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    Home » Fitness Tips For Moms

    Crucial Diastasis Recti Postpartum Exercises

    Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.  See full disclaimer
    Pinterest image with text: two images the top of a woman in workout pants and a sports bra outside holding up a baby and the bottom of a woman in dark gym clothes on her back in the gym doing a postpartum ab exercise
    pinterest image with text of women in black shirt laying on floor with hand on belly and one on low back to do exercise
    Pinterest image with text: two images the top of a woman in workout pants and a sports bra outside holding up a baby and the bottom of a woman in dark gym clothes on her back in the gym doing a postpartum ab exercise
    Pinterest image with text: woman in a sports bra and workout tights outside holding up a baby

    Use these diastasis recti exercises to help build a strong foundation postpartum. These postpartum core and pelvic floor exercises help heal diastasis recti and set you up for long-term fitness goals.

    I have an advertisement relationship with the ads in this post. Check out my disclaimer here

    These core exercises are gentle enough to begin in the days following birth but they can be used anytime.

    Pinterest image with text: woman in a sports bra and workout tights outside holding up a baby with text about ab exercises for new moms

    As a new mom, you may be eager to jump back into activity once you've finally met your little one- especially if you were a fit mom prior to pregnancy.

    Or you may be overwhelmed about starting any kind of fitness routine and unsure what the safest route of action is.

    As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, I can help.

    The first few weeks post-partum are filled with wonder, adrenaline, and time spent staring at the baby. But eventually, getting back to exercise crosses your mind and you begin wondering about your abdominal muscles and what to do.

    Almost immediately you're overwhelmed, confused, and have no idea how to "get back at it". Do you join a gym? A bootcamp? Will you feel out of place? Can you keep up?

    So many thoughts spiral through your mind that the thought of activity becomes petrifying.

    But the best place to start is with my 7-week heal your core program in which I use many of these exact exercises.

    Benefits Of Diastasis Recti Exercises For New Moms

    If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't be! These postpartum core exercises are not a fitness routine.

    In fact they:

    • can be done on your living room floor
    • take no more than five minutes and can be broken up or done all together
    • are low impact
    • help begin to heal diastasis recti
    • are the foundation to help you resume a fitness routine when you're ready

    The point of these exercises for new moms isn't to make you work up a sweat or challenge your muscles in the typical sense. The idea behind it is to help in healing diastasis recti (learn how to test for diastasis recti at home), reconnect your breath and prepare you for further activity.

    Another thing to consider is that as a new mom, a lot of postural shifts happen. Don't forget to look into some stretches to help alleviate tension (like these stretches to ease back and neck pain from breastfeeding!)

    Note: these exercises aren't just for new moms. Learn more about how to fix diastasis recti years later and check out these four corrective exercises for diastasis recti.

    What To Consider Before Starting ANY Kind Of Fitness Program

    When it comes to exercises for new moms, there's a lot to consider.

    The first is that your body just went through an extreme change. Pregnancy and birth change your body drastically. Don't forget that it needs time and a lot of love. Your body just did something insanely awesome- don't undervalue it.

    The Second is not to compare yourself to others regarding fitness and abilities. The same can be said about any time of your life but especially post-pregnancy. What someone else may be able to do may not be what you're capable of (which is ok!),

    The Third is to get checked out by a pelvic floor physiotherapist. A PFP will be able to assess you internally as well as externally and give you some guidance on what the strengthen. Remember: peeing your pants is completely fixable but often required a multi-level approach. This is why getting a postpartum check-up with a Pelvic Floor Physio is crucial. 

    Note: my recommendation is to also visit a local pelvic floor physiotherapist. With this visit you can check on any degree of abdominal separation or pelvis floor weakness/prolapse. These are things that will need to be corrected first before a fitness routine takes place.

    What Are Diastasis Recti & Pelvic Floor Exercises?

    These diastasis recti exercises for new moms are not intense. Likewise, they're not meant to get your body "back". However, they will get you started towards understanding your new postpartum body and help you work towards starting an actual fitness routine.

    After going through the experience of birth, your body needs exercises like this in order to train it to be functional again as well as help it recover from pregnancy and labor.

    Before you ever jump into a full workout program your body needs to focus on two primary areas and how they work together.

    Click here for the Five-Minute Postpartum Workout that uses the exercises below. You can do this postpartum workout anytime after birth. Low-impact exercises complete with video.

    Relearning To Breathe

    Most new moms breathe through their upper body. Thus, they flare the ribcage and move the chest and shoulders (this is the worst habit of mine!).

    This hinders posture (which is already a challenge while carrying around a newborn). It also challenges your core musculature as it's not being utilized properly.

    ENGAGEMENT Of The Ab Muscles

    Stretched, pulled, under activated. Pregnancy and birth do so much to your core that it's hard to know where to start. But start you have to.

