Abdominal Seperation (Diastasis Recti) – Strengthening Your Core After Pregnancy

Diastasis recti is more than "just" a gap between the abdominal muscles – it affects stability, body awareness, and everyday life. In this blog post, you'll learn how diastasis recti develops, what to be mindful of in daily life, and which gentle exercises, breathing techniques, and movement strategies can help you gradually rebuild strength in your core.

What Is Abdominal Seperation (Diastasis Recti)?

The rectus abdominis muscles run on either side of the body's midline and are connected by a connective tissue structure called the linea alba. Diastasis recti occurs when these two muscle columns visibly or noticeably separate and the midline gives way or bulges – for example, when sitting up or coughing.

Typical signs include:

• A visible "dome" or bulge along the abdomen during exertion

• A feeling of instability in the core

• Sometimes back pain, pelvic floor issues, or a sense of heaviness

Some widening is normal during pregnancy – it becomes problematic primarily when tension in the midline can no longer be adequately maintained.

How Does Diastasis Recti Develop?

Common causes and contributing factors include:

• Pregnancy: The growing baby and hormonal changes stretch the connective tissue to create space

• Multiple pregnancies in quick succession: The tissue has less time to regain tension

• Significantly increased intra-abdominal pressure: From heavy lifting, breath-holding during exercise, chronic coughing, or frequent straining on the toilet

• Unfavourable movement and daily habits: Getting up in a "crunch" motion, pushing pressure forward into the abdomen instead of using stable, expansive breathing

• Connective tissue weakness: Individual predisposition plays a role

Important: Diastasis recti does not mean that "everything is broken" – it indicates that the system of the abdominal wall, diaphragm, back muscles, and pelvic floor is not currently working together optimally.

What Should Women Pay Attention to in Everyday Life in regards to abdominal seperation?

The goal is to avoid unnecessary pressure on the abdominal wall and to functionally support the core.

Things to be mindful of:

• Getting up and lying down via your side — Rather than using momentum to sit straight up from lying down, first roll onto your side, then push yourself up with your arms

• Lift using your legs — Keep weight as close to your body as possible, lift through your legs and core, rather than pulling with a rounded back "from your belly"

• Use your breath — Breathe into the sides of your ribcage and your back, rather than just "pushing" into your abdomen. A wide, calm breath supports the deep trunk muscles

• Avoid straining — Where possible, avoid holding your breath and bearing down "against your belly" – neither during exercise nor on the toilet. Exhaling with gentle engagement is preferable

• Observe your abdomen — If a pronounced dome pushes forward during exercises or everyday activities, this is usually a sign of too much pressure in the core. Modify or regress the movement accordingly

How Can You Work on Abdominal Seperation (Diastasis Recti)?

The focus is less on "training the belly away" and more on function: coordinating breath, deep core muscles, the pelvic floor, and posture.

Practical steps:

• Awareness and breathing — Notice how your core feels lying down, sitting, and standing. Practise breathing into the sides and back; on the exhale, gently engage the lower abdominal wall towards the centre without straining. Lightly include the pelvic floor (e.g. imagine a gentle lift on the exhale)

• Activating the deep core muscles — Gentle activations in supine, side-lying, or four-point kneeling positions, where the abdominal wall remains "flat and stable" rather than pushing forward. Focus on quality over intensity – a few clean repetitions are better than forceful crunches

• Integrating movement into daily life — Transfer what you learn in exercises (breathing, gentle engagement, getting up via your side) step by step into everyday activities: carrying, lifting, playing with your child, working at a desk

• Gradually increasing load — More complex exercises or greater resistance only become appropriate once the core is stable and well-controlled. Always observe: if a clear dome or forward pull returns, the step may still be too much

• Professional support — Osteopathic treatment can help regulate tension in the abdominal cavity, diaphragm, pelvis, and spine. Combined with targeted movement therapy and an individually tailored exercise programme, this creates an effective and sustainable path forward

When Should You Definitely Seek Support?

• If you are unsure whether you have diastasis recti

• If you also have significant back pain, pelvic floor issues (e.g. downward pressure, incontinence), or abdominal pain

• If despite doing exercises you feel that nothing is changing, or that things are getting worse

• If you feel restricted and unstable in everyday life

An Example:

A woman a few months after birth notices that her abdomen domes when she sits up and feels "soft." Instead of intense abdominal workouts, she begins with calm breathwork and gentle core activation, and has an osteopathic assessment of how her abdominal wall, any scars (e.g. from a c-section), pelvic floor, and spine are functioning. Step by step, she is able to rebuild confidence in her core – and later train with greater load, without increasing pressure through the midline.