Where are my abdominal muscles?

Think about the area on your tummy where the '6-pack' muscles appear. This is the area we mean when we talk about your abdominal muscles.

There are several different abdominal muscles, called:

• the external oblique muscles
• the internal oblique muscles
• the rectus abdominis muscles
• the transversus abdominis muscles

Your abdominal muscles support your body and give your core stability.

What is abdominal separation?

Abdominal separation is a common condition. It's also called 'diastasis recti' or 'DRAM' (diastasis of rectus abdominis muscle).

The long muscles of your abdomen (rectus abdominis) run from your chest to your pelvis. They lie just under the skin, down the middle of your tummy. Abdominal separation is when these 2 long muscles separate from each other.

Abdominal separation may happen in the later stages of your pregnancy. It's a natural adaption to your growing baby.

Abdominal separation often gets better in the weeks and months after having your baby.

What are the symptoms of abdominal separation?

If you have abdominal separation, you may be able to see a gap between your abdominal muscles. The separation isn't painful.

You may feel that your core has become weak, for example when lifting something like a laundry basket.

You can check if you have an abdominal separation by trying these movements:

• lie on your back with your knees bent up
• place your flat fingertips across your tummy at the level of your belly button
• lift your head and shoulders away from the floor and feel for the sides of your abdominal muscles coming together
• if you can feel a gap wider than one finger, then you may have a separation

If you have abdominal separation, you may also get lower back pain. This is because your abdominal muscles also support your back. When these muscles are stretched and separated, they don't work so well.

If you think you may have abdominal separation, see your doctor or maternal health nurse.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes abdominal separation?

Abdominal separation can be due to:

• the pressure of your growing baby
• stretching of the muscles and connective tissue in your abdomen
• the hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy
• weight gain

Abdominal separation may be more likely if you have had more than one pregnancy or are overweight.

How is abdominal separation diagnosed?

Your doctor, midwife or physiotherapist can check to see if you have an abdominal separation. They can measure the separation with:

• their fingers
• a measuring tape
• an ultrasound scan

Does abdominal separation go away by itself?

Abdominal separation often goes away in the weeks and months after the birth of your baby. But up to 1 in 3 women still report an abdominal separation a year after the birth.

How is abdominal separation treated?

After having your baby, you can try these tips to stop your separation getting worse:

• don't lift things that weigh more than your baby
• roll onto your side when getting out of bed or sitting up
• skip activities and movements that can make abdominal separation worse, such as sit-ups (crunches), oblique curls and some yoga poses
• choose exercises that strengthen your deeper abdominal muscles

There is a good chance that with time and care, your muscles will come back together.

If you have abdominal muscle separation, your doctor may refer you to a women's health physiotherapist specialising in pregnancy and childbirth. They can give you a special exercise program.

You can also wear a supportive brace or special underwear to help support your back.

How can I strengthen my abdominal muscles?

Do not do sit-ups or abdominal crunches while your abdominal muscles are separated. Instead, it's best to do pelvic tilts and abdominal bracing exercises.

Doing abdominal exercises after you give birth can help you regain your strength and help with back and stomach support.

To perform pelvic tilts:

• lie, stand or sit with your knees bent and your feet flat
• gently flatten the curve of your lower back by tilting your pelvis backwards
• hold for 3 to 5 seconds
• repeat 5 to 10 times

To perform abdominal bracing:

• lie, sit or stand
• gently draw your belly button in towards your spine
• hold for 5 to 10 seconds
• repeat 5 to 10 times

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

Resources and support

If you notice that your tummy muscles feel different, speak with your doctor, midwife or physiotherapist.

You can find a physiotherapist near you using the Service Finder.

You can read more about physiotherapy after pregnancy here.