Diastasis recti during another pregnancy

Diastasis recti is a widening and thinning of the connective tissue between the abdominal muscles. Pregnancy stretches the abdominal wall, so the gap or a midline bulge can become more visible as the abdomen grows. It does not automatically prevent a healthy pregnancy or vaginal birth. Symptoms can include reduced trunk support, back discomfort, pelvic-floor symptoms, or doming when you sit up, but some people notice no symptoms.

Tell your midwife or obstetric clinician about the diagnosis early in pregnancy. A physiotherapist can check your breathing, abdominal pressure, posture, pelvic floor, and movement pattern, then adapt exercises to your stage of pregnancy. Roll onto your side before getting out of bed, exhale during effort, and avoid exercises that produce painful bulging or breath-holding. Do not start a strenuous abdominal programme without individual guidance. Postnatal Physiotherapy can help reassess the abdominal wall after birth and build strength gradually.

Contact your maternity team for persistent or worsening abdominal pain, a painful firm bulge, marked weakness, new urinary or bowel-control problems, vaginal bleeding, fluid loss, regular contractions, or reduced fetal movement later in pregnancy. Severe pain, fainting, or heavy bleeding requires urgent help. These warning signs need pregnancy assessment and should not be attributed to diastasis recti alone.

How should my exercise change as pregnancy progresses? Can I be referred to a pelvic-health physiotherapist? Which movements should I modify? How will we assess recovery after birth? Which symptoms are pregnancy warning signs rather than abdominal separation?