Loose Abdominal Muscles After Pregnancy

Loose Abdominal Muscles After Pregnancy

 

You gave birth some time ago, but your tummy still looks like you are still pregnant. Months pass by and it is still there, despite the fact that you have lost the baby weight and have managed to get back to your normal weight. You might try diets and physical exercise, but the stubborn tummy won’t get back to being firm and flat, and you wonder why that is. This scenario sounds familiar to more women than you might imagine. In simple terms, we are talking about the unsightly appearance of the tummy caused by loose abdominal muscles after pregnancy. In medical terms, the condition is called diastasis recti. Diastasis recti is not about an excess of fat, but just a separation of the abdominal muscles that happened during pregnancy.

Studies show that the risk of developing diastasis recti is higher for women who have a big baby over 35 years old. Multiple pregnancies that come soon one after the other is another factor that could increase the risk of loose abdominal muscles after pregnancy.

But how does diastasis recti occur? During pregnancy, the growing uterus puts a tremendous pressure on the abdomen, and because of this the muscles on the abdominal wall sometimes fail to keep their shape and position. The diastasis represents a separation of the abdominal muscles. When the muscles separate and get loose during pregnancy, the uterus is only supported by a strap of conjunctive tissue made out of collagen fibers.

Many women are not aware what is causing the unsightly appearance of their tummy after childbirth. But diastasis recti is actually easy to diagnose, especially considering the fact that it is a visible condition. A physical examination will be enough to get a correct diagnosis. The doctor might ask you to lie on your back with your knees bent at 90 degrees. The soles of your feet need to be placed on the bed firmly, and the head should be slightly bent forward with the chin touching the chest. When the tension in the muscles occurs, the doctor can put his fingers on the bridge that becomes obvious. How severe diastasis recti is can be determined depending on the number of fingers that can fit in the space created between the left and right abdominal muscles.

It is also important to know that diastasis recti can occur at any time after the first half of the pregnancy, but it is more visible after childbirth when the abdominal wall is relaxed.

Physical exercises can’t correct diastasis recti. Moreover, you might even notice the condition being accentuated and more visible during intense physical activities. The only method to efficiently fix diastasis recti is with the help of surgery.

The tummy tuck is a good option for women who want to improve the appearance of their tummies after multiple pregnancies. The plastic surgeon will suture the loose abdominal muscles together to correct diastasis recti.