How to Heal Diastasis Recti After Pregnancy + Diastasis Recti Exercises to Support Connective Tissue

Let’s start with a little-known but important fact:

Your abdominal muscles have always been separated.

Yep, everyone has a natural separation between their six-pack abs — held together by connective tissue (called the linea alba).

Exactly how wide that natural separation is can depend on genetics, ab strength, and yes, pregnancy.

During pregnancy, it’s normal and healthy for your abs to separate and for the connective tissue between them to stretch.

This is a powerful way your body adapts to your growing baby.

There is some nuance within that separation, though. Sometimes, the connective tissue can get damaged and struggle to heal after birth.

We’ll help you identify different kinds of diastasis recti — and provide tools and resources you can use to heal or prevent it, on your own terms.

You shouldn’t feel afraid of diastasis recti, you should feel empowered by it.

What Is Diastasis Recti?

During pregnancy, your body experiences several protective changes to make room for your growing baby. One of them is diastasis recti.

This is the natural separation of the abdominal muscles, which gently pull apart to support your growing belly.

Sure, that may sound scary at first. But diastasis recti is a natural (and normal!) body function. Actually, it’s a perfect example of how brilliant and adaptable you are.

When diastasis recti from pregnancy occurs, the right abdominal muscles separate from the left abdominal muscles — with connective tissue holding everything together.

When Is Diastasis Recti from Pregnancy a Concern?

Diastasis recti is certainly an inflammatory term in the pregnancy community. There’s a lot of fear surrounding body changes in general, especially those that come with “belly bulges.”

But diastasis recti is a normal part of pregnancy. For most women, this natural separation will begin to heal and close itself after birth — without any intervention.

In some cases, though, the gap between your abdominal muscles will persist, even months after birth. At The Bloom Method, we call this injury-based diastasis recti. It’s caused by dysregulation of intra-abdominal pressure, leading to weak connective tissue.

The good news is that injury-based diastasis recti is incredibly common and can be addressed no matter how far into postpartum you are. We use a combination of intentional breathwork, gentle exercises, and physical therapy.

How to Know If You Have Injury-Based Diastasis Recti After Pregnancy

If you suspect injury-based diastasis recti, there are several ways to perform a self-check. The easiest way is to check for doming across your midline when exercising or performing daily tasks (like getting out of bed).

You can also check diastasis recti by placing your fingers across your midline, as explained in our video:

As you’re doing your self-check, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Injury-based diastasis recti persists after twelve weeks postpartum. If you notice abdominal separation before twelve weeks, your body is still in the healing process.
• Be gentle with yourself and don’t obsess. We recommend performing a self-check for diastasis recti after pregnancy only every 3–6 weeks.
• Injury-based diastasis recti may not always be obvious. It could come in the form of limited function and some abdominal pain. Don’t gaslight yourself if you experience these symptoms.
• Healing injury-based diastasis recti is both possible and rewarding. Don’t fear or stress over abdominal separation (remember, it’s normal!). Instead, focus on loving your body by strengthening your connective tissue.
• The depth of your separation matters more than the width. Although the width of your abdominal separation is more physically obvious, the depth of the injury is a more accurate gauge of your connective tissue health.
• The right principles help you close your abdominal separation faster. Even if you don’t have injury-based diastasis recti, using the right methods and principles can help you close a natural gap quickly and without complications.

Diastasis Recti Shouldn’t Be Diagnosed During Pregnancy

While you may be tempted to check for abdominal separation during pregnancy, it isn’t recommended. Remember, abdominal separation is normal, so it’s likely you’ll notice diastasis recti during pregnancy.

Instead of body checking, give your body the space to adapt and protect you. The best thing you can do for yourself during pregnancy is strengthen your core, manage intra-abdominal pressure, practice breathwork, and eat nourishing foods.

How to Heal Diastasis Recti with Bloom Method Principles

Before getting pregnant, the way you move in everyday life affects the pressure on your abdomen. If not checked and balanced, this pressure can impact the integrity of connective tissue (the linea alba).