    Since your core doesn't consist of just your abdominals, exercises like crunches and planks will only impede your process at this time. You'll need to learn how to use rectus abdominis muscles to help recover and move forward from birth.

    Targetting postpartum abdominal muscles means looking into the deeper abdominals as well as the glute muscles to help reduce back pain, reset alignment and yes, aid your pelvic floor.

    However, the biggest thing to focus on when it comes to postpartum core and pelvic floor exercises is how your breathing and muscles work TOGETHER.

    Diastasis Recti Exercise #1: Diaphragmatic Breathing

    Retraining your body to breathe properly will help take some of the pressure off your upper back and aid your core muscles to recover.

    How To Do It

    • Lay on the floor with your head supported on a pillow
    • Place one hand on your belly.
    • When you inhale, you want to feel your belly rise under your hand
    • Your upper chest muscles should remain relaxed and unmoving (though you might feel the lower ribcage expand slightly)
    • When you exhale, your belly returns to normal.

    Practice your breathing daily for 10-15 breathes.

    One way to progress is by then incorporating a minor pelvic floor lift with the breathing.

    Then, you can do more from laying down to sitting and then standing as well as exercises like piston breathing. Make sure that it comes more and more naturally over time.

    Terryll Bladock, a pelvic floor specialist has some really amazing videos on her YouTube Channel about breathing and how to progress it throughout the postpartum period.

    Diastasis Recti Exercise #2: TVA & Pelvic Floor Activation

    Learning to reactivate some of your deeper abdominal muscles will be crucial once you want to jump back into workouts. Once you master it on the ground, this is a core exercise for new moms you can then use standing and in workouts.

    How To Do It 

    • Lay on the floor on your back with your knees bent and feet flat
    • Think of lifting up the lower half of your bum so you feel as if you're drawing your belly button into the floor
    • Think of tucking your pelvis under or bringing your hip bones towards your ribcage.
    • Your upper body shouldn't move, you are simply tilting your pelvic to stabilize.
    • Hold 5-10s
    • release fully

    Perform 8-10 repetitions. 

    This pelvic tilt is a crucial step and as you progress you can easily build on it by lifting the legs, moving the arms, and performing exercises like deadbugs/hollow bodies etc.

     

    Diastasis Recti Exercise #3: Glute Bridge

    Ensuring your glutes are firing is an important step in healing diastasis recti as your glutes will aid in correcting your posture and relieve some of the tension from your low back. Check out my favorite at-home glute exercises for moms.

    The most important part of all glute exercises is to ensure activation and engagement. Just going through the motions will cause you to lift with your low back and not your bum muscles so move slow.

    How To Do It

    • Lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, and arms at your sides.
    • Perform a pelvic tilt, push through the heels and lift your bum from the floor
    • Squeezing your bum placing the hips into extension. Pause briefly.
    • Release the squeeze and lower the hips to the floor.

    Really make sure you are using your pelvic floor muscles and glutes as opposed to arching your low back to get higher. You can do 10-15 repetitions.

    Woman in blue shirt and black pants performing a glute bridge on the floor two different ways, both with knees bent

    Diastasis Recti Exercise #4: Clamshells

     Again, learning to activate and strengthen your glutes will inevitably help your posture and any low back pain.

    In the case of your hips though.. they've been through a lot. Regardless of your delivery, your hips have stretched and widened to carry a baby. The muscles surrounding them are normally feeling pretty weak (and sometimes tight).

    How To Do It

    • lay on your side with your legs stacked and knees slightly bent
    • Make sure your shoulders, hips, and heels are in one line
    • Place your top hand on your top hip
    • Keeping your heels together, squeeze your glute while opening up at the knees.
    • Release the squeeze and return the knees to meet each other

    You should feel the muscles under your hand contract. Perform 10-15/side.

    Tip: once that feels a bit more natural, don't forget to try and work in your belly breathing with the exercises. When it comes to core exercises for new moms, the two are not separate.

    One of my favorite recommendations for new moms is to snag a set of mini bands, The glutes are one of the best muscles to train throughout pregnancy (learn more about the best hip exercises when pregnant). They're also crucial postpartum once you master these basic core exercises for new moms. Learn more about what the glutes can do for you.

    Making use of mini loops simply allows you to add some low-impact tension to your at-home glute exercises. This resistance helps keep them strong and you functional. I use mini-bands with every single one of my clients because they are just so freaking effective.

    You can grab the bands at prosourcefit.com and use code mamabearfit to save some money!

     

    Diastasis Recti Exercise #5: Heel Slides

    This postpartum core exercise is a great way to combine the exercises you're already learned and put them into action with some movement. It's still low impact, can be done anywhere and it really helps fine-tune the core and pelvic floor connection.

