Diastasis recti: the gap after pregnancy, and what helps
What abdominal separation after pregnancy is, how common it is, how to tell if you have it, what helps it heal, and when a bulge needs a doctor.
AI-assisted educational guide based on the public sources below. Not clinically reviewed. Your family's care team should guide medical decisions. How we write and check our guides.
During pregnancy, the two long muscles that run down the front of your belly stretch apart to make room for the baby. After birth, the gap between them often stays for a while. That's diastasis recti. It's very common, it isn't dangerous on its own, and for many people it narrows with time and the right exercise.
How common it is
In one study of first-time mothers, about 60 percent had a gap at six weeks after birth, about 45 percent at six months, and about a third at a year. So if you have one, you're in good company, and it often keeps improving through the first year.
Signs
- A ridge or dome down the middle of your belly when you sit up, cough or strain.
- A soft "pooch" that doesn't go down even as other changes settle.
- A weak-feeling core, or lower back pain.
- Sometimes leaking, or pelvic heaviness, which often comes with pelvic floor changes too.
A gentle self-check
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Put your fingertips across the middle of your belly, just above your belly button.
- Lift your head and shoulders slightly, and feel for a gap or softness between the muscles. Check below the belly button too.
- This only gives you a rough idea. A pelvic floor or women's health physical therapist can measure it properly and tell you which exercises are right for you.
What helps
- Physical therapy with exercises targeted at the deep core and pelvic floor works for many people. Ask your OB or midwife for a referral, or search for a pelvic floor therapist.
- Get out of bed by rolling to your side and pushing up with your arms, rather than sitting straight up.
- Breathe out as you lift the baby, the car seat or anything heavy, and avoid holding your breath to strain.
- Return to exercise gradually once your provider says it's OK, and save heavy crunch-style moves until a therapist has checked the gap.
- Surgery is rarely needed. It's usually only considered when there's a hernia, or the gap hasn't improved after a long course of therapy.
When a bulge needs a doctor
A bulge that's painful, hard, or doesn't go back in when you lie down can be a hernia. See your provider. If a bulge becomes very painful, changes color, or comes with vomiting, get care right away.
Common questions
What is diastasis recti?
Diastasis recti is a separation of the two long muscles down the front of the belly along the midline. It happens because the belly stretches in pregnancy, and it's very common after birth.
How common is diastasis recti after pregnancy?
Very common. In one study of first-time mothers, about 60 percent had a gap six weeks after birth, about 45 percent at six months and about a third at a year.
Does diastasis recti go away on its own?
It often narrows on its own over the first year, and targeted exercises with a physical therapist help many people. Surgery is rarely needed.
How do I check myself for diastasis recti?
Lie on your back with knees bent, lift your head slightly, and feel for a gap between the muscles above and below your belly button. A pelvic floor physical therapist can measure it properly.
Sources and further help
Educational only; not medical advice. If something here worries you, talk to your care team.
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