Diastasis recti is the separation of the abdomen muscles (aka our six pack), It’s totally normal to occur during pregnancy as our bodies have to make space for the growing baby. 

It’s thought that this separation still persists for around 60% of women following birth. While generally harmless, many women often report bloating of the tummy when eating and drinking as well as being unhappy aesthetically and experiencing back pain due to poor abdominal function.

 

 

How do you know if you have Diastasis Recti?

There is a simple way to quickly self-test at home and see if you have a diastasis recti. 

• Lying on your back, bend your knees and pop your feet on the floor. 
• Lift your upper body just slightly
• Using your index and middle finger, push down on the middle of your stomach above your belly button
• If you feel a ‘gap’ between your muscles of more than two fingers then this most likely indicates a diastasis recti

Or you can watch this video to help talk you through it. 

 

 

Can diastasis recti be fixed?

I don’t like the term fixing! You aren’t broken, we just need to help things to function better in a way that helps to heal the separation. But you can absolutely heal your separation! (Although this does depend on the severity of your diastasis recti).

It’s quite rare for the condition to be addressed via surgery, many people just learn to live with it but there is SO MUCH you can do! Exercise professionals can recommend a variety of exercises to help with healing. Here are 3 simple exercises you can do to help heal your abdominal separation.  

 

 

Diaphragmatic Breathing

• Lie on your back
• Bend your knees and out your feet flat on the floor
• Put your right palm on your chest
• Put your left palm on your tummy
• Take a deep breath in and imagine that you are breathing in to a circle around the bottom of your ribcage so that your ribs expand and it is the left over breath that moves into the belly
• Exhale slowly and repeat 10 times

 

Side Bends

• Sit on a chair with both feet flat on the floor
• Lift one arm up and reach over into a side bend
• Inhale into the back and side of your rib cage
• Exhale to come back to centre
• Repeat on the other side

 

Heel Slides

• Lie on your back
• Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor
• Exhale to imagine you are blowing out candles and feel your belly flatten down under your fingertips
• Slide your right heel across the floor until your leg is straight
• Hold as you inhale
• Exhale to connect to your abdominals as above and slide your right heel back to the starting position 
• Repeat on the left-hand side

 

 

How can Pilates help diastasis recti?

 

High quality Pilates will teach you how to control your intra-abdominal pressure and release your connective tissue, this will help you to gain more mobility and encourage your abdominals to function effectively.

At Centred Mums, we use ‘The Center Method for Diastasis Recti Recovery’ in our postnatal classes. It focuses on ‘relax, release, realign, restore’ and is incredibly effective in assisting healing. We have had absolutely amazing results using this work in our Diastasis Recti Recovery Class.

Please remember that, before you start any postnatal exercise, it is important to ensure your abdominals have been checked by a qualified professional.

 

 

Postnatal Classes with Centred Mums

 

All of our postnatal classes can help with your abdominal separation. We have designed each class to ensure it only contains exercises that will assist your recovery, and we will always encourage you to work at your own pace and listen to your body.

When it comes to dysfunctions like Diastasis Recti, you are often warned against exercises such as sit-ups, but we will teach you that it isn’t about the exercise but about the level of control you have. If your abdominals ‘dome’ and push out when you do a sit-up, then this isn’t a good exercise for you. But plenty of people who don’t have a diastasis also dome, and it’s not a good exercise for them either.

We’re here to assure you that you won’t be scared to move and to use your body, you simply need to learn how to use it better.

With a better understanding of what your postnatal body needs, you can avoid pushing yourself into exercises and movements that won’t serve you well in the long term. And, as experts in this, we can confidently support you through making these important changes and bring you great results with our online membership!

Is prolapse surgery successful?

If you are considering having prolapse surgery, it is important to have a good understanding of what you are signing up for!

A pelvic organ prolapse, or POP for short, happens when one or more organs in the pelvis move downwards from their normal position and bulge into the vagina. There are three main types:

• Anterior – This happens when the bladder drops from its normal position
• Posterior – This happens when the bowels bulge into or out of the vagina.
• Uterine – This happens when the uterus drops from its normal position

Unfortunately, there is still a lot of shame around this subject and conditions, causing a lot of women to receive misinformation or terrible to little advice. 

