Diastasis Recti

[WifeofAnt]

Does anyone know how to prevent it? I'm 27 weeks with my first and my belly looks like a triangle when I try to sit up.

[myk]

LOL.. i thought i was the only one. i'm 22w. no idea how to prevent it.

[CookAMH]

I don't, but I just ordered the book Maternal Fitness, author of the tupler technique which appropriately exercises abs after pregnancy to heal diastasis. Her Maternal Fitness book will have exerises to not exaggerate it and perhaps strengthen the right muscles (back and transferse abs).

Maybe see if your library carries it?

[nova22]

Stop trying to sit up?

Seriously, be careful when you sit up and always roll to your side or onto all fours first. You can heal diastasis after you've recovered from the pregnancy - i.e. at least six weeks after birth - by doing a very simple exercise involving tightening your abdominal muscles so that your belly button is being pulled back towards your spine. I was able to heal my diastasis almost completely with this method but then I kinda forgot about it, and got pregnant again. But it definitely works. Back on topic: I tried to get up to take care of another kid the other night and I felt a weird ripping sensation. I mentioned it to the midwife and she said the ripping sensation could very well be ripping, and you should not sit up from a laying down position without rolling over first. It could make that diastasis a lot harder (or impossible) to fix later.

I don't mean to rant in your general direction but that was not a pleasant feeling at all and it's ripe in my mind. That triangle thing sure is weird though, I have noticed it and I usually cure it by looking in a different direction.