Diastasis Recti: How to Check and What Actually Helps

May 28

Short answer: diastasis recti is a widening of the tissue between your two "six-pack" muscles (the rectus abdominis). It's a normal part of pregnancy, and in one Norwegian study (Sperstad et al., 2016) about 60% of women still had it at 6 weeks postpartum and about a third at 12 months. For most women, the answer isn't avoiding core exercise; it's learning to manage pressure and gradually strengthening the whole core. If the gap is large, painful or not improving, see a pelvic floor physical therapist.

I'm Asia Rideout, a pregnancy and postpartum strength coach in Alexandria, VA. Diastasis-aware progressions are part of every program I coach.

What is diastasis recti?

As your baby grows, the connective tissue down the middle of your belly (the linea alba) stretches and thins to make room. That's normal and necessary. After birth, the gap often narrows on its own over the first months. For some women the gap stays wider, or the tissue stays soft, which can show up as:

A ridge, dome or cone along the middle of your belly when you sit up or strain
A "pooch" that doesn't change much with weight loss
A feeling that your core is weak or disconnected

How to check yourself

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
Place your fingertips across your midline, just above your belly button.
Gently lift your head and shoulders a little off the floor.
Feel for a gap between the muscle edges and notice how deep your fingers sink.
Repeat just below your belly button and higher up toward your ribs.

A gap of about two finger-widths or more is commonly used as a sign of diastasis. Tension matters as much as width: if the tissue feels firm under your fingers as you lift, that's a good sign even with some gap.

A self-check is a starting point, not a diagnosis. A physical therapist can measure it properly.

What actually helps

Breath and pressure management: learning to exhale and gently engage your deep core and pelvic floor before effort (lifting your baby, standing up, lifting weights).
Progressive whole-core strengthening: research reviews suggest exercise that targets the deep and outer core may help, and the best programs build up gradually.
Watching for doming: doming or coning during an exercise is feedback that the load is more than you can manage right now. Regress the exercise, adjust your breathing, then build back up.
Strength training for the whole body: squats, hinges, carries and presses all train your core when you do them with good pressure control.

Do I have to avoid crunches and planks forever?

Usually not. Fewer blanket "never do this" lists are used now. Instead, most exercises are introduced gradually and scaled to what you can control without doming, pain or pelvic floor symptoms. Many women with a remaining gap return to planks, sit-ups and heavy lifting with the right progression.

When to see a professional

See a pelvic floor physical therapist, and talk to your provider, if you have:

A gap that's very wide, painful or getting worse
Back or pelvic pain
Leaking, heaviness or pressure in your pelvic floor
A bulge that stays out when you're resting (to rule out a hernia)

At MotherMade Strong we're happy to work alongside your physical therapist.

Frequently asked questions

Can diastasis recti heal years after pregnancy?
Many women see improvements in function and core strength long after pregnancy with the right training, even if some gap remains.

Does a waist trainer or belly binder fix diastasis recti?
Support garments may feel comfortable early on, but they don't strengthen your core. Training does.

Can I lift weights with diastasis recti?
Often yes, with good breathing and pressure control, and with loads that don't cause doming, pain or pelvic floor symptoms.

Get a plan for your core

Every program at MotherMade Strong starts with a free 45-minute assessment at One Way Performance, 5400 Eisenhower Ave, Suite A, Alexandria, VA. We'll check how your core and pelvic floor work together and build a progression that fits you, in our ReBuild to Strength series, MOMS Strength Club or 1:1 training.

Book your free assessment

Sources: Sperstad JB et al., "Diastasis recti abdominis during pregnancy and 12 months after childbirth: prevalence, risk factors and report of lumbopelvic pain," British Journal of Sports Medicine (2016); Benjamin DR et al., "Effects of exercise on diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle in the antenatal and postnatal periods: a systematic review," Physiotherapy (2014); ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 (2020).

This article is general education, not medical advice. Please see your provider or a pelvic floor physical therapist for diagnosis and treatment.

Written by Asia Rideout, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Coach and birth doula, founder of MotherMade Strong in Alexandria, VA.