What You Should Know About Diastasis Recti and How To Fix It
Image Source: Nick Sousanis/Courtesy of Every Mother
Pregnancy is often overwhelming for mothers. The developing uterus stretches out the muscles in the abdomen, which time and again leads to diastasis recti or commonly called the abdominal separation. And the good news is, there’s a diastasis recti fix for this abdominal separation.
The abdominal separation is a familiar and upsetting problem for a lot of mothers. It’s even more prevalent to mommies who are shorter and with a shorter torso, women who have had multiple pregnancies, and who underwent c-sections. So, how do you know you have it? And what can we do about it?
Diastasis recti during and after pregnancy, and can you fix it?
Diastasis recti refer to the abdominal separation that appears in women who have given birth. The abdominal separation can cause two large parallel bands of muscles to appear that meet in the middle of the abdomen to part. However, there are a few things that mothers can do to fix their diastasis recti.
Diastasis recti sometimes bring about a bulge in the middle of the mother’s tummy where the two muscles separate, thus the name abdominal separation. It’s because as the baby grows inside, the rectus abdominis (abdominal muscles) separate left and right to make more space available in the abdominal area. Also, it occurs in every pregnancy. Most often, it never fully recovers.
While diastasis recti don’t have any bearing at all, for some mothers, it can be an aesthetic concern. Abdominal separation is rarely painful and uncomfortable. But, for some women, the noticeable bulges can be embarrassing and unattractive.
Diastasis recti diagnosis
It’s easy to diagnose by a physician if you have abdominal separation with a simple checkup. Most incidents, a mother can already have a good idea when she has it just by poking around herself.
In a simple examination, the physician will ask you to lie down on the bed and lift your head off the pillow. And although any noticeable bulging implies separation exists, it doesn’t mean it’s a concern.
Ultrasound examination is a more formal diagnosis because it has precise measurements of separation at specific points along the linea alba. Ultrasound checkups can help your physician measure severity to the issue. Therefore, he can conclude the proper response to this concern.
Diastasis recti remedy
When you have abdominal separation and would like to get rid of it, there are specific remedies to consider.
Super-tight supportive pants – The pants brace the abdomen and get rid of the damaged connective tissue that sets to repair itself. But, aside from it’s not a sexy alternative, it’s the least effective among the remedies presented.
Specific exercise programs – These workouts reveal many benefits. More so, it recovers several midline abdominal strength. However, the best outcomes come from regulated and structured programs from professionals, which can be impossible for busy moms. Besides, these workout regimes are not an assurance to altogether make your diastasis recti disappear.
Surgery – For busy moms who have no time for particular workout regimes, surgery is the absolute solution. More so, it’s the best option for those who had lost significant muscle tone after more than one pregnancy.
The type of surgery differs in general. Various operations are done via laparoscopy, while others are ‘open’. Also, the surgery can combine abdominoplasty when there’s extra abdominal skin dallying. The abdominoplasty is to complete top cosmetic results.
Abdominoplasty is not strictly cosmetic. There are masterful Tummy Tuck plastic surgeons in Houston that specialize in repairing stretched abdominal muscles by tightening the abdominal wall. Not only can this surgery correct muscles that cannot be addressed with diet or exercise, but it can also target loose skin, repair navel shape, and restore youthful waist contours.
When you consider surgery for your diastasis recti fix, your surgeon will tailor the precise treatment for you. Furthermore, it will only be accomplished when you’ve concluded not to have babies anymore in the future.