diastasis recti

[-Cat-]

can someone please help answer my questions on the above as I keep getting conflicting information.

I recently gave birth to my second child and suffered a four finger seperation to my stomach muscles, from doing the core exercises recomended by my physio I have now got this down to 2 fingers. I have lost my pregnancy weight but still have a mishappen stomach. My belly button pops out, and I have what looks like a sunken hole in the middle of my tummy and the sides are all raised. And I have the following questions:

Is it possible for me to fully close the gap without having surgery?

I was told not to do anything like stomach crunches untill I got it to 2 fingers, otherwise I risk pulling the muscles further apart, now I have got to 2 fingers wont doing crunches still pull them apart, or prevent them fully closing?

Also I was wondered if tight lace corseting might help bring my muscles back together permanently, or would this do more harm than good.

Thank you for any help you can give.

[Laura01]

how recent is recent? Its good that you are following exercises advised by your physio but i would avoid anything strenuous like stomach crunches until at leat three months post-baby. I take it you had a vaginal delivery and not section?

[-Cat-]

Yes both births were vaginal. Im now 4 months post partum.

[sidney43]

Well done for getting thus far.
firstly your connective tissue wont be back to its pre pregnancy tautness till at least 6 months postpartum so the linea alba will still be a bit soggy. Secondly yes you should wear some pretty strong support so that when you are doing your Transverse Ab exercises, the muscles are in the correct place, not out and stretched. needless to say you dont rely on the support but keep trying to suck it all in. Tubular elastic bandage (tubigrip size k or l) is good worn double or any elastic type wide bandage or "stepin". Keep doing the ab exercises as well.
If after a year there is still some superficial bulging which you dont like, and you dont intend to have any more kids, a small nip and tuck works well, but most people find that it goes back OK Good luck