Expert Diastasis Recti Exercises: Safe At-Home Postnatal Core Recovery

If you’ve noticed a belly pooch, a feeling of core weakness or a visible gap down your midline after having a baby, you are not alone and it has a name: diastasis recti.

This is a very common and natural phenomenon characterized by the distancing of outer abs in order to create room for the baby to grow. To “fix” it, it’s normal to want to go back to good, old crunches, but these can actually make it worse.  

In fact, the Journal of Women's Health Physical Therapy recommends a completely different approach when it comes to postpartum exercise without having to leave the house.

The Golden Rule: Manage the Pressure

It’s not just about “closing the gap”, it’s about regaining strength and rebuild the connective tissue between the abs.

Before exploring the best postpartum exercise, it’s crucial to know exactly what to avoid: any movement that causes your belly to "cone" or dome outward. Basically, you shouldn’t do:

• Traditional crunches and sit-ups
• Full planks
• Heavy lifting or twisting without core control

4 Core-Safe Exercises to Do at Home

The goal here is to wake up your deepest abdominal muscle (the transversus abdominis) and your pelvic floor. 

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

This is the foundation of all postpartum recovery. It reconnects your breath to your deep core.

Routine: 10 deep breaths, twice a day.

2. Pelvic Tilts

This wakes up your lower abs without straining your midline.

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Exhale and use your lower abs to gently tilt your pelvis backward, pressing your lower back flat into the floor. Hold for two seconds, then release.

‍

Routine: 2 sets of 10 reps.

3. Heel Slides

Once pelvic tilts feel easy, add heel slides to challenge your stability.

Start in your pelvic tilt position (back flat). Slowly slide one heel out until your leg is straight, keeping your core tight so your back doesn’t arch. Slide it back in and switch legs.

Routine: 8 slides per leg.

4. Glute Bridges

A strong backside supports a strong frontside.

Lie on your back, knees bent. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower down with control.

Routine: 2 sets of 10 reps.

Consistency Over Motivation

Let’s be real: between sleepless nights and caring for someone else on the clock, feeling motivated to workout is pretty much impossible.

You don’t need a crowded gym, an app you’ll never use or pre-recorded videos. You need consistency. Having a real human—like an online personal trainer—waiting for you and checking in on your progress can change everything. It takes the guesswork out of your recovery, keeping your at-home workouts safe, affordable and designed specifically for you.

‍