Self-Check for Ab Seperation/Diastasis Recti

I cannot stress how important it is to get checked for Diastasis Recti.  If you haven't heard of this, its the separation of your abdominal muscles during pregnancy.  Specifically the spreading apart of the Linea Alba- which is the connective tissue between your Rectus Abdominis muscles.  Doctors' normally check for this at your six week postpartum.  If you are currently pregnant, MAKE SURE they check for DR at that appointment!  I've had more friends and clients than I can count find out they had DR way after the fact.  Here is the way to do a Diastasis Recti self check:

Why is this so important?  If DR goes untreated, it can be the reason why your postpartum belly never goes away.  If you have pooching, swelling, or a lumpy stomach, you could have DR.  More importantly, doing the wrong core exercises or overexerting yourself can cause a hernia!  With severe Diastasis, your doctor will recommend surgery.  I had a 3 finger width seperation after having Hudson.  But with these exercises and tips I was able to bring that down to only 1 finger width separation in my belly button:
*I wore a Leonisa corset for the first 3 months postpartum.  Why?  It helped with my posture and gave my stomach the support it needed while healing.
*Focus on sitting up straight both during pregnancy and postpartum!  Posture is very key in preventing/healing DR.
*DO NOT DO PLANKS.  I can't say this enough, because I learned from personal experience.  One of the reasons my Diastasis was so bad is I did planks every day while pregnant.  DONT!  This causes further separation and could cause a hernia.
*Let your body heal.  Jumping back into an exercise routine too soon postpartum can cause further damage.
*Squats.  Yes, my favorite exercise can help your Diastasis too.  Make sure to focus on keeping your core tight as you lower into the squat.
*Pelvic tilts as shown in the above video.
*Core contraction.  I would do this while driving.  Simply sit up straight and focus on contracting your stomach muscles towards your spine.