Hypopressive Training to Heal a Diastasis
Diastasis Mini Series
Part One: What Causes a Diastasis?
Part Two: Healing a Diastasis Post Partum
Part Three: Breathing Techniques to Heal a Diastasis
Part Four: Proper Posture to Heal a Diastasis
Part Five: Hypopressive Training to Heal a Diastasis
Diastasis, a separation of the abdominal muscles, is a natural part of pregnancy. However, if the diastasis fails to close within in first 3 months post partum, it can become a problem. When diastasis is left untreated, it can lead to various issues such as back pain, incontinence, prolapse, and pelvic floor dysfunction. In the previous weeks, we’ve discussed what causes a diastasis, and what a comprehensive approach to healing a diastasis, looks like. We also dove into critical postural tips, and breathing tips (that do not require you to set aside time to exercise!) that will promote healing of a diastasis throughout your daily activities. To conclude this mini series, this week we’re covering how to use hypopressive breath training to prevent and treat a diastasis.
Understanding Hypopressive Breath Training
Hypopressive breath training is a postural and breathing technique that reduces intra-abdominal pressure, tightens the abdominal fascia, closes the abdominal muscles, strengthens the deep core muscles, decompresses the spine and lifts the pelvic organs. Hypopressive training creates the ideal environment in your core to prevent and/or heal a diastasis. Unlike traditional approaches to diastasis rehab, hypopressive breathing targets the involuntary nervous system, triggering a reflexive response and gentle sustained activation of the core muscles.
Hypopressive training produces results fast when it comes to healing a diastasis. I have been honored to work with several mamas who have had 4 finger diastasis with significant depth, and were told they needed surgery to fix it. They choose to give hypopressive training a try for 6 months before resorting to surgery. And the results were incredible! All those mamas completely healed their diastasis and did not require surgery. Keep in mind these mamas were incredibly CONSISTENT with their practice.
Benefits of Hypopressive Breath Training During & After Pregnancy
Prevention of Diastasis:
By incorporating hypopressive breath training into your pregnancy routine, you can prevent a diastasis beyond 3 months post partum. Hypopressive traiing will eccentrically train your abdominal muscels. Eccentric training has been shown to lead to increased fascial strength. So if you practice hypopressive training consistently throughout your pregnancy, you will strengthen the linea alba (the fascia where the abdominal muscles separate during pregnancy) as it stretches over the course of 10 months. After delivery, the linea alba will be ready and willing to quickly close again when it has been strengthened in that way throughout all of pregnancy.
Improved Core Strength:
Pregnancy is a time when your core is asked to perform the ultimate challenge: grow and carry a human for 10 months, then birth them! Your abdominal, pelvic, spinal and respiratory muscles are taxed to their max during this time. If they do not receive the proper input to help them get stronger as their job gets harder throughout pregnancy, then the core muscles will weaken (instead of strengthen) in the presence of pregnancy and the diastasis will likely persist beyond 3 months post partum. So implementing a consistent exericse protocol targeted at safely ad effectively strengthening the core muscles throughout pregnancy and post partum is a critical component to core health in motherhood. Hypopressive breath training is the best way to strengthen the deep core muscles- including the pelvic floor, transverse abdominis, spinal muscles and diaphragm- during and after pregnancy. Strengthening your core during pregnancy will provide a solid foundation for postpartum recovery and diastasis rehabilitation.
Enhanced Posture and Stability:
As pregnancy progresses, the body's center of gravity shifts, leading to changes in posture and stability. Hypopressive breath training is incredibly effective at improving posture and alignment. When posture and alignment are optimal, the strain on the abdominal muscles from pregnancy is reduced. Your body needs to get stronger as your grow and progress through your pregnancy, and also in to post partum! You will need to find new ways to move with strength and stability. Being tuned into your posture and knowing how to use it throughout pregnancy and post partum to promote strength gains, is a game changing factor in experiencing a pain free, smooth and efficent post partum recovery, and in seeing a quick closure of your abdominals post partum!
Optimal Breathing Mechanics:
Proper breathing techniques are absolutely essential during pregnancy and postpartum. Oxygen delivery to Mama and Baby is of the upmost importance during pregnancy. And a strong Mama that feels good is of the upmost importance post partum. So deeply understanding how to use breathing to close your abs, lift your organs and strengthen your core is a powerful tool every mom needs during pregnancy and post partum. Breathing will either turn ON or OFF your core and pelvic muscles, and you having control of those states of muscle activation is a big part of preventing a diastasis post partum. Hypopressive breath training reflexively activates all of the core muscles in unison, and encourages diaphragmatic breathing- which maximizes oxygen saturation, reduces tension, and optimally supports the uterus as she grows.
How to Get Started with a Post Partum Hypopressive Training Practice
So how do you get started with a hypopressive training practice? The hypopressive flow that I teach my clients inside inside The Core Recovery Method® Online Program can be practiced immediately post partum. Hypopressive training is safe right after delivery. If you have a vaginal delivery, you can begin apnea. If you have a c section delivery, you will wait 3 months before practicing apnea. If you are pregnant, apnea is avoided entirely. During pregnancy and for 3 months post c section, hypopressive training is still safe to perform - and certain modifications are made in the postures and breathing techniques.
Regular hypopressive training is extremely beneficial after delivery because it closes the abdominal muscles and helps to stabilize your spine (very important while you are healing and now carrying around a heavy baby!). It also helps to lift your pelvic organs. Specifically, it helps shrink your uterus back down to the normal size and stay in the optimal position within your pelvis as you heal post partum.
This type of breath training also helps to stabilize and strengthen your entire core unit by eliciting a reflexive sustained activation your core muscles - while still being gentle on your body - so it’s a perfect flow for post partum.
Hypopressive breath training offers a safe and effective method to support your healing journey post partum by strengthening the core, improving posture, and healing diastasis. By incorporating this technique into your daily routine, you can enhance your post partum recovery, minimize the impact of a diastasis, and promote a healthier and stronger core after childbirth.
Inside The Core Recovery Method® Online Program, you can learn all the skills and exercises necessary for closing a diastasis in a simple and comprehensive protocol. The Core Recovery Method® is also ideal to use during pregnancy to speed up your post partum recovery. The same protocol is used post partum to close the abdominal muscles, so if you already have a diastasis, rest assured, it can be fixed no matter how far post partum you are!
