Debunking Diastasis Recti: What’s Actually True About Core Separation During and After Pregnancy

Kelsey Nowak
Jan 15
7 min read

Updated: Jan 20

By Kelsey Nowak, PT, DPT, PRPC | Kandor PT + Pelvic Health

Hi, I’m Kelsey — a pelvic floor physical therapist and the owner of Kandor PT + Pelvic Health. If you’re pregnant or postpartum, you’ve probably heard the phrase diastasis recti (aka “ab separation”) tossed around more times than you can count. And usually, it comes with a whole lot of worry.

Will my abs ever go back together?

Did I do something wrong?

Did I mess things up by exercising the wrong way?

Pause with me for a second and take a deep breath — because here’s the real deal:

Diastasis recti is not a disaster. It’s a completely normal part of pregnancy, and yes — it’s absolutely something you can rehab. The tricky part? There’s a ton of confusing (and often misleading) information floating around social media.

So today, I’m cutting through the noise and breaking down what’s actually true, what’s overhyped, and what you really need to know about abdominal separation during and after pregnancy.

What Diastasis Recti Actually Is (and Why It Happens)

Diastasis recti is simply the stretching and thinning of the linea alba — the connective tissue that runs between your rectus abdominis muscles (aka your “six-pack”). During pregnancy, this tissue naturally widens to make room for your growing baby.

That’s it.

It’s not tearing.

It’s not a “broken core.”

And it’s not something you did wrong.

This widening happens because of pregnancy itself — hormones, belly growth, and normal changes in your body — not because of a single movement, exercise, or mistake you made.

DRA develops because of natural hormonal changes, your growing uterus, and increased abdominal pressure — all expected during pregnancy. Almost every pregnant person will experience some level of separation by the third trimester.

Where things get tricky is whether that tissue regains tension and function postpartum. That’s where rehab, education, and individualized support come in.

What’s Normal During Pregnancy vs. What Needs Attention

During pregnancy, it’s normal to experience:

A visible midline softness
Some doming or coning when you sit up
A noticeable abdominal gap

These don’t automatically mean something is wrong.

But there are times when I want you to pay closer attention:

Pain during daily movements
A feeling of “pulling apart”
Severe or sudden coning that doesn’t improve with strategy changes
Pelvic pressure or heaviness

Symptoms matter more than the presence of a gap itself. The goal isn’t to eliminate the gap — the goal is to restore tension, strength, and function.

Between 67-100% of pregnant people have a diastasis recti during their third trimester (Boissonnault et al, 1988). So, anyone selling you something that says it can “prevent” a DRA during pregnancy is a bunch of BS.

The Biggest Diastasis Recti Myths (Debunked)

There’s a lot of noise around DRA. Let’s clear some of it up.

Myth 1: “If you have a gap, you have diastasis.”

Truth: The size of the gap means far less than the tension of the connective tissue underneath. Many people have a gap and function perfectly well.

Myth 2: “Crunches cause diastasis.”

Truth: No single exercise or activity causes DRA. DRA occurs due to biomechanical, hormonal and lifestyle factors. Crunches can actually be part of rehab when done with the right strategy.

Myth 3: “Avoid all coning — it’s dangerous.”

Truth: Coning is going to happen during your pregnancy; it is not a sign of damage. It tells me your body is accommodating growth of your baby. Maximizing strength throughout your pregnancy ensures that your risk for long-term diastasis when you are postpartum, is minimized. DRA can happen to people at any point in their lives, across all genders, and even in kids, but it is most common during the perinatal period. This makes sense - the tissues stretch to make room for the growing baby, and studies show that between 67-100% of pregnant people have a diastasis recti during their third trimester (Boissonnault et al, 1988)

Myth 4: “Diastasis means your abs will never be strong again.”

Truth: Your core is extremely adaptable. With proper rehabilitation, most people regain excellent function and strength.

Myth 5: “Only surgery can fix diastasis.”

Truth: Surgery is rarely necessary. Most cases respond very well to abdominal wall and pelvic floor physical therapy and progressive strength training. Part of the key to successful non-surgical treatment is EARLY INTERVENTION during the first 2-4 weeks postpartum.

How to Check for Diastasis Recti (The Functional Way)

You’ve probably seen the “two-finger test” online. But here’s what matters more:

Does your abdominal wall generate tension when you lift your head or move? Here’s a simple check you can do at home:

Lie on your back with knees bent.
Place fingers at your midline.
Gently lift your head and exhale.
Feel for:
- Gap width
- Depth
- Tension underneath

If the tissue feels very soft, unsupported, or sinks deeply, that can be a sign of diastasis recti that’s worth taking a closer look at. If anything feels painful or confusing, a pelvic floor physical therapist can provide a more thorough, accurate assessment.

What Actually Helps Diastasis Recti Heal After Pregnancy

They’re not flashy, but they work:

Breath coordination (yes, it matters more than you think)
Deep core and rectus abdominis engagement
Pressure management strategies
Gradual strength training
Whole-body movement — not just isolated core work
Consistency > intensity
Using rectus abdominis muscles during functional activities - engage the abdominal wall BEFORE lifting your baby, laughing, coughing, sneezing.
Ensuring that your rectus abdominis muscles are working appropriately within the first 2-4 weeks postpartum - early intervention is key!!

