I am a c-section mum to three children, and I work for HLP Therapy in the administration team. I first found HLP Therapy two years ago, through my own, very long postnatal journey. You can read about my C-section birth story here in the previous blog post.
Lack of Postnatal Guidance
If you are reading this after having a baby, do you remember how everyone is so full of information and advice regarding pregnancy and birth? All the helpful and "not so helpful" advice on labour, contractions, Braxton Hicks, feeding, sleeping, nappy changing and baby groups? For me personally, I don't remember getting any advice about AFTER having a baby. Why is information on postnatal care so hard to find?
Postnatal Body Image & Concerns
After the birth of my first, I remember having all these feelings and worries about how I now looked. Statements spinning around in my head: "I should be grateful; I have a healthy baby". Then you feel guilty for feeling a bit lost, after all, not all pregnancies result in the delivery of a healthy baby.
I started wearing whatever felt comfortable in hiding my new lumps and bumps. The surgeon who was stitching me up after my first son was born said casually, "you'll look like you never had a baby."
But they were wrong.
The Protruding Pouch
I still looked pregnant for weeks after the birth, which came as a complete surprise – nobody told me that would be the case!
I also didn't understand why, even after I lost my pregnant tummy, every time I picked up my baby with my aching back, I would then get a protruding pouch. I just thought this was my new normal and accepted it as that.
The 24 Peak Challenge & Persistent Back Pain
The years went on, and I started running. I also signed up to a challenge with the company I worked for at the time: The 24 Peak Challenge! My husband had completed this walking challenge in 2011, so spurred on after reading "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed, I thought I could do that too!
In May 2017, I climbed 24 mountains in the Lake District over two long days. In the run-up to this, I did many training walks and joined a gym to do some further training. I knew I needed to be at my fittest and strongest physically to complete this challenge. And I was! I was fit enough to complete the challenge successfully, but I still suffered awful back pain, most nights going to bed with a hot water bottle. Even if I carried my toddler, the middle of my stomach stuck out. Why?
Starting to Get Answers
In March 2020, I had my third baby by another C-section. In September 2020, I started a buggy fit class. I have never been a fan of exercise classes, preferring to do it alone, but after lockdown, I was desperate to meet other new mums. So, with all other classes virtual or cancelled, I went along.
I was hooked from the first class! The instructor, Jo, was so welcoming and passionate about what she did. From the first class, I struggled to do some of the basic moves. She assessed my core strength and told me about diastasis recti. I had a three-finger gap in my stomach muscles. She advised on what exercises not to do and adaptations that would be suitable for me.
Rebuilding my Core
This diastasis recti is what I had been struggling with since my first child was born in 2012. Finally, there was a name to it and exercises that could help. I needed to help my body rebuild its core strength. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Starting small to rebuild my core.
After a year of doing weekly exercise classes with Jo and some extra exercises I did in the evening most nights, I was still suffering with muscle separation, diastasis, the dome – whatever you want to call it. I decided to do the additional pelvic floor 6-week course Jo offered and joined in January 2022. Everyone there had newborn babies, and mine was nearly 2. I felt a bit silly but shouldn't have! I was finally starting to understand what was going wrong.
Jo examined my separation again and she couldn't understand how it was not coming together with all the work I was putting in. She said my core around it was becoming really strong.
Hypertonic Pelvic Floor
It was on this course that I first heard the term "Hypertonic pelvic floor." I read more about the symptoms and, now knowing that my core was becoming stronger, I sent Jo an email explaining that I think I may have a hypertonic pelvic floor. Sex was painful, I leaked urine straight after going to the toilet, I suffered with constipation, and pelvic pain. She referred me here to HLP Therapy for a Full Natal Check.
Diastasis Recti: What Is It?
I asked Jo from My Tribe Leicestershire to explain the technical side of Diastasis Recti. She explained that it is the thinning and widening of the linea alba, the connective sheath between the two sides of the abdominal wall, characterised by increased laxity of the anterior abdominal wall. This is a normal occurrence in pregnancy to allow room for your growing baby. Some studies* suggest that up to 100% of women will experience some level of diastasis in the latter weeks of pregnancy (35 weeks plus).
My Journey with HLP Therapy
First Visit and Diagnosis
On my first visit to Hannah at HLP Therapy, I felt at ease straight away. We went through all my C-sections, recovery from those, and what pain I was having and when. After having a Mummy MOT (Full Natal Check), I was diagnosed with hypertonic pelvic floor. My scar, my abdominal muscles, and pelvic muscles were very tight. With some scar therapy and acupuncture at my appointment to start to release the tightness, I was told how to massage my scar and given some exercises to do. I was really determined to fix this issue, to be stronger, to not have the dome tummy or the pain associated with it.
*In the video below, Hannah talks through what Diastasis Recti is and how to check for it:
Consistency and Progress
I was so focused and set a daily alarm in the evening to remind me to do the exercises and scar massage daily. I did this and really noticed a huge improvement over the next few months. (You may find the blog on treating your C Section scar at home useful if you’re in a similar position!)
Milestone: The Inchworm
In September 2023 – 3 years into my recovery journey – I was able to start doing some of the full versions of exercises. Jo managed to catch me mid-inchworm in this picture, and I was so proud of it!
Fast forward a year, and I can now do a burpee, a full plank, one full press up. It may not sound a lot to some, others might say "what took you so long," but I am very proud! If I manage something new every week, I tell Jo at the end of class, and she is my biggest cheerleader.
Important Note: This is not about weight loss.
I do want to point out that this is not a weight loss journey or a weight loss issue. I do not own scales and do not care or know how much I weigh. This is my journey with diastasis recti, and how getting the correct diagnosis is so important. This knowledge and care should be made available to everyone.
I am so proud of my journey and how much stronger I have become. I still suffer with back pain and have a tiny bit of doming, but it is a work in progress. I am making sure this vehicle of a body can move me through the next decades of my life.
Can Diastasis Recti be Fixed?
Jo from My Tribe Leicestershire gave this advice:
"In many cases, the widening (known as the gap) will reduce over time postnatally, going back to their pre-pregnancy state. However, for some women, these muscles will remain separated. The evidence is not entirely clear why this happens to some and not others but left untreated can lead to feelings of disconnect in your tummy, lower back pain, difficulty performing everyday tasks, and can often (although not always) go hand in hand with pelvic floor dysfunction. There are lots of things that can help with Diastasis, including exercise. You should talk to your GP or women's health physio in the first instance, who may be able to recommend an exercise plan that is right for you and/or recommend a qualified, local postnatal fitness specialist."
Reference:
Mommers et al 2017
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