Understanding Diastasis Recti: What It Is and How to Heal Your Core Postpartum

TL;DR: What You Need to Know About Diastasis Recti

Diastasis recti is one of the most common — and most misunderstood — postpartum experiences. Here is what this post covers:

• What diastasis recti actually is and why it happens

• How to tell if you have it

• Why it is a functional issue, not just an appearance concern

• The four elements that form the foundation of healing

• What to focus on first — and what to avoid

👉 Before we dive in → grab my Pelvic Floor & Core Strengthening Flash Cards — a simple, visual way to reconnect your breath, deep core, and pelvic floor during everyday movement.

What Is Diastasis Recti?

Diastasis recti refers to the separation of the rectus abdominis muscles — your outermost abdominal muscles — that occurs as your abdomen expands during pregnancy. Running between these muscles is the linea alba, a band of connective tissue that stretches and widens to accommodate your growing baby.

For some people, this tissue does not fully recoil after birth, leaving a gap or softness along the midline of the abdomen. This is diastasis recti.

It is worth noting that some degree of separation is a normal part of pregnancy — the body is doing exactly what it needs to do. The concern arises when the gap remains wide or the tissue lacks the tension needed to effectively transfer load across the abdominal wall.

How Do You Know If You Have It?

Common signs include:

• A visible coning, doming, or ridge along the center of your abdomen when you sit up, lift, or exert yourself

• A gap you can feel with your fingers along your midline

• Core weakness or instability that feels disproportionate to your effort

• Back pain or changes in posture

• Pelvic floor symptoms such as leaking, heaviness, or pressure

If you are unsure, an assessment with a pelvic health physical therapist is the most reliable way to know. A trained clinician can measure the width and depth of the separation, assess the tension of the linea alba, and give you a clear picture of where you are starting from — which matters more than the gap measurement alone.

Why It Is Not Just About Appearance

It is easy to focus on how the abdomen looks after birth, but diastasis recti is a functional issue first. When the core muscles and connective tissue cannot effectively manage intra-abdominal pressure, it affects how the whole system performs.

This shows up in practical ways:

• How you lift your baby, a car seat, or groceries

• How you breathe and stabilize during exercise

• How your pelvic floor functions — since the deep core and pelvic floor work as an integrated system

A healed diastasis is not defined by a flat stomach. It is defined by a core that can generate and manage pressure effectively, move without compensation, and support you through daily demands without symptoms.

Can You Heal Diastasis Recti?

Yes — and the goal is more nuanced than simply closing a gap. For many people, a small amount of separation remains permanently, and that is completely compatible with a strong, functional core. What you are working toward is restoring the tension and coordination of the system, not achieving a specific measurement.

The four foundational elements of healing:

1. Diaphragmatic breathing Learning to coordinate your breath with your deep core and pelvic floor is the starting point for everything else. Breath drives pressure management — without this foundation, other exercises are less effective and can create more strain than benefit. Learn more about it here.

2. Deep core activation The transversus abdominis — your deepest abdominal muscle — is the primary target in early diastasis recovery. Gentle, intentional engagement of this muscle retrains the core to work as a system rather than in isolated, compensatory patterns. Crunches and sit-ups are not appropriate here; they increase intra-abdominal pressure in a way that can worsen symptoms.

3. Pelvic floor coordination The pelvic floor and deep core are functionally inseparable. Training them together — rather than in isolation — improves pressure control, reduces symptoms like leaking or heaviness, and builds the kind of integrated strength that translates to real life.

4. Posture and pressure management How you move through your day matters as much as what you do in a dedicated workout. Everyday alignment — how you sit, stand, lift, and carry — directly influences how your connective tissue heals and how your core learns to function under load.

The Practical Summary

Begin with breath. Before adding any core exercises, spend time learning diaphragmatic breathing and feeling how your breath moves through your ribcage, abdomen, and pelvic floor. This is not a passive or preliminary step — it is foundational work that makes everything else more effective.

From there, layer in gentle transversus abdominis activation, pelvic floor coordination, and progressive movement as your strength and control improve. Add intensity only when you can move through foundational exercises without coning, doming, or pressure symptoms.

Consistency matters more than intensity at this stage. Small, deliberate steps — done regularly over weeks and months — build the kind of core that holds up through real life.

Read the next post in this series: Core Strengthening for Diastasis Recti: Where to Start — six exercises that build on this foundation, with full instructions and progressions.

Ready to go further?

If you would like more support, here’s where to begin:

👉 Download the Pelvic Floor & Core Strengthening Flash Cards
👉 Explore our Postpartum Recovery Guide

This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding your bone health.