If you’re suffering from diastasis recti, you know how frustrating it can be. Fortunately, there are a number of corrective exercises for diastasis recti that you can do at home that will help to heal the condition.
And despite the scary stuff you might have read in Facebook groups for postpartum moms, surgery isn’t usually required to fix diastasis recti.
I suffered from diastasis recti after giving birth to my first son, so I know firsthand what it’s like. I had back pain, pelvic floor issues and a bulging tummy (even after losing the postpartum weight.) These are all common side effects of diastasis recti.
What About Severe Diastasis Recti?
The good news is that even severe diastasis recti can usually be corrected without surgery.
Kelly Dean is a Licensed Physical Therapist and a guest instructor at Fit2B. Kelly gave birth to 3 children and had 2 second trimester miscarriages. After this, she discovered that she had severe diastasis recti, leaving her with a six-finger-wide and deep gap. She was told by medical professionals that her only option was going to be surgery.
Instead, she turned to her to her previous experiences as an LPT and seeing how the body had an ability to heal itself. Kelly used functional exercise for diastasis recti, and healed her own body.
Exercises To Avoid With Diastasis Recti
There are a number of exercises and movements you should avoid when you have diastasis recti. Those include:
- Abdominal cruches
- Plank
- Exercises with twisting motions
- Double Leg Raise
- Hanging Knee Raise
- Traditional Sit-Ups
- Pilates Table Top
- Exercise Ball Sit Ups
Diastasis Recti Exercises You CAN Do:
Here are some diastasis exercises you CAN do at home. Always make sure you exhale during exertion.
- Wall Sit
- Pelvic Tilts
- Toe Taps
- Single Leg Lift
- Tricep Kickbacks
My Own Experience With Diastasis Recti
I’m the first to admit that even before I became a mom, I wasn’t rocking a six-pack. (I’ll get there some day haha)
But despite the fact that I definitely didn’t have a six-pack, I had some pretty good abdominal strength.
Enter, pregnancy and diastasis recti.
I had the regular postpartum weight to lose, which was expected. But what shocked me the most was the weakness I had in my core compared to before I was pregnant. Combine this with pretty intense back pain, a “mom pooch” and a bulging tummy and I was determined to find a diastasis recti workout that would help me heal my condition and restrengthen my core.
I’m a qualified personal trainer, so I know the value of investing in expert help when you’re struggling. Beth Learn is an expert on diastasis recti and the creator of Fit2B.
Beth has helped thousands of women heal diastasis recti through her program. There are hundreds of diastasis exercises you can do at home to help heal abdominal separation. But there are also TONS of exercises that you should NOT be doing, and Beth will guide you through all of that.
All of the 200+ Fit2B workouts are what Beth calls “TummySafeFitness.” This means that every single exercise on Fit2B focuses on reinforcing your core strength, with a focus on methods that are breath-centered, sideways and vertical.
You can read some course testimonials here from people who have taken Beth’s postpartum fitness courses and healed their diastasis recti at home.
What About Yoga Poses for Diastasis Recti?
If you’re a fan of yoga, then you’re probably interested to know whether there are any yoga exercises used for diastasis recti.
The answer is yes!
But there are lots of movements that should not be done when you’re trying to heal diastasis recti, so that’s definitely something to be aware of. For example, the “bracing” style of breathing that many yoga teachers encourage is actually very detrimental to the diastasis recti healing process.
An alternative style of breathing is one of the first things Fit2B teaches in their foundational class, and they have a whole section on yoga poses for diastasis recti.
NEED A PLAN?
If you’re struggling with diastasis recti then the Postnatal Fitness Program by Fit2B would be great for you. The program is specifically designed to provide moms with a gentle return to fitness.
The program has a specific focus on restrengthening the core, along with getting back into shape after pregnancy and losing any baby weight you might be carrying around.
If you’re suffering from diastasis recti or a leaky bladder, please don’t feel like you just have to “deal with it.” Check out Beth’s excellent fitness programs (she also has an affordable membership plan) and learn how to heal your diastatis recti at home.
