How to Check for Diastasis Recti at Home (And What Your Results Mean)

A clear, practical self-check, not to diagnose, but to understand what your core is doing right now so you can train in a way that helps it.

The self-check

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your fingertips horizontally across your midline, just above your belly button. Slowly lift your head and shoulders as if beginning a sit-up, and feel for a gap or softness in the tissue beneath your fingers. A gap of two fingers or more with soft tissue is worth investigating further with a women's health physio. This isn't a diagnosis — it's a way to understand what your core is doing so you can train it well.

What diastasis recti is

Diastasis recti is the separation of the two vertical strips of abdominal muscle, which are connected by the linea alba. That connective tissue stretches as the baby grows. It's not a hole in your muscles; they're still connected on both sides. Almost all women develop some degree of diastasis during pregnancy, and it's a normal adaptation rather than a sign something has gone wrong.

Common myths

1. It's a hole in your stomach. It isn't. The tissue stays intact and the muscles remain attached on both sides of the midline.
2. You have to close the gap. You don't. What matters is regaining tension in the linea alba and the ability to support movement and manage pressure.
3. You can't get a flat tummy with diastasis. Restoring core function typically produces a visible change, as long as you train in the right sequence.

Functional versus non-functional diastasis

• Functional: the separation exists, but the tissue stays firm and supportive, generating tension and managing pressure well.
• Non-functional: the midline feels soft and unsupported and struggles to generate tension.

The goal is not to eliminate the gap. The goal is a functional diastasis.

Signs it might be non-functional

Watch for doming or coning along the midline during ab work, difficulty lifting, carrying or loading without discomfort or back pain, a soft or squishy midline, and persistent pelvic floor symptoms that don't improve with correct training.

What your results mean

• Six or more weeks postpartum with a soft linea alba: focus on breath, pelvic floor and deep-core coordination before adding load.
• Three fingers wide or more: see a women's health physio.
• Can't find the midline: this is common — get a professional evaluation.
• No diastasis: you have good tension and support, so keep training with pressure management and core control.

Frequently asked questions

• Does it heal on its own? It often reduces naturally in the early postpartum weeks, but full functional tension varies from person to person, and targeted training improves outcomes — especially for a non-functional diastasis.
• Are there exercises to avoid? Avoid anything that causes visible doming, such as heavy sit-ups, planks for some people, and high-load lifting without good pressure management.
• Can it come back? Yes. A later pregnancy, weight gain or high-impact training without core preparation can re-stretch the linea alba.