If you have noticed a soft gap or bulge running down the middle of your stomach since having your baby, you are not alone. This is one of the most common questions we hear from women in the postnatal period, and understandably, it can feel worrying when your body does not look or feel the way it used to.
Diastasis recti is a normal and well understood part of pregnancy and recovery, and for most women, understanding what is happening beneath the surface is the first step towards feeling confident in your body again.
What Is Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis recti refers to the natural widening of the linea alba, the band of connective tissue that runs down the centre of your abdomen and joins the two sides of your rectus abdominis (your "six pack" muscles). As your uterus expands during pregnancy, this connective tissue stretches to make room for your growing baby. Some degree of abdominal separation during pregnancy is expected and is simply your body doing exactly what it needs to do.
For most women, this gap will begin to close naturally in the weeks and months after birth as the connective tissue gradually regains tension. For others, particularly after a C-section, a larger baby, or a previous pregnancy, the gap can take longer to reduce and may benefit from targeted support.
How Do I Know If I Have Diastasis Recti?
A simple self-test can help you get a sense of what is happening, though it is not a substitute for an assessment from a physiotherapist or your health practitioner. Lying on your back with your knees bent, gently lift your head and shoulders slightly off the floor and use your fingertips to feel along the midline of your stomach, just above and below your belly button. A gap of one to two finger widths is common and often resolves on its own. A wider or deeper gap, or one that does not seem to be closing, is worth discussing with a women's health physiotherapist.
How Long Does Diastasis Recti Take to Heal?
Every woman's postpartum recovery timeline is different. Many notice the gap narrowing over the first eight to twelve weeks, while for others, especially with a C-section recovery, abdominal separation may take longer to close as scar tissue and deeper layers heal. Consistency with gentle core work tends to matter more than speed.
Can Diastasis Recti Heal on Its Own?
For many women, yes. The body is remarkably capable of restoring core strength over time, particularly when movement is reintroduced thoughtfully. That said, "on its own" rarely means "without any input." Gentle, consistent core recovery, adequate rest, and good nutrition all play a supporting role in helping your connective tissue and deep core muscles regain their function.
Best Exercises for Diastasis Recti Recovery
Diastasis recti exercises should focus on rebuilding the deep core system rather than the traditional crunches or sit-ups many women are used to, which can place unnecessary pressure on the midline.
A postnatal core repair approach generally includes:
- Diaphragmatic breathing to reconnect with your deep core
- Pelvic floor and core connection exercises, engaging both together
- Transverse abdominis activation, such as gentle abdominal bracing
- Modified planks and side-lying work, progressed slowly over time
Avoiding twisting movements, heavy lifting and full sit-ups in the early weeks is generally recommended until your core has rebuilt its foundation. A women's health physiotherapist can tailor a program to your specific recovery.
Does Diastasis Recti Affect Every Pregnancy?
Some degree of abdominal separation after pregnancy is considered a normal physiological adaptation and is understood to affect the majority of women to varying degrees by the third trimester. The extent and rate of recovery can vary depending on factors such as connective tissue quality, number of pregnancies and core strength prior to conception.
What Nutrients Help Support Healing?
Diastasis recti nutrition is not something many women think about, but the postpartum body has real nutritional demands as it rebuilds tissue, restores energy and recovers from birth. Alongside movement, several key nutrients play a supporting role.
Protein is the foundation of tissue repair. Muscle, skin and connective tissue are all built from amino acids, so adequate protein intake in the postpartum period, generally spread across meals rather than loaded into one sitting, gives your body the raw materials it needs to rebuild. Many women find their appetite and routine are the first things to slip after birth, which makes protein-rich snacks and meals worth prioritising.
Vitamin C is an essential building block in the formation of collagen, the protein that gives connective tissue, including the linea alba, its strength and elasticity.
Zinc supports numerous enzymatic processes involved in tissue repair and is often depleted by the demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding. A varied diet including zinc-rich foods such as red meat, legumes and seeds can help meet increased postpartum needs.
Iron is easily overlooked in conversations about core recovery, yet low iron is closely linked to the fatigue and low energy that make it harder to stay consistent with gentle movement and rehabilitation. Blood loss during birth means many women's iron stores are lower than usual in the postpartum months.
Rest, hydration and adequate calorie intake round out the picture. Recovering from birth while caring for a newborn is demanding, and under-eating or running on empty will make any recovery goal, core included, harder to reach.
You can find all of these nutrients in NaturoBest's Prenatal Trimester 2 & 3 Plus Breastfeeding.
Supporting Your Postnatal Core Recovery
Recovering your core strength after birth is rarely a linear process, and it is one that deserves patience rather than pressure. Working with a women's health physiotherapist, moving gently and consistently, and supporting your body nutritionally can all help you feel steadier and more confident as your core rebuilds.
