So AS PROMISED I am posting my before and after pics of my belly with baby #4. Here the before picture of my belly is actually going to be my pregnancy belly. I wanted to take a really great ugly shot of my abs after baby #4 since my waist was a full 2 inches bigger after baby #4 – it was 34 rather than 32. However, in my state of sleep deprivation and healing I failed to get that super ugly shot!
In this pregnancy shot – pregnant with baby #4, and my biggest baby of the crew, you can see the gully right at the belly button – which is my Diastasis Recti: This time it got to a 4 fingerwidths in the middle, and 3 fingerwidths on top, and 3 fingerwidths on the bottom.
Here is another belly shot where you can see how stretched out my belly got, you can see the outline of my diastasis at the weakest point of the connective tissue – the belly button.
Here is my recent after – I still have that last inch to go to get to 25 1/2 inches (currently at 26 1/2 inch waist)- but its a work in progress. This was taken 9 weeks after birth after closing my diastasis recti in week 6 and toning with the Tupler Technique®: I did 10 sets of 100 Seated Tuplers every day until my diastasis was closed. I also wore my Diastasis Rehab® Splint very diligently. I think that was a big factor to have closed my diastasis faster than after my 3rd pregnancy, when I didn’t wear the Splint nearly as often.
So that is that! Another baby down, another diastasis conquered!
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:O Wow, wow, wow! Amazing! Not only are you amazing at educating us, you walk the talk! You look fantastic!
You look amazing! I can’t believe you just had a baby. And no stretch marks either. You have definitely put in your hard work though – you deserve to look fantastic!
Bonnie Oh my gosh! Te necesito. Quiero aplanar esta pansota! I’m barely down to around 160 lbs. but I want to close this tummy!
Martha – si – juntaremos!! Di me cuando y a donde 🙂
De verdad!? Lo necesito. Pues no se. Tal ves un dia pueda ir yo a tu casa, make it a fun trip with the kids or something. Or if you could come. When would it be good for you?
Hi, I have a question. Okay. My diastasis is closed, sort of. It seems like the muscles are together, but there is no connective tissue (I can stick my finger in there to separate them). Also, while I can lean back without doming, there seems to be like, a… I don’t know. Like a shallow area above the belly button. Kind of spade-shaped without the spade handle.
When I’m just standing there, my stomach looks great, but I don’t like how it looks when I tense the muscles. Also I am worried about the lack of connective tissue. Tips?
Oh, and I forgot to say, one issue I have is that I am short-waisted and so it I put the splint where the shallow area is, it partly hits the ribs and it is hard to breathe. I can’t wear it there during exercise. (VERY short-waisted- I have just two inches to move the splint up or down around my waist, so if I move it down then it touches my hip bones and that hurts too.) Any tips for that?
Martha – August sometime – would be great!
And Lili – I have never heard of anyone not having connective tissue there – that is what connects to two halves of the muscle – called linea alba. It is what turns dark when you are pregnant – linea negra.
As for tensing the muscles and wanting a great 6 pack look – you will want to shorten the lengthened muscles by doing headlifts from the Tupler Technique. This shortens the abs from the top bottom AND the middle -making it ideal for toning AND bringing the diastasis together at what sounds like is going on at the weakest point of the connective tissue for you – at the belly button.
With the splint – you could try folding it in half lengthenwise during the exercises. I am on the shorter side myself and I know exactly what you mean.And the splint shouldn’t go over 🙂
Okay, August sounds good. Do you want me to come over or are you going to be in town? Oh and my sister Alma said she really would love to have a session with you and pay you. So I don’t know if you wanna call her or if we can both see you cause she heard me mention it and was really wanting to join me.
Here would be great – I train out of my house. And that would be GREAT to have Alma as well. I will send you some dates that will work 🙂
I will facebook you 🙂
Did you also do the headlifts to close your gap or just the seated exercises?
YES!! Headlifts are fantantic – I do them both on my back and standing – so important for shortening those lengthened recti!