As your bump grows, your tummy muscles stretch to make room. The two long muscles that run down the front of your stomach can separate in the middle, leaving a gap. It's called diastasis recti, it's really common, and for most women it gets better on its own in the weeks after birth.
What is diastasis recti?
It's a separation of the two halves of your "six-pack" muscle (the rectus abdominis) along the line of tissue that joins them. The NHS says it's common for these muscles to separate during pregnancy, usually by about 2 finger widths, and that the gap will usually go back to normal by the time your baby is 8 weeks old.
Signs to look out for: a bulge or ridge down the middle of your tummy when you sit up or strain, a tummy that still looks pregnant weeks after birth, or a feeling of weakness in your core.
How to check yourself
- lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
- place your fingertips just above your belly button, pointing down
- gently lift your head and shoulders off the floor, as if starting a small crunch
- feel for a gap between the muscles, and how many fingers fit in it
- repeat just below your belly button
A gap of a couple of finger widths in the early weeks is normal. What matters more is whether it's improving, and whether the tissue feels firm or very soft.
A tummy gap isn't a flaw to fix fast. It's a sign your body made room for a whole person.
What to avoid at first
While the gap is healing, the NHS suggests avoiding:
- sit-ups and crunches
- planks
- high-impact exercise
- straining on the toilet
- heavy lifting
Roll onto your side to get out of bed rather than sitting straight up, and try to lift your baby and car seat close to your body.
Gentle exercises that help
The NHS tummy exercise. Lie on your side with your knees slightly bent. Let your tummy relax, then breathe out and gently draw in your lower tummy, like you're zipping up tight jeans. Squeeze your pelvic floor at the same time. Hold for a count of 10, breathing normally, then release. Repeat up to 10 times.
Pelvic floor exercises. Your pelvic floor and deep tummy muscles work as a team. Build up to 10 repeats of each exercise, at least 3 times a day.
Postnatal Pilates. A class run by someone trained in postnatal exercise is a great next step once you feel ready.
When to see your GP
If the gap is still obvious at 8 weeks after the birth, contact your GP. They can refer you to a physiotherapist, who can check it properly and give you a programme of exercises. Also see your GP if you have back pain, pelvic pain, leaking or a bulge that hurts.
What is diastasis recti?
A separation of the two long tummy muscles down the front of your stomach, which is common during pregnancy.
Does diastasis recti go away on its own?
Usually. The NHS says the gap will usually go back to normal by the time your baby is 8 weeks old.
What exercises should I avoid with a tummy gap?
Avoid sit-ups, planks, high-impact exercise, heavy lifting and straining on the toilet while it heals.
When should I see a doctor about my tummy gap?
If the gap is still obvious 8 weeks after the birth, contact your GP, who can refer you to a physiotherapist.
Keep reading
- Exercise after birth: when to start, and how to build back gently
- Pilates for pregnancy and motherhood
- Pregnancy pelvic girdle pain: how yoga can help
- Running in pregnancy
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you're worried about your tummy, back or pelvic floor after birth, speak to your GP or a women's health physiotherapist. See the NHS guide to your post-pregnancy body.
If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), you probably know that there are certain foods and nutrients that become especially important once you’re pregnant. But nutrition plays a vital role even when trying to conceive, much like laying a strong foundation before constructing a house.
Certain nutrients create that foundation by supporting egg and sperm health (yes, nutrition matters for both partners), hormone balance and creating a hospitable environment for a fertilized egg to implant. In fact, studies show that certain nutrients can help increase fertility and improve success rates for both natural conception and fertility treatments.
In other words, nutrition is a key player in the TTC journey, but getting the right nutrients in the right quantities can be tricky. That’s where supplements come in. Just as you’d take a multivitamin to fill in nutritional gaps for optimal health, fertility supplements can give you that extra nutrient boost.
Choosing supplements for your fertility journey
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When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
