I have now completed 4 weeks of The Tummy Team’s Core Foundations course. I am on a journey of healing my Diastasis Recti and restoring my core. In the first article in this series, I gave you a background of my history with Diastasis Recti and why I’m doing The Tummy Team program. You can read that here.
Weeks three and four weren’t as challenging for me like weeks one and two were. Although there is still quite a bit of information to digest, I didn’t feel overwhelmed because I am making improvements on using what I’m learning and transitioning it into my lifestyle.
During weeks three and four, I was away on vacation and was still able to complete the exercises and implement what I was learning. The ease of use of the course handouts and being able to view the course from my iPad made it convenient.
Before we go any further let’s take a look at what was going on prior to starting the program:
Initial Symptoms:
Abdominal pain, sore to touch abdomen, lower back pain, incontinence, poor posture, intestines bulging from my abdomen, pain during intimacy, and constipation.
Initial Measurements:
Inches:
Belly Button: 34”
Waist: 34”
Lower Belly: 35”
Diastasis Separation Width & Depth:
At the navel: 8 fingers wide, about 2” deep and pulsating (meaning I could FEEL my pulse!)
3 inches above the navel: 6+ fingers wide, 1-2” deep
3 inches below the navel: 4-5 fingers wide, 1-2” deep
You can use Kelly’s guide to self-test yourself for Diastasis Recti too!
https://youtu.be/slz1xD_fREE
Week By Week Recap:
To see my Week One and Week Two recap, click HERE!
Week Three:
The main focus of this week was neutral alignment. We learn how and why the pelvis and rib cage are an important key to a strong core. We continue the previous week’s exercises and gradually add on more exercises and stretches that focus on staying in neutral alignment.
I didn’t realize how BAD my body was out of alignment! My posture was a tale tell sign of that. Now that I am aware of the proper alignment that my body requires, I am more aware of what not to do. I am now able to correct myself almost immediately if I am not standing and/or sitting in proper alignment because it is very uncomfortable now. I purchased this lumbar back support to help me stay in neutral alignment when I am sitting in the car or on the sofa.
I am also more aware of how I’m walking, bending over and squatting. I make sure to engage my core as well as not overdo things. I have modified how I do most things around the house. For example, I squat to put in and take out my laundry from the drier instead of bending over at the waist. I squat to pick up my kids instead of bending at the waist and if I’m standing for long periods of time to wash dishes or cook, I check and recheck my posture and alignment.
This week, Kelly also encourages us to wean ourselves from the splint. I have been wearing the splint pretty much all day and night minus showers. I now only wear it at night when I am sleeping because that is the time when I’m probably not paying much attention to my alignment due to getting up half asleep several times per night with my 7-month-old.
Week Four:
The main focus of this week was the pelvic floor. Ahhh, yes, the pelvic floor. Coming into this, I didn’t even think I had pelvic floor issues. Welp, I was wrong. I do. And who knew that the function of your pelvic floor directly correlated to your core strength and your body alignment? Not me! I also didn’t know that poor pelvic floor muscles contributed to my hip pain which I thought were totally unrelated.
This week was work! I had no idea how hard it was to activate certain muscles in my pelvic floor. Initially, I thought a proper kegel was like stopping the flow of urine. It’s totally not and Kelly goes through the proper way to do a kegel with pelvic floor strengthening. She also goes through information to help in choosing safe fitness choices that are Tummy-Safe, or safe for the core and pelvic floor.
Results:
I am happy to say that I continue to see slow and steady progress! I will say, that this week, I can’t tell by looking in the mirror, but I can tell by how I’m feeling. More on that in a bit!
My measurements after four weeks of the program:
Inches:
Belly Button: 32”
Waist: 32.5”
Lower Belly: 32.5”
Upper Belly: 30.5”
**Note, that I did not measure my separation width and depth this week.
Let’s calculate!
I am down 0.5 inches on my belly button, down 1 inch on my waist, down 0.5 inches on my lower belly, and down 1 inch on my lower belly!
THIS is awesome! Although I can’t tell by looking in the mirror, look at those numbers! It goes to show you that looking in the mirror doesn’t tell the full story!
One thing that I did fail to do (because I was sidetracked by vacation stuff) was taking pictures for a side by side comparison. Boo, I know! BUT, the numbers don’t lie and I like that!
My Symptoms After 4 Weeks:
Here’s what hasn’t changed: Abdominal pain, sore to touch abdomen, intestines bulging from my abdomen, and some pain during intimacy. I have a significant Diastasis Recti and I know that progress will be gradual.
Here’s what HAS changed: My lower back pain, incontinence, constipation, and posture have all continued to improve! I also have less pain during intimacy. I contribute this to the pelvic floor strengthening.
I am pleased with the results I am having so far!
You’re probably wondering where those bare belly photos are, huh? Well, I promise, yes, promise to have them for you in my next update!
There, I said it! I’m totally committed, so make sure you follow along with me on my journey to restoring my core! If you haven’t already, subscribe to my blog to get notifications of the next update.
Don’t forget, The Tummy Team was gracious enough to offer 15% off of their Online Core Training Programs to my readers! All you need to do is enter promo code mominthegolane at check out for your discount!
I am seeing results and I definitely recommend The Tummy Team and their Core Foundations program!
Follow along with me on this journey!
Diastasis Recti: A Postpartum Journey To Restoring My Core
Diastasis Recti: A Postpartum Journey To Restoring My Core 2 Week Update!
Until next time, friends!
Homegrown Motherhood is dedicated to recommending quality resources to benefit Christian families. This blog contains and is monetized through ads, sponsored posts and affiliate links. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy