Forum home› Babies› Baby
🚨 Advance warning 🚨 This forum will be closing on 1st May – please see our pinned thread for more information.

separated abs - advice?

hedgiehedgie
in Baby
I just had the midwife come around to do babe's 2 day check and she's said I have a three finger gap. She was really vague with any advice or information and told me there is lots of information online. I've had a look but it varies so much and I'd love to not make things worse. I am also concerned about the effects of lifting my older children, and perhaps a timeline on how long it takes to heal. Is this something that will ever heal?

thank you

xx

Replies

  • EllieJBEllieJB
    Hi Hedgie, I had this after having baby, and my midwife said that the muscles would close together over time without too much work. She told me to just do my exercises out of the new mum book I got in hospital.
    HTH xx
  • babybarbarellababybarbarella
    My lovely mw kindly referred me to physio for this so here's what they told me

    DON'T
    - sit up from lying down - roll onto your side and then get up
    - move your arm backwards to grab something etc - best way to describe this is to imagine playing tennis - that's the move you want to avoid (so hoovering is out!)
    - do not do sit ups

    DO
    exercises:
    - pull your tummy in below the belly button and hold for up to ten seconds. When you're used to this one do your pelvic floor at same time- pull in tummy then add pelvic floor. ????Can be done standing or lying in bed
    - pelvic tilt- tilt your pelvis forward so you are tucking your bum in and hold for ten. Again can be done standing or lying in bed. ????If lying, tilt ur pelvis up so the small of your back is flat on the bed
    Hth
    Anna
  • icecreamloverpissedoffwithBEicecreamloverpissedoffwithBE
    agree with bbb's points, but just wanted to add that I was told NOT to lift Ollie at all as it would continue to split apart if I did. :cry: I was also told not to sit on the floor at all as the going down and getting up could split the muscles, not do any side twists, bend at the knees instead of bending over if I needed to lift anything, only lift very light things - and yes the hoovering was out!

    I ended up with a very large gap from top to bottom (Rectus Diastasis) - the physio could get her whole hand in it. :cry: However - 8 weeks after MJs birth I was down to a 3 finger gap.
    I'm actually having a check up today (this aft) to see how my gap is doing so I'll let you know what they say if yo want? (MJ has just turned one so would be a reasonable timeline for you..?)
    It will close with a lot of exercise, but it will never knit back together so it is important that I (and you?) keep up with the exercises from the physio, and if i go anywhere/join a gym etc I have to tell them about it so they can tailor things to my body's needs....

    I was told NOT to do any exercise whilst pregnant as I would run the risk of splitting the gap further, and that there was never much they could do while pregnant.

    I'd ask for a ref to physio anyway and then you're at least in the system and they know whats going on, they might suggest something that will help...

    hopefully it doesnt get any bigger or spread at all for you (mine in the end went from top to bottom whereas an average one just splits around the belly button)

    If you need to know anything else feel free to ask image

    HTH
    xx
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions

Promoted Content