When your body goes through major changes, like during pregnancy or after giving birth, there are sometimes issues that arise. One of these is diastasis recti, also known as the separation of the abdominal muscles. Your inner thighs may slowly relax and separate due to swelling and fluid retention.
This can be uncomfortable and frustrating for both you and your loved ones. It can also cause worries about whether the muscles will re-attach properly and what effect this could have on your future pregnancies.
Fortunately, there are ways to manage DR effectively so it does not persist and negatively impact your life. This article contains helpful tips and strategies for treating diastasis recti naturally. You don’t need to worry about how to treat diastasis recti anymore!
Reminder: If you are experiencing any symptoms such as pain, discomfort, or feeling limited in activity because of diastasis recti, see our list here for more information.
Causes of diastasis recti
the most common reason for diastasis recti is cesarean delivery. During this surgery, there may be significant stretching or tearing of your uterus and the muscles surrounding it.
Another cause is giving birth via the vaginal route. When you push out the baby, your pelvic floor muscles can get tight and pull up. This happens in about half of all pregnancies!
Yet another reason to have diastasis recti is having a large child. Babies that are larger need more space in the womb, which causes your uterus to expand and take up less room.
When they come out, however, your uterus drops down and becomes closer to your pelvis, causing stress on your muscle walls. Your pelvic floor also takes longer to recover than if you were born through normal childbirth routes.
Diagnosis and treatment what professionals check you for and how to manage your symptoms
Your doctor will perform a physical exam during your prenatal visit as well as at your post-delivery appointment.
They will look at your belly button and compare it with the other side, see if your vagina closes completely when you try to insert a finger, and determine whether you feel relaxed or stressed out while sitting or walking.
They may also do an internal examination using a gloved hand to assess whether your organs shift back into place after you go to lie down or stand up.
Risk factors for diastasis recti
A recent study suggests that having more fat in your abdomen than normal is linked to developing diastasis recti. Abdominal obesity can develop as you age, especially after giving birth. As with most things related to pregnancy, women’s body shapes change due to hormones.
Certain behaviours also may contribute to abdominal obesity and stress-related weight gain. These include eating large amounts of sugar or alcohol, smoking, and lacking exercise.
Avoiding these habits and being aware of signs of stress will help keep your waistline trim. If you notice your waist expanding even with moderate activity, try to reduce your workload or find ways to simplify your life.
Medical treatment for diastasis recti
One of the most common causes of diastasis recti is having a vaginal birth. During childbirth, your uterus can collapse onto your other internal organs.
This happens in about half of all births. It may also occur with forceps or vacuum-assisted deliveries. When this occurs, your abdominal muscles cannot contract tightly, which can cause your abdomens to stick together.
If you develop diastasis recti after giving birth, don’t worry! Fortunately, there are ways to treat it. You will need to exercise daily and do specific exercises to achieve the best results.
Some treatments work faster than others, but they all have similar benefits. What matters most is how you feel when you do the exercises and what works for you should make you feel better.
Exercises to treat diastasis recti
One of the most common reasons for pelvic floor tightness is having a baby. Your uterus drops after pregnancy, which can cause your pelvic muscles to tighten or pull together.
This condition is called uterine prolapse. It happens when the muscle gets strong enough that it pulls too tightly on the vagina, causing it to sag.
In some cases, women develop stress urinary incontinence due to this tightening. This occurs when urine leaks because the bladder doesn’t hold its shape as well due to the tightened muscles.
Diagnosing diastasis recti requires doing a physical exam and reviewing medical records, but you don’t have to wait for symptoms to occur before starting treatment. You can do these exercises anytime, even if you never experience symptoms.
Treating diastasis recti early is important so it does not worsen and becomes more difficult to manage later. Most people are able to recover fully within six months to one year depending on how actively they work with their recovery.
What is the best treatment?
Along with leaving the body in as close to its natural state as possible, there are two main treatments for diastasis recti. One is exercise and the other is massage. Both of these can be done just about anywhere, even at home!
There are several different types of exercises that can help reduce tension in the abdominal muscles. These include:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- Leg lifts\- Pull-ups\- Ball squats\- Plank poses\- And many others!\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMassage has also been shown to decrease muscle stress due to the pregnancy. Because it requires no equipment, this is an easy way to do self-massage.
Stay active
If you have noticed the abdomen tightening or areas of your stomach pulling in, this may be diastasis recti. This is most likely due to weakness in your abdominal muscles.
This can sometimes occur months after giving birth and even babies that are breastfeeding can cause it! No matter what position you are in, try moving around as much as possible.
Practice yoga, take a gentle stroll, or do some exercises using weights – anything to keep your body warm and stimulated will help prevent muscle wasting which allows for tighter muscles.
Remedy time varies from person to person, but typically six weeks is considered a full recovery period. Yours will depend on how quickly you work to strengthen your abdominal muscles.