Pop Belly – What Is It and How Can It Help You?
Pop belly, also known as diastasis recti, is a common condition in both pregnant and postpartum women. It occurs when the abdominal wall separates during pregnancy, often due to the size and weight of the baby. This can lead to postpartum pains, back pain, and sagging skin around the belly. Fortunately, there are several exercises you can do to help address these problems and improve your overall quality of life.
What Is Pop Belly?
Pop belly is a condition that occurs when the connective tissue in the abdominal wall separates, resulting in a gap of 2 or more centimeters between the left and right sides of the abdomen. This generally happens during pregnancy and is known as diastasis recti. It typically affects women, especially those who are older, had multiple pregnancies, or experienced a significant amount of weight gain or weight loss during their pregnancy.
Diastasis recti can result in several uncomfortable and inconvenient symptoms, including:
• Abdominal discomfort or pain
• Reduced core strength and stability
• Postural instability
• Lower back and hip pain
• Sagging or stretched skin around the midsection
• Constipation
How Can You Treat Pop Belly?
The good news is that pop belly is something you can effectively treat. Here are some of the best treatment options:
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Diet: Eating nutritious foods will help strengthen abdominal muscles, reduce inflammation, and support your overall health. Eating foods that are rich in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals will also help you to lose excess weight, which can help reduce pressure on the abdominal wall.
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Exercise: Doing core strengthening exercises can help strengthen and support your abdominal muscles. This can help reduce the size of the gap between the two sides of your abdominal wall. There are specific postpartum exercises that can help you achieve this goal.
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Abdominal Supports: Wearing a postpartum abdominal support belt can help strengthen muscles and support your abdominal area. It can also help reduce abdominal pains and back pain.
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Working with a Physiotherapist: Working with a physiotherapist or experienced postpartum fitness specialist can help you to create an exercise plan and choose the right abdominal supports for you.
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Getting Enough Rest: When healing from pop belly, it is important to get plenty of rest. Over-exercising or pushing too hard can cause further damage and delay healing.
Tips for Prevention
If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, there are several things you can do to help prevent pop belly:
• Stay within a healthy weight range during pregnancy
• Maintain good nutrition
• Do regular low-intensity exercise
• Seek professional guidance when engaging in core-strengthening exercises
• Wear an abdominal support belt throughout pregnancy and postpartum
• Get enough rest
Pop belly is a common condition among pregnant and postpartum women. It’s important to understand the causes and symptoms so that you can take steps to prevent or treat it. There are various lifestyle changes and treatments that can help reduce the effects of pop belly, including diet changes, core-strengthening exercises, abdominal supports, and working with a physiotherapist. Be sure to get plenty of rest and follow the advice of your healthcare provider to ensure a safe and speedy recovery.
