Part of The Active Moms' Club ongoing commitment to the overall physical health and wellbeing of its’ members is education and knowledge. The following resources are meant to provide information, guidance, and simple useful tools.

Exercise/Health
Prenatal Exercise: Why It's Important
Exercise for Stronger Babies
Are You Pushing Yourself Hard Enough?
10 Energy Boosting Tips
Exercise During Pregnancy
Prenatal Fitness Benefits
Postpartum Depression & Fitness
Women's Heart Health

References
Is Your Sports Bra the Right Bra?
How to Select a Jogging Stroller
Weight Gain During Pregnancy
NASPE Guidelines
Food Allergy: Epidemic or Exaggerated?

Nutrition
What Is Folic Acid and Why Does Your Baby Need it?
Buying Organic 101

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED TOPIC:  Diastasis
What is Diastasis Recti?
If you are like most expecting moms, you are reading up on everything about taking care of your baby during pregnancy, your body and your soon-to-be newborn. As the bump continues to grow, the abdominal wall is stretched to a new capacity. The abdomen consists of four sets of muscles, and it takes all four sets to help push the baby. However, two out of three moms will experience a condition called diastasis recti, an abdominal separation of the rectus abdominis.

The rectus abdominis is known as the "six-pack" ab muscle. It is bounded by connective tissue called the linea alba and is separated into right and left halves. The function of the rectus abdominis is an important postural muscle as it supports the spine, the digestive and pelvic organs and plays a supporting role in breathing. As you can tell, this is an important muscle to keep strong. When weakened, the muscle affects how comfortably daily activities are performed.

Separation of the two halves occurs for a number of reasons:

• A pregnancy hormone called "relaxin" is released to relax the ligaments and tissue helping the body prepare for birth
• The growth of the baby forces the uterus to compress against the rectus abdominis
• Forced coughing or sneezing can cause the sudden separation. Some women who were sick with the flu or bronchitis can "cough themselves to separation"

What are the common causes of this "separation?"

• Women carrying multiples
• Smaller framed women
• Women with pronounced swayback
• Poor abdominal tone
• Repeated pregnancies

What happens if I have diastasis recti? You might experience:

• An increase in low back pain
• Pelvic instability or SI Joint Dysfunction
• An increase in stress and/or urinary incontinence (ask yourself, do you pee when you laugh, cough or sneeze?)
• Reduced functional strength of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor

How do I know if I have diastasis recti?
Most women will notice a "peak" that forms along their belly when they attempt to sit up from lying on their back. Unless your healthcare provider, physical therapist or certified personal trainer, who specializes in pre- and postpartum fitness, checks for this, there is no way of knowing your diagnosis. Many doctors do not check for this separation, but you can ask for them to check during your six-week postpartum check-up.

Can this separation be corrected?
Yes it can! However, going right back into your old routine of crunches may make it worse. The best course of action is to find a qualified professional to help repair your muscle tissue manually. Look for postpartum exercise programs that specialize in rehabbing your core and floor. Instructors should be certified or have taken special courses to help moms pull this together.

The owner and founder of Active Moms' Club in Chicago, Cassandara Hawkinson, is very familiar with helping moms who have diastasis recti. In fact, she runs a program called: "From the Core: Postnatal Recovery" that focuses exclusively on restoring the integrity of mom's core muscles, including the pelvic floor, lower back, and addresses diastasis. This class is really quite unique! It is designed for moms, who are six-weeks to six-months postpartum. Moms are encouraged to bring their child to class!

"Most women don't realize how important it is to restore the integrity of the core muscles after birth," says Cassandra, who believes it is her mission to educate and make moms stronger. "I like to use the analogy of building a house. The foundation always comes first, and the roof goes on last. The same is true when rebuilding the human body after child birth…first, re-establish the strength of the core muscles for a strong foundation, and then return to your favorite impact class or go for a run."

If you are a mom who believes her abs are still "flabby" after the baby, be sure to have a qualified professional check for this separation.

– Jasmine Jafferali, National Pregnancy Health Examiner
See original publication