Diastasis Recti Exercise After Pregnancy in Singapore

What is diastasis recti?

It is a gap between the two sides of your six-pack muscle, down the middle of your belly. It is also called divarication.

A KKH obstetrics consultant, quoted in The Singapore Women's Weekly in July 2026, said it is not medically dangerous in most cases, but a large or lasting gap can affect your quality of life.

How common is diastasis recti after pregnancy?

Very common, and it usually shrinks with time. The best figures we found come from a Norwegian study of 300 first-time mothers (Sperstad and others, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016). It counted a gap of two finger-widths or more at, above or below the belly button.

These figures are from Norway. We found no published Singapore figure we could verify, so we do not quote one.

How is diastasis recti checked?

By a professional. The Goom, Donnelly and Brockwell guideline says screening should be done by a suitably qualified professional, such as a pelvic health physiotherapist, and your doctor at the postnatal review or a women's health physio confirms it. The NHS also gives a finger-width check you can do at home. Use it to track the gap over weeks, not to diagnose yourself.

1. 01Lie on your backBend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor.
2. 02Lift your shouldersRaise your head and shoulders slightly off the floor and look down at your tummy.
3. 03Feel the gapWith your fingertips, feel between the edges of the muscles above and below your belly button.
4. 04Count fingersSee how many fingers fit in the gap. Repeat every so often to check it is getting smaller.

A home check cannot tell you how well your belly wall works under load. That is what the physio assesses.

When should you see a physio or doctor before training?

See one before a coach if any row below fits you. A coach cannot judge these and should stop the session.

The KKH physiotherapist's list is as reported in The Singapore Women's Weekly. The hernia signs are from the NHS hernia page. Not sure which professional you need? Read physio or personal trainer.

What exercises help diastasis recti?

Gentle deep core work, breathing and good posture, built up slowly. The sources we read agree on that much.

1. 01Pelvic floor and deep tummy musclesThe NHS says regular pelvic floor and deep stomach exercises can help reduce the gap.
2. 02A simple deep core holdThe NHS describes lying on your side with knees bent, drawing in your lower tummy as you breathe out, holding for a count of 10 while breathing normally, up to 10 times.
3. 03Breathing and pelvic tiltsThe Women's Weekly article lists diaphragmatic breathing, the drawing-in manoeuvre and pelvic tilts under KKH's principal physiotherapist.
4. 04PostureThe NHS says stand tall and be aware of your posture.
5. 05Moderate cardioThe same article lists 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, such as walking.

Keep expectations honest. A 2023 meta-analysis (Benjamin and others, Physiotherapy) found abdominal exercise narrowed the gap by only 0.43 cm on average versus usual care. The authors say it may still bring other physical and mental benefits. The aim is a belly wall that copes with load, not a gap of zero. KKH's physiotherapist put it plainly: you do not need to have no gap to be normal.

Do you have to avoid crunches and planks forever?

No, but they wait. Early on, the advice is to avoid them, and later the bulge decides, not a rule.

In a 2016 study (Lee and Hodges), a normal curl-up narrowed the gap in women with diastasis but also distorted the midline tissue. A 2026 study of 54 mothers found the same pattern with a crunch. So a narrower gap is not the only goal. How the midline behaves under load matters too.

What should you avoid in the first weeks after birth?

1. 01Sit-ups, planks and high-impact exerciseTo start with (NHS).
2. 02Heavy lifting and straining on the toilet(NHS).
3. 03Anything that makes your midline bulge or dome(KKH physiotherapist).
4. 04Heavy lifting without engaging your core, until the gap has reduced or a physio approves (Women's Weekly, KKH physiotherapist).

In the Norwegian study, women who lifted heavy loads 20 or more times a week had higher odds of a gap at 12 months. The authors call this finding uncertain. After a caesarean, read caesarean recovery exercise for what to ask your doctor about lifting.

Can you run with diastasis recti?

Yes, if the gap is functional. The Goom guideline sets out what that looks like during simple tests.

Those tests are a physio's job. The full return plan, not before 12 weeks, is in returning to running after birth.

How does a personal trainer progress training with diastasis recti?

Slowly, inside your physio's advice, and watching your belly every set. A coach does not diagnose the gap or treat it. Their job is to load the rest of you safely. In our practice it runs like this.

1. 01Read your physio's notesThe coach starts from what your doctor or physio has cleared, and asks again if anything is unclear.
2. 02Breathing and deep core firstBreathing, pelvic floor work and the deep core holds above, done in every session.
3. 03Daily movementsSquats, hinges, rows and carries at light loads, the moves you use to lift your baby and the stroller.
4. 04Watch the midlineIf your belly domes or bulges, the coach lowers the load or changes the angle on the spot.
5. 05Add load, then harder core workHeavier weights first, then curl-up and plank variations once your physio agrees and your belly stays flat.
6. 06Refer backPain, leaking, heaviness or a new lump ends the exercise, and you go back to your physio.

For the bigger picture of postnatal training, when it starts and a 12-week plan, read postnatal personal trainer in Singapore.

What should you tell your coach before the first session?

1. 01How many weeks since birth, and whether it was a vaginal birth or a caesarean.
2. 02What your doctor said at your postnatal review, and any physio findings on the gap.
3. 03Your finger-width count over time, if you have been tracking it.
4. 04Any symptomsBack or pelvic pain, leaking, heaviness or a bulge.
5. 05What you lift every dayYour baby, a car seat, the stroller, shopping.
6. 06Whether you are breastfeeding, and how you are sleeping.

How do you start with a postnatal coach in Singapore?

Tell us your weeks since birth and what your physio said, and we match you with a coach who lists postnatal training. Coaches come to your home, your condo gym, a park or a gym that allows outside trainers.

1. 01First sessionA paid trial at 10% off your coach's rate.
2. 02After thatPacks of 5, 10, 15 or 20 sessions. Each coach sets their own rate, shown on the pricing page.
3. 03A woman coachAsk and we only match you with women. See female personal trainer.
4. 04Still pregnantStart with prenatal personal training.

Ready when your doctor or physio has cleared you? Get matched and mention the gap in your first message.