Abdominal Recovery After Pregnancy: A Mum’s Guide

When it comes to abdominal recovery after pregnancy, one of the most essential yet often misunderstood areas of focus is the abdominal wall. Whether you’ve recently given birth or it’s been a few years, understanding the structure, function, and recovery of your core is vital in feeling strong, supported, and confident in your body again.

In this article, we’ll walk you through what happens to your tummy muscles after pregnancy, how physiotherapists assess and treat changes in your core, and why it’s about so much more than just noticing a “gap” in your tummy. We’ll help you understand what’s really happening beneath the surface — and why looking after your core is an important part of feeling strong and supported again

Understanding your core for abdominal recovery after pregnancy

Your core is a complex structure made up of several layers of muscle, fascia, and connective tissue. These muscles play a key role in supporting your trunk, protecting your organs, maintaining posture, and enabling functional movement.

After pregnancy, these muscles, particularly the rectus abdominis (your “six-pack” muscles), may separate to accommodate your growing baby. This separation is known as diastasis recti.

The Traditional View of Abdominal Recovery: Measuring the Gap

For years, the go-to assessment for postnatal abdominal health has been measuring the width of the gap between the left and right sides of the rectus abdominis. This is often done using finger-widths at rest and during a crunch.

And while gap width does tell us something, it’s not the whole story.

A More Holistic Approach to Abdominal Recovery After Pregnancy: What Physios Look For

As physios working with postnatal women, we look far beyond the gap. Here’s what a thorough abdominal wall assessment should include:

1. Tension and tone across the midline

Can the tissues generate tension? Do they respond to load? It’s not just about how wide the gap is, but how well the tissues hold together when you move or contract your core.

2. How deep the separation is

It’s not just about how wide the gap is we also check how deep it feels. A deeper gap can tell us that the tissue connecting your tummy muscles (called the linea alba) might need a bit more support to heal and get strong again.

3. How your core works as a system

Your abdominal wall doesn’t work in isolation. It’s part of a system that includes your pelvic floor, diaphragm, and deep stabilizers like the transversus abdominis and multifidus.

We assess how well these systems coordinate:

• Do you breathe and brace effectively?
  
• Does your core respond appropriately when you lift, move, or bear down?
  
• Is there any doming, coning, or bulging during activity?

4. Postural and movement patterns

We also observe your posture, alignment, and how you move. For example, are you over-relying on your back muscles? Are your hips or ribs flaring? These are clues that your core may not supporting you optimally.

Why abdominal recovery matters for mums after pregnancy

The goal of assessment isn’t just to label you with “diastasis” or not. It’s to understand:

• How well your core supports your daily function.
  
• Whether it’s contributing to back pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, or abdominal discomfort.
  
• What kind of movement, breathwork, and strength training will help you heal and rebuild trust in your body.

Understanding how your core supports your daily function is a crucial part of abdominal recovery after pregnancy. You deserve more than “just wait and see” or “avoid crunches.” With the right information, you can rebuild strength and function safely, no matter how long it’s been since your pregnancy.

Treatment approaches for abdominal recovery

Treatment is individualised and will depend on your assessment findings, but may include:

• Breath retraining and diaphragmatic breathing to restore pressure balance in the core.
  
• Pelvic floor activation coordinated with movement.
  
• Progressive loading of the abdominal wall through exercises tailored to your stage of healing.
  
• Posture and movement re-education to reduce compensations and pain.
  
• Manual therapy or tactile cueing to reconnect with deep core tissues.

Most importantly, this is not about “closing the gap.” It’s about regaining control, function, and confidence.

Empowering you with education and support

At MumSafe™, we’re committed to providing evidence-based education and expert guidance to help you understand your body better and feel empowered to take care of it. Whether you’re newly postpartum or years down the track, it’s never too late to assess and support your core health.

If you’re experiencing:

• Persistent abdominal separation
  
• Back pain or pelvic heaviness
  
• A feeling of weakness or lack of control in your midsection
  
• Uncertainty about what exercise is safe for you…

…you’re not alone, and help is available.

Ready to assess your core health? Find a MumSafe™ trainer or pelvic health physio near you who understands the full picture and is here to support you every step of the way. 

Click here and search for a trainer close to you or online.

Because your body is not broken. It’s adaptable, intelligent, and worthy of expert care.

If you’re a trainer looking to join our team this year, check this link here and express your interest in becoming the go-to pre and postnatal specialist in your local area.