    How To Do It

    • Lay on your back and place a washcloth (or use socks) under one heel
    • One knee should be bent and the other out straight, keep the hip bones squared to the ceiling
    • Create tension in the deep abdominals by lifting your pelvic floor "up and in" and using a minor pelvic tilt when you exhale
    • At the same time, use that tension to pull the straight leg back towards your hips
    • Keep the hips stable as you release the leg back out

    Perform 5-8 repetitions per leg

    Learn how to do heel slides.

    Woman in pink sporta bra and black pants lying on her back on a gym floor with one knee bent and the other straight

    Frequently Asked Questions About Diastasis recti Postpartum Exercises

    Can you fix postpartum diastasis recti?

    Diastasis recti can be greatly improved with exercise. You'll want to perform gentle, rehabilitation exercises postpartum to help reconnect your breathing, pelvic floor, and deep abdominal muscles. Progressing this engagement is what will help in healing diastasis recti.

    How often should you do diastasis exercises?

    Because exercises that focus on diastasis are often very low impact, they can be done multiple times per week. The beginner exercises that focus on engagement and breathing work can even be done for a few minutes each day. Once you move on to the more advanced core work, you can work in a schedule of 3-4x per week.

    Other Fitness Tips To Help Your Postpartum Journey

    Your next steps should be about continuing to strengthen your core muscles (after you've mastered engagement) while avoiding these exercises.

    If you're brand new, check out this 10-minute, follow-along diastasis recti workout you can do anytime postpartum.

    You'll also want to start strengthening your glutes so that you can carry kids easier.

    Lastly, develop a workout program and learn the best ways to make time for fitness as a mom! And when in doubt, a mommy and me workout is a big help!

    • Postpartum-safe workouts
    • Exercises to AVOID as a new mom
    • Benefits of strong glutes
    • Strong glutes during pregnancy
    • Glute workout finishers
    • Glute exercises for pregnancy
    • Follow along with home workouts
    • Strength training for beginners
    • Fitness tips for moms

    Don't forget to pin these crucial core exercises for new moms!

    Pinterest image with text: two images of a woman in dark workout clothes performing pelvic floor exercises for postpartum healing

    Sick Of Feeling Self Consciousness About Your Stomach?

    If you feel frustrated with your body and disappointed that you didn’t “bounce back” after pregnancy.. you’re not alone!

    Healing diastasis recti and cutting the mom pouch can be done at any stage postpartum (yes, even years later!).

    It’s time to reclaim your pre-pregnancy confidence.

    Through a 7-week, strategic, home workout program, I help you retrain your core muscles so that you’re stronger and more confident.

    In just ten minutes a day and with only your living room furniture and a mini band, you can finally start feeling good about your tummy muscles.

    Don’t let diastasis recti hold you back, embrace a stronger core, reduce the niggling “mom aches”, and learn how to Heal Your Core for just $39

    GRAB THE DIASTASIS RECTI WORKOUT PLAN
    Graphic of mom in a sports bra holding her baby on her lap and text about diastasis recti workouts.

    Final Tips On The Postpartum Diastasis Recti Exercises

    Make sure as you perform the exercises for new moms that you incorporate your breathing techniques every step of the way.

    Traditionally, you want to exhale on the hardest part of the exercise and inhale on the easiest (exhale on the lift in a bridge and inhale as you come down).

    Most of these exercises can be performed as early as a few days postpartum so long as you had an uncomplicated delivery.

    However, it is advised you check with your medical practitioner first. If you had a c-section, rest first before jumping into anything. Your incision will take longer to heal so check with your doctor.

    Also, keep in mind that you don't need to be rigid or have a master plan. Do the exercises (starting with breathing!!) when you think of it or when you can. Don't make it a "thing).

    Working out after having a baby can be daunting and most new moms are unsure of where to start. While jumping into an intense "fix my body" routine may seem like the best way to go. it's not.

    Take the time to perform these crucial exercises for new moms and then work your way up to a fitness routine slowly. Remember that your body has been through a lot of change in the last year and it needs a little bit of extra lovin'.

    More Fitness Tips For Moms

    • Woman laying on floor with one knee bent and other in a hamstring stretch.
      5 Best Hamstring Exercises for Runners
    • Woman in blue shorts and tank top running outside.
      Want to Run Better? These 11 Tips Change Everything
    • Woman performing a squat with a pink mini band around her legs.
      36 Mini Band Exercises + A Full Body Workout
    • Woman in piegon pose on a bench for a glute stretch.
      9 Best Glute Stretches

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sydney

      December 16, 2016 at 7:24 pm

      That's a great exercise.I would definitely love to do that.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        December 16, 2016 at 8:00 pm

        Thanks Sydney! Simple but effective 🙂

        Reply
    2. Marielle

      June 27, 2018 at 6:47 pm

      Yes to all of these!! Especially the glute work....I love clam shells, so effective and burn so good (in a good way) 🙂

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        June 27, 2018 at 8:47 pm

        Glutes are such a necessity! And there's so many ways to work them- but for pregnancy and new moms they pretty much save lives haha

        Reply

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