Muscle Separation during pregnancy

[Heaven]

Not sure if I had any muscle separation after DD1's pregnancy, but after DD2 it was pretty bad (9cm). It went back to normal pretty quick though. I think it was 4cm or so at my 4 wk check-up with the physio. Not sure when it all went back to normal (I think relatively quickly) but before I got pregnant again it was definitely all fine.

I think it's happening again already though, and I'm only 18 weeks My tummy is a bit pointy if squeeze my muscles and I have had some weird feeling twinges when carrying DD2 (trying not to do that so much now )

Apart from pelvic floor exercises, what should I be doing while I'm pregnant to minimize how bad it gets?? Will this time be worse?? Will it still be able to go back to normal eventually after pregnancy?? Will ask at my next m/w appointment but that's not for a few weeks.

[Eenee]

I'm not sure there is much you can do, mine never went back to normal and got worse each pregnancy. Wearing a support band can help a bit, even like tubigrip(I wear it occasionally as I find it annoying lol). There are some gentle exercises you can do in pregnancy but I'm not sure they help much.

[Santosha]

Mine has returned and then some this pregnancy and I too have 'toblerone belly'! My physio said there's not much I can do except to avoid any movement that resembles a sit-up - so all getting up from lying down should be done by rolling only side and completely using arms to get up.

She said the SRC recovery shorts or tubigrip post pregnancy should make some difference to recovery.

[HotI]

There are core exercises that you can do in pregnancy to gently strengthen your tummy and back. i saw an awesome aussie blog on fb the other day, but can't find it now i want it. However if you google fit2b, they have some good info and exercises for diastasis.

Wearing a supportive band can also help relieve pain. If you are going through a hospital, get an appointment with their physio.

[Jennifer13]

I do a prenatal aqua class to help with both core and pelvic floor exercises, run by the physio at the local private hospital. I also do their postnatal exercise class that is available from six weeks.

I can already feel the separation in my tummy muscles too and I'm not much further along than you. I think my body would have liked slightly longer before having to accommodate another person again!

[Heaven]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! Didn't expect it to start again this early :/