Stomach Woes

[cindyleed]

Let me just preface by apologizing if I sound vain...it goes without saying that it's all worth it, but I do care what I look like.  Also, not sure where else to ask this so hopefully there are some others here who know

Comments

[duchess_k]

I too have a bad diastasis after carrying very large and also trying to fix it after my first pregnancy with a lot of crunches--I had no idea I was making it worse. I just wanted to say good luck. I'm trying to heal a 6-finger separation after my second baby and I'm impatient to close it up and *not* re-damage it.

[cindyleed]

I didn't have it at all with my first. But I had about a 4 finger seperation after this pregnancy. As I said it is pretty well closed now, at least enough to be able to resume most exercises. But I too have read how bad crunches and typical abwork can worsen the appeareance of the bulge. But now that I've been stregthening my tranverse abs and my seperation is closed is it okay to do crunches and will they help me out any or should I just stick with more core ab exercises? I did find a dvd exercise video (I think it was called be-fit-mom) online and I'm thinking of purchasing it. It explains a bit on the website how to repair a diastsis and good exercises to rehab the abdominal muscles.

I'm also thinking it might be smart to work woth a post partum trainer for a couple sessions, but I can't seem to find any in my area.

[duchess_k]

I'd want to be very sure that the new connective tissue was well-established before trying anything crunch-like, because you could easily re-open it. Me, I plan to avoid crunches for the rest of my life. Which is a bummer, because before babies I was a martial artist and I did a *lot* of crunches, but that may have been what compromised that connective tissue in the first place, setting me up for a major blowout during pregnancy. I'm eager to be fit and strong again but I think I will need to stick with transverse abs for core strengthening. It just isn't worth it to me to risk--apparently diastasis can lead to many additional problems, like pelvic floor issues, back strain resulting in disc injury, and increased risk of hernia (my connective tissue is like Saran wrap and you can actually feel the pulse in my organs when checking the separation--gross). I really REALLY don't want all of that

[cindyleed]

Yes, I have been weary about it because of that. I think when/if I do resume doing any type of crunch like exercise I should wear a belly wrap of some sort and that would probably help. I recall seeing a woman in the gym who had a band of that sort on while doing ab work and she said she had to wear it because she recently had surgury to correct a hernia. That would be my fear besides makinig the buldge appear larger and re-opening the muscles, is that once the muscle splits you could easily get a hernia because there is nothing else holding those organs in place