Exercise With Diastasis Recti: Healing Your Core After Pregnancy

If you have a gap between your abdominal muscles after pregnancy, you're not alone—diastasis recti affects up to 60% of postpartum women. The good news: with the right exercises, most cases improve significantly. The catch: the wrong exercises can make it worse. Here's how to safely rebuild your core.

Understanding Diastasis Recti

What It Is: During pregnancy, the connective tissue (linea alba) between your rectus abdominis muscles stretches to accommodate your growing baby. Diastasis recti occurs when this separation remains after delivery.

Signs You May Have It:

• Visible bulge or "dome" when you sit up
• Gap you can feel between the muscles (usually at or around the navel)
• Lower back pain
• Poor posture
• Pelvic floor issues
• Feeling of weakness in your core

How to Check:

1. Lie on your back, knees bent
2. Place fingers at your navel, pointing toward your feet
3. Lift your head and shoulders slightly
4. Feel for a gap and note how many fingers fit

A gap of 2+ finger widths indicates diastasis recti.

Why Exercise Approach Matters

The Problem: Traditional core exercises (crunches, sit-ups) create pressure that pushes the muscles apart, potentially worsening separation.

The Solution: Exercises that draw the muscles together, strengthen the deep core, and restore function without creating harmful pressure.

Exercises to Avoid

Until Diastasis Improves:

• Crunches and sit-ups
• Planks (traditional)
• Leg raises while lying flat
• V-sits and boat pose
• Double leg lowers
• Any exercise that causes doming or bulging
• Heavy lifting without proper technique
• Twisting movements under load

How to Know If an Exercise Is Wrong: If you see bulging, doming, or coning in your abdomen during an exercise—stop. That's your sign it's creating too much pressure.

Exercises That Help

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Foundation of all diastasis work:

1. Lie on your back, knees bent
2. Place hands on your belly
3. Breathe deeply into your belly (it rises)
4. As you exhale, gently draw navel toward spine
5. Feel the gentle engagement of deep core
6. Practice daily, multiple times

Connection Breath (Core + Pelvic Floor)

Coordinates deep core and pelvic floor:

1. Inhale: relax belly and pelvic floor
2. Exhale: gently engage pelvic floor (like stopping urine) AND draw navel gently toward spine
3. The two should work together
4. Practice until this becomes natural

Heel Slides

Safe core activation:

1. Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat
2. Engage core with exhale
3. Slowly slide one heel out, keeping back flat
4. Return to start
5. Alternate sides, 10 reps each

Toe Taps

Progression from heel slides:

1. Lie on back, legs in tabletop (knees over hips)
2. Exhale, engage core
3. Lower one foot to tap floor, keeping knee bent
4. Return to tabletop
5. Alternate, 10 reps each side

Modified Dead Bug

Controlled core challenge:

1. Lie on back, arms reaching toward ceiling
2. Legs in tabletop
3. Exhale, engage core
4. Lower ONE arm overhead while lowering OPPOSITE leg
5. Only go as far as you can maintain flat back
6. Return and switch sides
7. 8-10 reps each side

Bird Dog

Safe on all fours:

1. Hands under shoulders, knees under hips
2. Keep spine neutral (flat back)
3. Exhale, engage core
4. Extend opposite arm and leg
5. Hold 3-5 seconds
6. Return and switch
7. 10 reps each side

Side-Lying Exercises

Gentle oblique work:

1. Lie on your side, knees slightly bent
2. Exhale and gently draw in lower belly
3. Lift top leg (clamshell variation)
4. Keep pelvis stable
5. 15 reps each side

Progression: Rebuilding Core Strength

Phase 1: Reconnection (Weeks 1-4)

• Diaphragmatic breathing
• Connection breath
• Gentle pelvic floor engagement
• Heel slides
• Walking

Phase 2: Basic Strengthening (Weeks 4-8)

• Toe taps
• Modified dead bugs
• Bird dogs
• Glute bridges
• Side-lying exercises

Phase 3: Increased Challenge (Weeks 8-12+)

• Dead bug progressions
• Modified planks (incline or on knees, if no doming)
• Pallof press
• Functional movements
• Gradual return to more activities

Phase 4: Return to Full Activity

• Gradually introduce previously avoided exercises
• Only if no doming/bulging
• Continue core work for maintenance
• Progress to running, jumping if desired

Timelines vary—listen to your body and work with a professional.

Modifying Common Exercises

Planks:

• Start with wall planks (standing)
• Progress to incline planks (hands on bench)
• Eventually floor planks—only if no doming
• Keep duration short initially

Lifting Weights:

• Exhale during exertion
• Engage core before lifting
• Avoid breath-holding
• Reduce weight if you can't maintain engagement

Getting Up From the Floor:

• Roll to your side first
• Use your arm to push up
• Never sit straight up from lying down

Cardio and Full-Body Exercise

Safe During Recovery:

• Walking (excellent starting point)
• Swimming (gentle on core)
• Stationary cycling
• Elliptical
• Low-impact aerobics (with core awareness)

Return Gradually To:

• Running (after foundation is solid)
• Jumping (only when ready)
• High-impact activities
• Always with core engagement

Working With Professionals

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist: The gold standard for diastasis recti:

• Proper assessment
• Individualized exercise program
• Manual therapy if needed
• Progression guidance
• Addresses associated pelvic floor issues

When to Seek Help:

• Gap isn't improving after 6-8 weeks of proper exercise
• Significant bulging persists
• You have pelvic floor symptoms (leaking, prolapse feelings)
• Pain accompanies the separation
• You're unsure if you're doing exercises correctly

Beyond Exercise: Supporting Recovery

Posture:

• Avoid constantly sucking in
• Stand tall, ribs over pelvis
• Avoid rib flaring

Getting Up:

• Roll to side to get out of bed
• Engage core before lifting anything

Breathing:

• Avoid breath-holding
• Exhale with exertion
• Natural breathing—not constantly bracing

Nutrition:

• Support tissue healing
• Adequate protein
• Stay hydrated

How Long Does Recovery Take?

Typical Timeline:

• Mild cases: Several weeks to months
• Moderate cases: Several months
• Severe cases: 6-12+ months, may need additional intervention

Factors That Affect Recovery:

• Severity of separation
• Consistency with exercises
• Whether you avoid aggravating movements
• Individual healing capacity
• Whether you address pelvic floor too

Be Patient: Your body grew a human. It takes time to rebuild.

When Surgery Might Be Considered

Conservative Treatment First: Most diastasis recti improves with proper exercise. Surgery is typically only considered when:

• Significant gap remains despite 6-12 months of proper PT
• Functional impairment is significant
• Hernia is present
• Other interventions haven't worked

Common Mistakes

1. Doing Traditional Ab Exercises: Crunches don't close diastasis—they often worsen it.

2. Wearing Abdominal Binders Long-Term: Short-term support is fine, but muscles need to work to rebuild.

3. Sucking In All Day: This creates pressure patterns that don't help.

4. Returning to High-Impact Too Soon: Build the foundation first.

5. Not Addressing Pelvic Floor: Core and pelvic floor work together—address both.

The Bottom Line

Diastasis recti requires specific exercise—not just any core work. Traditional ab exercises often make it worse, while targeted deep core exercises help close the gap and restore function.

Start with breathing and connection. Progress through phases. Avoid exercises that cause doming. Work with a pelvic floor PT if possible. Be patient—healing takes time.

Your core can recover. The gap can close. Function can return. But it requires the right approach, not just doing more crunches. Work smarter, not harder, and give your body the time it needs.