Diastasis is a split in your abs that’s wider than normal, and causes great dysfunction all throughout your body. Learn here how you can fix your diastasis.
Guest Post by Beth of Fit2B
That belly that still looks pregnant when it’s not…That wee bit of a leak when you laugh hard or sneeze…That perpetual slouch in your back…That feeling of looseness and yet tightness all at once “down there”…?
All of it is connected to a very under-diagnosed health issue called “Diastasis Recti Abdominus.”
Huh? It’s a split in your abs that’s wider than normal, and it causes great dysfunction all throughout your body, not just within your core. It also gives you that “mummy tummy” but not always.
Your tummy might be flat, and you just suffer silently with incontinence. Or maybe you have a bit of belly, but it’s not too bad, but your back always hurts. Well, when the right sides of your abdominal wall head east and west from each other, and you can get your fist or even a couple of knuckles into your organs then, Houston, we have a health problem!
And glory hallelujah the solution ain’t more crunches, ladies!!!
You see, diastasis (I pronounce it die-ass-tuh-sees, but it depends on where you’re from) isn’t caused by pregnancy; men and children get it, too. It’s caused by pressure in your belly pushing on your connective tissue over time and gradually damaging the thick band of fascia that holds you together. About 98% of pregnant women finish delivery with a diastasis (see this study), but we’re looking at the 2% that don’t, and sometimes they just have good connective tissue genes (and we try to not hate them for that), but sometimes they also have alignment and they haven’t done crazy, stupid workouts during and after pregnancy.
So I’ve been studying all this for the past 2 1/2 years, and I don’t talk to fitness trainers about it because they led me astray for 14 years. I talk to physical therapists and alignment experts and restorative exercise specialists, because they are the ones who are truly putting cores back together, right?
And the good news is that pressure can be regulated by how you sit and stand and eat and use the loo and push a baby out and hold a baby. And if you can take the pressure off your belly by doing TummySafe workouts and retraining your alignment, then you’ve uncovered the gospel truth for your core that our Divine and loving Creator didn’t make you to fall apart. You were designed to come back together!There is a plan and purpose and diastasis can be banished!
I’ve given Erin special permission to share one of my members-only routines because alignment is tricky. So for one week only, I want you to watch this. I want you to see for yourself how moving and living in these postures and practicing these moves will CHANGE your whole appearance and outlook from the inside out.
And crunches and situps and pelvic tilts, all of which INCREASE pressure in the core and all of which lead to pelvic floor disorder (PFD), can become a thing of your past because you’re going to learn how to really find your true core and flex it and take the pressure off your broken belly. That’s when healing takes place.
And I believe that when women realize that the Grand Design isn’t faulty and that we truly are meant to be strong for wrestling with our kids (and our husbands) and walking and climbing and moving and praising and dancing and gardening… we find our mommy mojo again!
Fit2B is a fraction of the price of a gym membership!
Fit2B Studio’s mission is to spread the message of hope for diastasis healing to the whole world. We have a growing directory of experts, and I am constantly researching and networking to create more resources and workouts. I also want to provide you with some things you can read and PRINT OUT AND SHARE if you want more technical information about diastasis, how to prevent it, how to work with it, how to treat it yourself, and how to understand it via this link to our printables at Fit2B Studio.
Erin’s Week 8 Update:
Weight: Down 1 lb.! (149 now)
Total Weight Loss: 8 lbs.! This is great….1 lb./week, which is perfect for me since I am exclusively nursing!
Inches: I’ve now lost 3 1/4 inches total from my waistline!
Diastasis: 1.5-2…I have slacked off on my tummy exercises, and I feel like my diastasis is getting worse! But check out my before and after pics above!!
Biggest Challenge: My book is making me fat! Not really, but I can see where the life of a writer can make it a challenge to fit in fitness (probably harder than the life of a mom!). I am so glad I don’t do this full-time! I have been hitting the book pavement hard the past two weeks, and that has coincided with my slacking on the fitness front. My goal has been to work out three times/week, but this past week I only worked out twice. It’s better than nothing, but it’s not where I want to be.
Stacy @Stacy Makes Cents
You look GREAT!!! Congratulations! 🙂
Erin
THank you!
