Mummy Tummy! Two words that conjure up all sorts of images for moms. Sometimes the havoc that pregnancy wrecks on our bodies is less than desirable. But did you know the real cause behind Mummy Tummy?
momstown Toronto West was happy to host a visit from Samantha Montpetit-Huynh with Core Expectations. She told us about Diastasis Recti Abdominis – the real cause
for that Mummy Tummy.
Following is a guest blog from Sam giving us the skinny on Mummy Tummy.
Mummy Tummy is a term that most moms can
relate to once they have had a child. Now I’m, not talking about muffin top or
“the shelf”, I mean the pooch, ball that sticks out right around or under your
belly button and just continues to get bigger throughout the day? Yeh that.
And after countless attempts at sit ups
(AHHHH), crunches (ouch!) and other useless forms of ineffective exercise do a
lot of moms eventually just get “fed up” and begin to seek help. This is
usually a trip to the doctor who will often offer them two options; suck it up
or surgery. Really?? Although this is
what a lot of moms end up doing, it’s not necessary especially when they have
not been given all the facts.
Fact one: Diastasis Recti Abdominis
i.e. DRA (separation of the Rectus Abdominis) is most commonly the cause for
the mummy tummy. Your abs are separated (not split or torn), your organs are
exposed and the more you eat, pushes them out – plain and simple.
Fact two: DRA can be treated, rehabbed but
most importantly avoided if assessed early on!
Fact three: More than pregnancy can cause
DRA. Beer bellies and incorrect abdominal exercises are culprits too.
Fact four: DRA can be made worse by doing
incorrect exercises and every day movements.
But can you get them back? Of course you
can! But don’t get any fantasies that it’s easy. If your only alternative is to
“suck it up” or have a $10,000 tummy tuck, then you
must realize that the work needed to do it naturally is going to be a lot. But
hey, I have never met a mom yet who wasn’t used to hard work. It’s just a
matter of how hard you want it. Sound familiar?
So there you have it! But it’s not just exercise;
it’s also a way of life. If you have a diastasis and it’s significant, there’s
a good chance you have chronic back pain. You need to change the way you move
and use your abdominals in every day life.
But if you don’t do anything at all, please
stop the crunches,
v-sits
and all the other old
school ways of creating a six-pack. If it hasn’t been helping you up to
now, there’s a pretty good chance it won’t.
You can check out all the details about Core Expectations here:
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