➡️ I get asked this ALL the time. And since I have worked with 100’s of clients over the past 7 years that have had some degree of ab separation I thought I’d weigh in here.
So let me share some of my first hand experience….and pass on what I’ve learned from other pros.
1. Diastasis Recti is not caused by big babies. ‼️ This surprised me, because I used to think it was. Although big babies can contribute it has more to do with how you manage abdominal pressure with a big baby inside.
2. Core exercises during pregnancy REALLY help prevent DR if you’re doing them right. BUT… I have had quite a few clients who probably did too much during pregnancy and this left them with some substantial separation. Consult a pro on this one.
3. The best thing to prevent DR is learning how to breathe properly during exercise. ?♀️ We call this 360 breathing, and requires expansion through the entire ribcage (think about breathing into your front, sides and back) and managing the pressure on your pelvic floor. I find my clients who hold their breath during exercise tend to have more issues.
4. The second best thing is working on your posture. ?♀️ Falling into that sway back posture (although inevitable at some point) can put extra pressure on the midline.
5. Sometimes it’s caused by nothing at all. Truly. Genetics play a part. But that doesn’t mean you can’t improve it postpartum. Don’t beat yourself up over it.
6. Sadly, those who had a very tight core pre-pregnancy seem to have more ab separation. My clients who went into it with softer abs tend to have less issues.
7. You can work to prevent it with a second pregnancy, even if you had it with your first. It’s not a lost cause!