Let’s Demystify Postpartum Diastasis Recti (DRA)

A gap in your abs, a lingering “pooch,” or a sense of weakness or disconnection in your core after pregnancy, is quite common. These changes can feel confusing and sometimes frustrating, especially when you’re not sure what’s normal or what can actually be treated.

Let’s walk through what diastasis recti really is, why it happens, and how we actually treat it in a way that supports your body long-term.

What Is Diastasis Recti?

Diastasis recti is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles (commonly known as your “six-pack” muscles) along the midline of your abdomen. This midline is made of connective tissue called the linea alba, which naturally stretches during pregnancy to accommodate your growing baby.

This process is not a flaw or a failure of your body. It is a normal, necessary adaptation. Your body is designed to do this. After delivery, that tissue begins to recover, but in some cases the gap may remain wider or the tissue may feel less supportive.

Who Gets DRA?

The reality is that almost everyone who goes through pregnancy develops some degree of diastasis recti. Research shows that up to 100% of women have abdominal separation in late pregnancy. Around 60% still have a measurable separation at six weeks postpartum, and about 30–40% may continue to have it at six to twelve months postpartum.

So if you’re noticing it in your own body, you’re definitely not alone!

Is It Treatable?

Yes but treatment is not as simple as a few ab exercises.

A lot of messaging focuses on “closing the gap,” but that’s only one piece of the picture. What is just as important, if not more, is how well your core functions as a whole. We look at both the width of the separation and the quality of the connective tissue. That tissue should feel supportive and responsive, not just narrow.

It’s entirely possible to have a small gap and still experience symptoms like weakness, pressure, or leakage if the system isn’t functioning well. On the other hand, some people have a wider gap but excellent strength and control, and they feel strong and capable in their bodies.

When Is the Best Time to Treat It?

There’s a common belief that you only have a short window postpartum to “fix” diastasis recti, and if you miss it, it’s too late. That’s not what the research shows.

Your body does go through significant natural healing in the first six to eight weeks postpartum, and tissue remodeling continues for months afterward. Early support can absolutely be helpful, especially in guiding how the tissue regains tension and how you reconnect to your core. That’s where the idea of starting around three to four weeks postpartum comes from.

However, this doesn’t mean that improvement is only possible during that time. Studies consistently show that targeted exercise and rehabilitation can improve diastasis recti well beyond the early postpartum period. Whether you are a few weeks, several months, or even years postpartum, meaningful progress is still possible.

How Does the Pelvic Floor Play a Role?

Your core is a coordinated system that includes your diaphragm, abdominal muscles, back muscles, and pelvic floor. These structures work together to manage pressure within your body and provide support during movement. When diastasis recti is present, that system often becomes less coordinated, and often there’s a feeling of disconnection or even weakness. Pressure may not be distributed evenly, which can place extra demand on the pelvic floor.

Because the abdominal wall and pelvic floor are so closely connected, changes in one tend to affect the other. When the abdominal wall isn’t functioning optimally, pressure is pushed downward rather than managed evenly throughout the system. This can then leads to symptoms like urinary leakage, a feeling of heaviness or pressure, core weakness, or even low back discomfort. It’s not just about the separation itself, it’s about how your body is handling load and pressure as a whole.

 

What We Actually Treat

In our clinic, we’re not just focused on making the gap smaller. Our primary goal is to restore function across the entire system.

That means helping you rebuild coordination in your core, improve how your body manages pressure, and develop strength that carries over into your daily life. When those pieces come together, symptoms improve—and that’s what truly matters.

Common Patterns We See

After pregnancy, we often see patterns that develop as your body tries to compensate for changes in the abdominal wall.

One of the most common is poor pressure management, where effort leads to pushing outward through the abdomen rather than creating supportive tension. This can show up as doming or coning along the midline.

We also frequently see an imbalance in muscle activation, where the lower abdominals do most of the work while the upper abdominals remain underactive. This creates uneven strain through the connective tissue.

Another common pattern is what we call “upper ab gripping.” Instead of a coordinated contraction, the upper abdominals tighten excessively while the rib cage flares and breathing becomes shallow. This creates tension, but not true support.

To compensate for these challenges, many people also change how they move: rounding through the back, bracing instead of coordinating, or avoiding certain movements altogether.

How We Treat Diastasis Recti

Treatment starts with helping you reconnect to your core in a meaningful way. This often begins with breath work, where we coordinate the diaphragm, abdominal muscles, and pelvic floor so they can function as a team again.

From there, we work on pressure management—teaching you how to move, lift, and exercise without placing excess strain on your abdominal wall or pelvic floor.

Strengthening is then layered in gradually, with a focus on building balanced strength across the entire abdominal wall, especially in areas that tend to be underactive. Finally, we integrate all of this into your daily life so that your strength translates into real-world function, whether that’s lifting your child, returning to the gym, or getting back to activities you love.

What If My DRA Doesn’t Fully Close?

This is an important conversation, because the sometimes abdominal separation doesn’t completely go away, and that is totally OK and normal. It’s important to remember that your body has gone through a major transformation, and it’s valid for it to look and feel different afterward. A fully “closed” gap is not the only measure of success.

You can still have a strong, functional, and capable core even if some separation remains. Our goal is not perfection. It’s helping you feel confident, supported, and symptom-free in your body. So with that, we focus on function and full-body support. We teach you to work with the ways your anatomy is, and getting those core and pelvic floor muscles coordinating well.

A Reassuring Reminder

Your body adapted exactly as it needed to in order to grow and bring a life into the world. You. Are. Incredible!

Now, it simply needs the right kind of support to function well again. We focus on helping you understand your body, work with it instead of against it, and build strength in a way that actually lasts.

When Should You Seek Help?

You don’t need to wait for things to get worse or for a certain amount of time to pass. If you’re noticing symptoms like doming, core weakness, leakage, pressure, or uncertainty about how to return to exercise, it’s a great time to get support.

Whether you’re six weeks postpartum or several years out, it is not too late to make meaningful changes.