words ‘engage your core,’ your instructor means the front, back and your sides. Your core comprises of your diaphragm, internal and external obliques (sides) to your lats (six pack) and your glutes (butt).

During exercises

• Do not perform any sort of crunches.

• Engage your entire core (it is hard to remember but try, the more often you do this, it will become a norm).

• Get your breathing in line i.e. do not hold your breath.

• You can perform overhead barbell and front squats with free or very low weights

• If you are a shredder-gang chic or a fitness fanatic, you can do strict pull-ups.

• Planks (Both regular and side) in the first trimester and avoid the front plank in the second and third trimester (reason for this is because there is increased pressure downwards regardless of how strong your abdominal muscles were before pregnancy).

I hate exercise, does this mean I can’t avoid it?

The truth is, after carrying a baby, we all have an opening of some sort, and muscle training during pregnancy will most likely mean your muscles will resume their original position as the uterus shrinks. So the following techniques are for postpartum but can also by adopted by pregnant women who are not exercising.

First, you need to LOCATE and connect with your deep core muscles.

How? Without raising or tensing your chest or shoulders, GENTLY draw your belly button back towards your spine as you slowly exhale. That’s the right muscle! You’re not ‘sucking in’ or making any forceful or exaggerated movement. Your pelvis shouldn’t tuck under as you do this – in fact nothing should be happening in your shoulders, chest or pelvis! – it is just a subtle drawing in at the lower abs.

Avoid… sucking in your stomach, holding your breath, moving your ribs or your shoulders. You’re not tucking your butt / tailbone under you or thrusting your hips – all these pelvic tilts indicate the Transverse is not working – you have to isolate this muscle first and re-connect with it, if it is going to play its vital role in your core and pelvic floor system again..

You need to correct your POSITIONING – the cause of that excessive pressure and loading.

Then you have to learn to ENGAGE your transverse abdominis and pelvic floor muscles effectively and correctly, not only when you exercise, but also during every-day movements like lifting, sneezing or twisting. This is a natural, reactive movement, which you won’t always have to do consciously! But to re-connect, to realign and to restore, we isolate at first.

Then you need to STRENGTHEN your transverse abdominis muscle in a way that will draw your rectus abdominis muscle (the six pack, outermost one, the one that has separated) back in together, pulling your belly back in… flatter and stronger. So OK, you are most likely thinking, what?

Below is a link that can help you understand what I attempted to put in writing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7mb_PPuqA

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