Have you recently had a baby and noticed weakness in your abdominal muscles?

Have you recently had a baby and noticed a weakness in your abdominal muscles or bulging along your midline with certain movements? Rest assured; this is very common! 

Diastasis Recti (DRAM) is the natural separation of the abdominal muscles during pregnancy due to the linea alba stretching to accommodate your growing baby. If you are concerned about abdominal separation or are experiencing symptoms such as; a visible bulge near your belly button or doming when contracting your abdominal muscles, it would be a good idea to have your GP or physiotherapist assess this. A diagnosis is made based on the width of the gap between the linea alba muscles (a width of two fingerbreadths or more on a curl up).

DRAM can resolve itself post birth, however 1 in 3 women may still report symptoms 12 months postpartum. The good news is that exercise during and after pregnancy may help improve symptoms. When exercising during and post pregnancy, it is important to maintain neutral alignment, engage the deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles and avoid exercises that cause any bulging at the linea alba.

Remember that recovery takes time! Your body has just been through a huge journey and will need some time to adjust and recover – It is essential to take a gradual approach to rebuilding strength post pregnancy.