It is time for ME! I am finally not afraid to say it and be 100% ok with it! About three weeks ago I made the decision to move forward with seeking help to repair my abdominal wall. I have worked really hard both mentally and physically to get to a point where I feel ready to take on the surgery!
Diastasis Recti
Diastasis recti or a separation of the rectus abdominis muscle is common in pregnancy but can also occur in nonpregnant women and men. Although it is common in pregnancy, it is also known as a pressure management problem. Motion or lack of motion in other key areas in the body also predispose your likelihood of developing a diastasis. In many cases with proper nutrition and corrective exercise, you can improve a diastasis or completely correct it. The old way of thinking is that the goal is to close the gap, but the new understanding is that improving tension across the gap is what is most important. Therefore, training should reflect that goal.
My Story
I went into my first twin pregnancy with very tight, small hips and a very tight abdominal wall. I was strong, but not balanced. At the time of my first pregnancy, I had been eating a low fat, high carb diet that supported my endurance training. This also created less than optimal resilience in my connective tissue… that is, it did not stretch very well without breaking. I had a great pregnancy and exercised throughout. But, I had a significant diastasis after the boys. I did not discover the diastasis until they were almost two! I completely changed my diet to avoid gluten, containing grains, increased my fat, and started loving glycine-rich organ meats. I worked on balancing my body before I got pregnant with the girls. Another twin pregnancy did my abdominal wall in and I was left with a 10-finger diastasis from sternum to pubis. It was tremendous! With the help of diet, functional tools that you see in my Essential Mom Movement Series posts and women’s health physical therapy, I brought it back to a 2 finger diastasis with minimal depth, when I engage my abdominal wall and pelvic floor consciously. At rest, I have no resting tone, like zero! Hence my pursuit of the ,surgery.
You can see there is a bit of a difference between contracted and at rest!
My Journey
My journey to reach this decision has been a long one!
I am a Fellow of Applied Functional Science, I should not have to have a major elective surgery!
What will other moms think of me if I have plastic surgery?
I can just keep wearing my stretchy, high-rise pants and I will be ok.
I am more than my abdominal profile!
I cannot put this burden on my family!
My Decision
So, here I am today! I am writing this two months to the day before my surgery date on June 18th and I can say will full disclosure, I am relieved! I am relieved because I know I have done EVERYTHING I can to put myself in the best functional position going into this surgery and have a great result after! I am good with all of the above statements as I know that my life is my own and I am the only one that has to live in my shell for the rest of my life.
Here we go! I will be documenting my process as I move forward and throughout my recovery. I invite you all to join me inhigh-rise this process.