Andrea
So… not sure if it’s just me, but I couldn’t find any link to view the video…
Erin
Do you see it now?
Andrea
Yes!! thank you!!
Cindee
“Use this code to get half-off your first 3 months membership at Fit2B Studio: 3for15bucks”
I couldn’t get the coupon code to work. Has it expired?
Melanie Griffin
I have tried the code a couple of times and it says it can’t be found. Has it expired already?
Sara K
I don’t see the video link! :o)
Natalie
This looks fabulous. I’m down to my pre-preg weight (baby is one now), but my separation still makes me look 3 -4 months pregnant. I’m skinny – but I have this nasty pouch. If THIS can make THAT go away, I will tell the world. : ) I don’t know why I haven’t subscribed to your blog yet – but I’m glad this tipped me off to that. Looking forward to hearing from you regularly. 🙂
Kira
I’m really interested, but the coupon code doesn’t work. Is it already expired?
Christen Kieffner
Frustrating, the code wont work for me either and I was hoping to start it tomorrow. 🙁
Katrina Lewis
Wow, you look amazing! I really need to try this! Unfortunately the code isn’t working 🙁 I’m so bummed!
Cindee
Why no response regarding the non-working code?
AJ
Erin – I am 5 weeks postpartum with baby #3 (3 under 3 now 😉 ) and I am sure that I have a 3 finger diastasis. Did you do a certain routine from fit2b or just go through different videos each day? I have the trial membership through the homemaker bundle and I just don’t know where to start (I am definitely a routine/schedule person and would do better with an outlined program). Congrats on your progress!
Erin
Hi! CONGRATS on your baby!! I would most definitely go with the Tummy Safe Path. If you log in, there are different “paths” to take, and the tummy safe past would be best for you at this point. It will feel very easy/like you’re doing nothing, but it will help!
AJ
Thanks so much 🙂
Erin
You’re welcome! Hope you love it!
Lanae
Hi Erin! I was wondering how your diastasis was? Has it closed or gone down? Did you only use the Fit2B exercises or did you use other things?
Rebecca
I’m not able to view the video but I can hear all of it, is there something else I need to do to view it? Help please!
Lenah
I feel sick to my stomach when I do the test and when I do the exercise you have a video of above, is this normal, am I doing something wrong, does anyone else notice this. I know I’m sensitive and my test was 1*1*1 But I have some of the symptoms listed above and want to try this, but I dont want to feel sick when I do the exercise…
Erin
That is interesting,Lenah. I have never felt like that. I would ask in the Fit2B forum or FB group.
Lenah
When my daughter was 6 months old she cried on a car ride and she no has an outti belly button, it doesn’t bother her and doctors say its fine, she’s omost 6 now, whoykd these exercises help her if I make sure there done correctly?
Erin
I would imagine they would, Lenah, but I would probably seek out the Fit2B site. They have a great FB support group, and I would ask on there.
Christy
Hi I have had 9 children, 1 set of twins. I feel my body is past the point of fixing without surgery. My ob mentioned my separation was a fist size. If I went to my gp with this would they know what I’m talking about? What specialist do I need to see for surgery. It’s starting to effect my daily life and ability to exercise. Thank you for this information.
audrey
I know this is an old post, but i’m hoping to get a response anyways! I just joined fit2b to get rid of my diastisis recti and while it’s great that i can see which exercises are tummy safe, there are SO many exercises, and i’d really just like to know which ones will get rid of that diastisis the quickest.
Erin
Hi Audrey! The Foundational 5 will really hone in on the diastasis healing. They are super easy but effective.
Erin Marie Sills
Love this post. I used MuTu System (http://www.healthhappensathome.com/blog/2015/10/8/my-road-to-healing-diastasis-recti ) to restore my core and have Fib2b membership on my birthday list. Thanks for the work you do and all the resources Beth provides to not-quite yet members!
Erin
I’ve heard good things about MuTu too!
Modupe
Really interested in getting my diastesis recti fixed my last birth was 4yrs back I’ve done countless burpees, sit ups,crunches b4 I got to know .it’s rather saddening that my workout group coach doesn’t even know about the condition was lucky to stumbled on it.