So, I know it is early days, I am only 2weeks PN, but can already tell I have hopefully what is only diastasis recti, hopefully not something more like a hernia... I'm blaming Quarks breechness and her head pushing our at my belly button.
I had my 2week post op check with the surgeon yesterday, who just said to get a support belt. But Im keen to know exercises etc I can do to help my stomach. Google isn't any help and I don't know anyone around here who is a physio who works with PN women. I know to wait a few more weeks to really get into serious stuff...but has anyone else had this? What did you do, what advice can you give me etc..
TIA!!!
I had this with dd2. If you lay flat on the bed you should be able to feel a gap between the muscles above your belly button. They normally measure it but fingers. 1 finger is considered normal, I was about 4 fingers after dd2.
My physio recommended getting those spans style pants from target, except they have to be the full stomach style one. She said the target ones are good because they are the most similar style to the physio support pants. Actual spanx etc are too tight.
As far as exercises. They recommend a stomach crunch style, very gently though. So lay with your legs flat and slowly bring your shoulders up and repeat that about 20 times. Then knees bent up and the same small movement. If you have a fit ball, she said it's good to have your legs up on that and continue that movement, then you also need to crunch to the sides as well. It has to be all very gentle movements but it encourages the muscles to start working back together again.
This was almost 4 years ago, but I was told not to do crunch style exercises. My PT told me to try to gently suck my tummy in towards my spine, to engage your core muscles whist walking around. She also told me to get onto hands and knees straight spine and slowly suck my tummy up in a controlled manner, then let it out in a controlled manner. Seated squats- engage core on the way down, and let the muscles relax when you get back up, on the wall with a fit ball. Planks and side planks were advised after a while of doing those exercises (once I had a little more strength).
Try 'the belly firm' a great Australian product icluding techniques for exercises. The lady who does it is a train Pilates instuctor amongst other things. I used their brace. It sucks you in. It's made of elastic.
I see my physio this week so I can tell you more exercises after. I have the same. The exercise she recommended up to the 6 week appt is to lay on back, do a 20% pelvic floor lift and then just lift the head then release. Do 20 or 30 three times a day.
diastasis recti
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