How you move on a daily basis plays an important role in the strength of your core — either supporting or weakening connective tissue.

Whether you’re preventing or healing diastasis recti, daily movements and management of intra-abdominal pressure play key roles in your recovery.

Healing diastasis recti and regaining full core function does include…

• Learning corrective techniques that protect and rebuild connective tissue.

• Intentional diaphragmatic breathing to regulate intra-abdominal pressure.

• Proper core engagement paired with breathing techniques.

• A variety of smart core exercises that build strength and empowerment.

• Posture assessment and correction, especially when picking up your little ones.

• Learning to repattern everyday movement (like getting out of bed and bending over).

Healing diastasis recti does not include…

• Single exercises and quick fixes that over-promise and under-deliver (these often lead to further frustration).

• Negative self-talk or feeling like your body is working against you. Remember, core separation is natural and shows exactly what your body is capable of.

• Only applying core exercises without addressing posture or daily movement.

Healing diastasis recti is so much more than simply closing a gap. It’s about using smart movements in your daily life — paying attention to how you sneeze, pick up your baby, and get out of bed. These small changes help you build foundational core strength and allow you to show up in the best way for your babies.

A Dysfunctional Core Isn’t a Guaranteed Outcome of Pregnancy

Not every woman ends up with injury-based diastasis recti that requires special attention to heal. This is a common misconception told to expecting women, and we want to set the record straight.

However, if you are experiencing injury-based diastasis recti, please know it’s incredibly common — and you are not to blame. Just like you can prevent long-term abdominal separation, you can heal it in powerful ways. All while engaging more with your body than ever before.

Can You Prevent Diastasis Recti?

Yes, it’s entirely possible to maintain a healthy level of separation during your pregnancy and prevent long-term diastasis recti. Intentional core exercises, breathwork, and intra-abdominal pressure management are all powerful tools to support your body’s adaptation.

Abdominal separation can weaken the connective tissue, but it doesn’t have to weaken it to the point of injury.

Be mindful of the way you move throughout pregnancy as your belly grows. And learn to avoid doming and coning — which are visual indicators that you’re placing too much pressure on your connective tissue.

Yes, Diastasis Recti Can Still Be Addressed Months After Birth

The beautiful thing about your body is, it’s always ready to heal. Whether you’re three months postpartum or three years postpartum, your body will always be on your side and working to rebuild a connection.

If you’ve struggled to heal diastasis recti before, this doesn’t mean that your body is weak or against you. You simply need to find the right tools to rebuild connection and functionality. Many of these tools (like breathwork) are unexpected.

Common Diastasis Recti Exercises vs. The Bloom Method

You should never feel punished or blamed for abdominal separation. It’s a perfectly normal occurrence that shows your body is doing exactly what it needs to grow a healthy baby. When addressing and healing diastasis recti, we recommend avoiding single exercises and techniques that make big claims.

In The Bloom Method, diastasis recti exercises are only one part of a larger picture of restoring healing and functionality to the core.

Our holistic approach focuses on…

• Intentional breathwork
• Combining functionality, strength, and flexibility
• Positive self-talk
• Diastasis recti exercises
• Reintroducing you to activities you love
• Empowering daily movements that are essential to motherhood

The Bottom Line

Breathwork and core engagement can build strength and flexibility in ways you never previously imagined. In fact, many women who experience The Bloom Method report that their core feels stronger after pregnancy than it did before pregnancy.

Remember, separation is normal.

It’s not always an injury.

If you do suspect long-term ab separation after postpartum, know there are tools and techniques available to help you heal and rebuild your core strength.

Remember, your body was designed to grow, stretch, and move safely — all while carrying your baby. It’s designed to heal from that experience, too.

At Studio Bloom, we provide all the essential tools you need to prevent or heal diastasis recti at any stage of motherhood. It’s all included in our six-week beginner program, The Diastasis Code. 

Sign up for a free trial with expert-led pregnancy fitness instructors to unlock strength and empowerment like you’ve never experienced before.