 

So what are the symptoms?

It’s important to note that it is not life-threatening but can cause a huge amount of distress and discomfort. The most commonly reported symptoms are:

• Leaking a small amount of urine when coughing, sneezing or exercising. 
• Going to the toilet more 
• Feeling a heaviness or ‘dragging’ feeling in your lower tummy 
• Feeling like there is something moving down your vagina 
• Seeing a bulge coming out of your vagina 
• A numb feeling or pain during sex

Because of the stigma, it’s unclear exactly how many women are affected but it’s thought that nearly 50% of women experience some form of POP[1]. Many women can experience POP as a result of difficult or multiple childbirths, transitioning into the menopause. 

 

 

What treatments are available?

Before considering surgery, there are several treatment options which could help to alleviate symptoms. Seeking support from a women’s health specialist is vital to ensure that you are doing what is right for you and your body. 

Some lifestyle changes such as losing weight, not lifting heavy objects and eating a diet high in fibre could prevent prolapse symptoms from getting worse. 

Pelvic floor exercises or kegels can be a helpful way to make sure that the pelvic floor is able to contract and release effectively but they are just a piece of the puzzle and shouldn’t be considered the only way to support your prolapse better. There are also a number of additional exercises you can do to support your recovery journey, including: 

• Arm circles
• Rib Cage Release
• Hip release
• Ball Squeeze
• Bridges
• Squats

You may feel like some of these are unrelated to prolapse symptoms but addressing things like your breathing, your posture and tightness around the pelvis are all vital to alleviate prolapse symptoms. 

For information on how to carry out these exercises, have a read of my ‘Will pelvic floor exercises help prolapse?’ blog. 

Other treatments that could be tried are hormone treatments and vaginal pessaries. You can get advice about these from your GP but ideally, get a referral to a women’s health physio. 

 

 

What if I need surgery?

If your quality of life is being affected, you may decide to have surgery to repair your prolapse. Surgery can be a great option for people whose symptoms have got to the point that they are not manageable but it is always worth understanding that it is not a quick fix – it is important to address the issues that contributed to the prolapse in the first place as otherwise, your symptoms are more likely to return. 

Here are some examples of things that should be addressed before having surgery: 

• If your posture causes you to put downward pressure onto your pelvic floor, you need to find ways to reduce that pressure, possibly by strengthening your spinal muscles to create more length in your body. 
• If your breathing tends to move down into your belly, rather than spreading equally throughout your torso, you need to create new breathing patterns. 
• If you find it hard to control intra-abdominal pressure due to lack of strength, you need to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, your abdominal muscles and your whole body globally to reduce the pressure going into your pelvic floor day to day. 
• If you are constipated, you need to address this to ensure that the pressure created by straining is not continuing post-surgery. 

Without these kinds of holistic changes, your pelvic floor surgery is more likely to be unsuccessful. 

 

Anterior repair 

The procedure will focus on reinforcing the weakened layers between the bladder and the vagina to improve overall bladder function and reduce any vagina bulging. 

It’s thought that this procedure is around 70-90% successful (Source: Bladder & Bowel).

I believe this figure could be improved if information about pelvic floor health and a more holistic approach (as outlined above) was discussed with the post-surgery team. 

 

Posterior Repair 

The procedure will focus on reinforcing the weakened layers between the rectum and the vagina to improve overall bowel function and reduce any vagina bulging. 

It’s thought that this procedure is around 80-90% successful (Source: Bladder & Bowel).

 

Vaginal Hystorectomy 

When the uterus drops a vaginal hysterectomy to surgically remove the uterus may be advised. It’s thought that this procedure is around 85% successful  (Source: Bladder & Bowel) but it is possible that some women will develop a further prolapse of the vaginal vault further down the line. 

It is important to remember that a prolapse can recur or another part of the vaginal wall may prolapse. This may be inevitable in some circumstances but I believe it is less likely when a holistic approach is taken and when people are better informed and empowered about their pelvic floor health. Healing post-surgery takes around 3 months and any heavy lifting and strenuous exercises should be avoided. You should consider a full rehab programme post-surgery which is not generally provided. You need to learn to control intra-abdominal pressure, improve breathing patterns, improve posture and gain better mobility and strength to improve pelvic floor function. 

