WHY DO I STILL LOOK PREGNANT AFTER GIVING BIRTH?

Hello Mums!
   Do you still look pregnant months or years after giving birth? Still have this 'bump-without-a-baby' that just won't go away? Do your clothes fit everywhere else except your belly? Yes? Then you could be having a condition called 'diastasis recti' aka 'mummy pooch', 'mummy belly' or 'jelly belly".

Image credit: https://www.scarymommy.com

 
This is simply a separation of the muscles of your belly. These are the muscles responsible for supporting your internal belly organs. They also form your abs (six pack) and are called rectus abdominis. They can be separated by pregnancy or any condition that causes your belly to swell overtime like fibroids or obesity.


Studies reveal that about 60-70% of women will have diastasis recti at some point especially while pregnant. Although it may heal spontaneously in a few women, a whopping 40% may still have it 6 months after delivery. In some women (20-30%), it never resolves without an intervention of some sort.

DO I HAVE DIASTASIS RECTI?

The commonest symptom is a bulge in your belly. Most women who have it will complain that they still look pregnant long after delivery.

There may also be :
Back pain
Constipation
Leakiness of urine
Hernia

CHECKING FOR DIASTASIS RECTI

You can check for diastasis recti by :

Image credit: jessicavalantpilates.com

                                             

• Lying flat on your back with knees flexed 
• Bending your neck over your chest
• Placing one hand behind your head and your other hand on your belly and feeling for a gape.

If a gape is present and can accomodate 2 fingers or more, then diastasis recti is present.

WHAT IF I HAVE DIASTASIS RECTI?

Depending on how large the gape is, exercises can help re-align your belly muscles.

Image credit: https://pregnancyexercise.co.nz

Simple exercises like side planks, single leg lifts, pelvic tilts and bridges for at least 10 minutes a day can be helpful in healing diastasis recti.

As a rule of thumb however, stay away from exercises that require belly stretching (eg. sit ups, crunches).

As a last resort,  an abdominal surgery similar to 'tummy tuck' can be done to re-appose your belly muscles. Surgeries may be expensive and are recommended if you have severe symptoms like back pain or hernia, if exercises fail, or for cosmetic reasons.