“Diastasis Recti: a belly sticks that out because the space between your left and right belly muscles has widened. You might call it a ‘pooch.'” Funny definition right? That’s how WebMD describes it. I describe it as that sucky thing that happens postpartum. And that’s why I felt compelled to share a post on healing diastasis recti.
I know first-hand how this ugly side affect from pregnancy can mess with a woman’s self confidence and how little information we are provided with postpartum fitness regiments, specifically when it comes to our core. After the birth of my first son, I went back to crunching and planking without even knowing I was severely making my ab separation worse. And although I was back to me pre-baby weight relatively shortly after my son’s birth, I couldn’t get past the hatred of my new ‘mommy pooch’. Yes yes, of course I was insanely grateful for a healthy baby and completely understood the pregnancy would change my body, BUT I’m not a motivational speaker so let’s be real, sometimes not loving your post-baby body is 100% normal and ok. Moms are humans too.
Would I recommend the Belly Bandit to pregnant and postpartum moms? Absolutely. Not only did I feel it helped shrink my tummy in the days and weeks after having my baby, it also helped me feel like my weak core was supported
Cinching my Belly Bandit wrap to the necessary compression varied based on the size of my stomach, but the thick Velcro made it possible to wear the wrap directly post-birth and weeks after. To ensure I had the tightest fit (in order to ‘train’ my abs to go back where they belonged), I simply held the wrap around my waist, pulled tightly, then wrapped it around my stomach and pressed to secure.
About the author:
Chrissa Benson is the busy mom, healthy foodie, and fitness guru at Physical Kitchness - www.physicalkitchness.com. Chrissa’s quick and easy recipes for busy moms are made with real-food ingredients, and her at-home workouts are inspired by a wide variety of fitness genres. She loves helping moms find their healthy groove in the most simplistic way possible!
To read ALL of Chrissa’s tips including exercises that can help heal diastasis recti head to, https://physicalkitchness.com/healing-diastasis-recti/