 

 

Is there anything you should consider before having prolapse surgery? 

 

Any type of surgery is a huge decision and prolapse surgery is no different so here are a couple of things you may want to consider:

Age – if you are young, you may need further treatments down the line. The type of surgery you can have when you are older may be dictated by other health conditions and your overall health history. 

If you want more children – if you are looking to grow your family, surgery may not be the right option for you.

Health conditions – there may be other risks to consider if you are living with conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. 

If you haven’t already seen a Women’s Health Physio, make sure you go and get some advice from someone in person. Get your pelvic floor checked for as much support as possible. You can look for a local physio here.

You might be interested in The Pelvic Floor Project if you are interested in improving prolapse symptoms in a holistic and sustainable way.

 

As the festive season approaches, what better way to express love and care than by giving gifts that contribute to the well-being and vitality of your loved ones?

This year, consider presents that not only celebrate the joy of the holiday season but also set the stage for a revitalized start to the New Year. Here are five Christmas gifts designed to bring back the spark in 2024!

Also, remember there is no shame in asking for presents for yourself, that you truly want and need, so why not send this list on, or drop some subtle hints to Santa! 😉

1. The Glucose Goddess Method: A 4-Week Guide to Energy, Craving Reduction, and Feeling Amazing

In a world filled with hectic schedules and constant demands, energy levels can easily plummet. Gift yourself or your loved ones ‘The Glucose Goddess Method’, a comprehensive 4-week guide that promises to rejuvenate and revitalize.

This program focuses on cutting cravings, boosting energy, and promoting an overall sense of well-being. It’s the perfect gift for those seeking a transformative start to the New Year.

2. Centred Mums Pilates Retreat Day

A day of self-care and rejuvenation can make a world of difference. My Centred Mums Pilates Retreat Day offers the perfect escape. This retreat combines the benefits of Pilates with a focus on centring the mind and body. A thoughtful and invigorating experience, it’s a gift that promotes both physical and mental well-being.

3. Treat Yourself to a Massage from Fernwood Remedies

Indulge in the gift of relaxation and tranquillity with a massage from Fernwood Remedies. Their professional and rejuvenating massage services provide a holistic approach to well-being. This gift is an excellent way to unwind and relieve the stresses of the holiday season, setting the stage for a calm and collected entry into the New Year.

4. The Gift of Sleep from Clare McDonald @creative.sleep

Ease into the New Year with Sleepy Sundays, A 3 part playful, calming and nurturing experience for parent and child. Using breath work, imagination and fun activities. This intuitive approach to tackling worries and wired minds is back again in January. Enjoy the whole course for £49!

For adult adults seeking better sleep, there’s also the ‘Help For Sleep’ online course, for £39!

Clare herself suffered from insomnia from childhood into her late 30s but eventually found a combination of the Coherent Breathing technique, guided imagination, a lot of reframing around her beliefs about sleep and an overall intuitive approach worked wonders.

5. The Pelvic Floor Project: Ongoing Wellbeing

Invest in long-term well-being with my Centred Mums Pelvic Floor Project. This initiative offers continuous support for pelvic health, promoting overall vitality.

By gifting a membership to The Pelvic Floor Project, to either a loved one or yourself, you provide a resource that focuses on an often-overlooked aspect of well-being, contributing to a healthier and more energised lifestyle.

Making this commitment to your wellbeing will set up your pelvic floor health for the rest of your life. Get rid of those pelvic floor issues like wetting yourself that you’ve been putting off for too long!

Conclusion:

This holiday season, go beyond traditional gifts and give the present of well-being.

Each of these gifts is carefully curated to not only celebrate the joy of Christmas but also to lay the foundation for a revitalized and spirited start to the New Year.

Whether it’s promoting energy, relaxation, better sleep, or ongoing well-being, these gifts show that your love and care extend to the overall health and happiness of your friends and family.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Sparkly New Year!

Grace – Founder, Centred Mums