Should I feel terrible for envying the woman I saw in the once in the pool who looked like she had spent 9 months doing ab crunches and not growing a human being in her belly? I guess not. Envy is not something that I often feel but I looked at her cradling her baby in a bikini looking awesome and I felt like crying, I didn’t want to get out of the water and parade my poking out saggy abdomin.When I think of the first time I saw by body post baby a sense of anxiety starts heating up in my chest and creeping up my throat, giving me that lump you get when your about to cry. I must have been more vain than I thought before having kids because excepting a new body image has been really hard for me.
Anyway I am feeling more positive than ever now that I can except this new me. And really it is a small sacrifice for two beautiful boys. You can not see the stretch marks in the picture below but you can see the bloated look and the lack of definition. Also the saggy skin that hangs lower on one side! This is the first picture I have taken of it and that is only because It is looking a lot better these days.
I have been getting the feeling that my readers have been wanting me to elaborate a bit on the topic of Diastasis Recti. I apologise if this is not the case and I am about to bore you with the science.
Pronunciation:
dye-uh-STAY-siss REK-tye
Also Known As:
diastasis, abdominal separation
Definition:
Diastasis recti is a condition where the right and left sides of the rectus abdominus (the muscle that makes up the front wall of the abdominals, also known as the “six-pack” muscle) spread apart at the body’s midline. Diastasis negatively affects the strength of the abdominal wall and can aggravate lower back pain. |
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What causes Diastasis?
Abdominal separation occurs most often in response to the force of the uterus pushing against the abdominal wall during pregnancy, but can also happen when there is an extreme over-abundance of sub-muscular (visceral) abdominal fat. In pregnancy, hormones are also partially to blame, as they can soften connective tissue, allowing the separation to occur more easily.
Diastasis Recti Test
This simple self-test will help you determine if you have abdominal separation/diastasis recti and how severe it is.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, and the soles of your feet on the floor.
2. Place one hand behind your head and the other hand on your abdomen, with your fingertips across your midline –parallel with your waistline – at the level of your belly button.
3. With your abdominal wall relaxed, gently press your fingertips into your abdomen.
4. Roll your upper body off the floor into a “crunch”, making sure that your ribcage moves closer to your pelvis.
5. Move your fingertips back and forth across your midline, feeling for the right and left sides of your Rectus Abdominis muscle.
http://www.bellefit.com/diastasis.php
From my research I have found that this is a condition that also affects men due to either being obese or to exercising incorrectly over a long period of time. It can also be present in newborns.
me 11 months post second pregnancy, still 1.5cm separated (was 15cm)
There are health risks of having this condition and it does have an emotional impact on your life. I suggest that if you have done the test and you feel that you might have a separation then contact a physiotherapist that specialises in woman’s health.
I am sorry for the grusome image but this is what a GP told me I would have to have done and that there was no other alternative.
Pousti plastic surgery. Tummy tuck.
Pousti plastic surgery image. After a tummy tuck procedure
I might not look and tight and slim as this post op lady but my goodness, This is a drastic and expensive measure!
So I will have to embrase the scars and the sag and just look at the beautiful little humans I created.
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