Written By: Naz Haider | Updated : January 13, 2017 4:57 PM IST
A lot of women have trouble getting their tummy back in shape after pregnancy. You may be able to lose weight, but still have the flabby, jiggly belly pouch that makes you look like you are three moths pregnant. While, it is true that you should not rush with getting back to your pre-pregnancy shape, because your body needs time to heal and shed the excess weight, it is also possible that your belly is jiggly and lose because you suffer from diastasis recti.
What is diastasis recti?
In simple words, diastasis means 'separation' and recti refers to abdominal muscle. So diastasis recti means separation of your abdominal muscles. During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles undergo the most amount of pressure, so much so that sometimes they lose the shape and elasticity and even separate. About 2/3rd of pregnant women suffer from varying degrees of diastasis recti but it is seldom diagnosed as loose and jiggly belly is often thought to be a common occurrence after pregnancy.
A few things put you at an increased risk of diastasis recti:
While in some cases the abdominal muscles get back in shape naturally, for some women it takes a long time and requires proper exercising.
How to check whether you have diastasis recti?
There is a specific posture with which you can check whether your abdominal muscles have separated, and how much. Follow the steps:
Important note
Many exercises meant for tightening the core and toning muscles can actually cause harm if you have diastasis recti. So after you have checked for it at home, please consult a doctor for guidance on how to correct it.
Inputs from Dr Asha Manu, gynaecologist, Navi Mumbai
Image: Shutterstock