Early postpartum healing is shaped by many factors — including hormones, sleep, and how you begin to load your body again. This is a season where slower really is better, so give yourself permission to ease back in.

There’s typically an 8-week window after delivery that plays an important role in minimizing long-term diastasis recti. During this time, your collagen fibers — the building blocks of connective tissue — are actively repairing along the linea alba.

When the distance between the rectus abdominis muscles is kept as small as possible during this phase, collagen is able to heal in a more shortened, supported position. Simply put: having good rectus abdominis support during pregnancy and in the first 6–8 weeks postpartum allows that tissue to repair in a narrower space — which often results in a smaller “gap” over time.

Exercises You Don’t Need to Fear

Let’s clear this up once and for all:

Crunches, planks, push-ups, lifting weights, and even carrying your toddler are not “off-limits.”

You just need:

A good breathing pattern
A strategy that supports your core
A progression plan

We’re not avoiding exercises — we’re learning how to do them in a way that supports healing.

Specific exercises have low-quality evidence supporting their efficacy at this time (Weingerl et al., 2023; Benjamin et al., 2023). However, clinically, we find that improvements in abdominal strength, endurance, and muscle hypertrophy (building thickness of muscle) can improve overall appearance and confidence during exercise and daily activities.

What if I can’t activate my rectus abdominis (the 6-pack muscles) during my pregnancy or when I’m postpartum?

Contact me right away - I’m happy to provide a free 20-min screening (can occur virtually) to determine if your rectus abdominis is firing correctly and if PT intervention is needed.
Use of an abdominal binder may be indicated to narrow the inter-rectus distance (the gap between the muscle) during instances of poor rectus abdominis contraction (Lee and Hodges, 2016)

FAQs (Based on Real Search Questions)

1. How do I check for diastasis recti?

You can do a simple at-home assessment by checking tension and depth at your midline while lifting your head. The quality of tissue tension matters more than the number of “fingers” that fit in the gap.

2. What causes diastasis recti?

DRA is caused by natural stretching of the linea alba that MUST occur during pregnancy to support a growing uterus, and is influenced by hormonal changes and increased abdominal pressure. It’s NOT caused by something “you did wrong”, and it’s not caused by one specific movement.

3. Should I avoid certain exercises with diastasis recti?

You don’t need to fear specific exercises. What matters is how you’re doing them. If an exercise causes uncontrolled coning or discomfort, modify your strategy — don’t eliminate the exercise entirely.

4. Is coning during pregnancy dangerous?

Coning is NOT harmful and will almost always occur towards the end of your pregnancy. Research shows us that weakness of the rectus abdominis muscles is the largest predictor of long-term postpartum DRA. Keeping rectus abdominis muscles strong during pregnancy and in the first 8 weeks postpartum are the largest predictors of minimizing long-term DRA.

5. How long does it take to heal diastasis recti?

Every person heals at a different pace. Many see meaningful improvements within 8–12 weeks of targeted rehab, while others need more time depending on tissue quality, strength, posture, and lifestyle factors. Abdominal tissue changes can continue to occur for up to 12 months postpartum.

Final Thoughts

Diastasis recti is not something to fear — and it’s not a sign that your body is failing you. It’s a normal, expected response to pregnancy that can be improved with the right support.

If you want personalized guidance or a full core and pelvic floor assessment, I’d love to walk with you through your healing journey at Kandor PT + Pelvic Health.

You're strong. Your body is adaptable. And you’re absolutely capable of feeling supported and confident again.

If you live in the Twin Cities area, schedule a consult with me or reach out if you have any questions!

Sources:

Boissonnault, J. S., & Blaschak, M. J. (1988). Incidence of Diastasis Recti Abdominis During the Childbearing Year. Physical Therapy, 68(7), 1082–1086. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/68.7.1082

Benjamin, D. R., Frawley, H. C., Shields, N., van de Water, A. T. M., & Taylor, N. F. (2019). Relationship between diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle (DRAM) and musculoskeletal dysfunctions, pain and quality of life: a systematic review. Physiotherapy, 105(1), 24–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2018.07.002

Lee, D., & Hodges, P. W. (2016). Behavior of the Linea Alba During a Curl-up Task in Diastasis Rectus Abdominis: An Observational Study. The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 46(7), 580–589. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2016.6536

Weingerl, I., Kozinc, Ž., & Šarabon, N. (2023). The Effects of Conservative Interventions for treating Diastasis Recti Abdominis in Postpartum Women: a Review with Meta-analysis. SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine, 5(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42399-022-01353-4

Benjamin, D. R., Frawley, H. C., Shields, N., Peiris, C. L., van de Water, A. T. M., Bruder, A. M., & Taylor, N. F. (2023). Conservative interventions may have little effect on reducing diastasis of the rectus abdominis in postnatal women- A systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiotherapy, 119, 54–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2023.02.002