If I have coning of the belly, does it mean that I have diastasis recti?
I’m going to address this for both the pregnant mom and for postpartum moms because it is different for both! It doesn’t necessarily mean you do, but what it can mean is that the fascia is weak. Weak fascia makes it easy for baby (and intestines) to push out. This is where you’ll find a bloated appearance, coning of the belly and many discomforts originate.
I also hear, “my belly used to cone before pregnancy”. In this case, the same fundamental training methods will still apply. The coning simply means the fascia is weak down through the middle of the belly. I have found that this usually means there is weak fascia throughout the entire body, starting with the core.
The obliques may also be affected. If your obliques are too tight, they can pull through the back and cause stress on the abdominal wall. This tightness makes it harder to connect to the abdominal muscles, making coning look and feel worse!
In the postpartum period, we also want to take note of whether this coning is the abdominal muscles or loose skin. It may also be a combination of both, so it’s important we look into the cause of the coning. Our bellies stretch a lot during pregnancy, so loose skin often creates the appearance of coning, especially in the planking position!
This is why it is so important for us to learn how to learn to connect our core.
We have so much control over learning to properly strengthen our core during pregnancy. The other aspect of this is learning to release, especially during the postpartum phase, since this over tightening can make it really difficult to find our deep core. The Core Rehab Program will teach you how to effectively find and use your deep core. Postpartum moms (no matter how old your baby is) can also make life-changing leaps in their core health. Through The Core Rehab Program, I teach the fundamentals of core connection, to help you identify what exactly needs to be done to begin healing.
Coning doesn’t necessarily mean you have a diastasis.
If you’re pregnant, I don’t typically recommend checking for diastasis recti. Whether or not you have it, the training I recommend for pregnancy will all focus on core connection. My training teaches you how to heal what’s going on with your fascia, pelvic floor, back and posture! It’s all about helping you feel great, as the methods for prevention and healing will always apply.
Once healed in the postpartum phase, I don’t even recommend moms check for separation until 10 weeks. Those first ten weeks your postpartum body will change so much! Whether you find you have abdominal separation or not, The Core Rehab Program will teach you to strengthen the fascia and connect to/strengthen your core. I address issues moms don’t necessarily think about at first– pelvic floor weakness, incontinence, poor posture, and back pain. These postpartum concerns can be reversed with rehabilitation!
I know so many moms who have now been through my programs who are feeling so much stronger, healthier, and happier.
Even if you’re planning to become pregnant, have never been pregnant, or have older children, Core Rehab is for you. For even more in-depth information, check out my article about Diastasis Recti here.
Many of my clients have trained with the Core Rehab Program between pregnancies and continued through the Prenatal Membership while pregnant. For these mamas, their pregnancies and recoveries were often faster and easier. Clients who have not yet been pregnant but suffer from abdominal separation, coning of the belly, pelvic dysfunction, back pain, and more have rehabilitated their core and feel so much better! And we can’t forget mamas who are even 10+ years postpartum. Yes, we can still heal those issues when you put in the work to rehab your core effectively!
If you’re ready to check for abdominal separation Checking For An Abdominal Separation or Gap is a great place to get started! Postpartum and ready to Rehab Your Core? Check out more information on my Core Rehab Program here.
If you’re currently pregnant, the best time to start focusing on your core strength is now. So many moms first reach out to me and say they’re going to start Core Rehab after they give birth. However, the Prenatal Membership is designed specifically for pregnant moms to help PREVENT many of the postpartum issues mamas suffer from when they haven’t learned to properly engage their deep core. Preventing prenatal weakness is the best way to get a leg up on your postpartum journey, so please check out the Prenatal Membership. I’m blown away by the number of moms joining my programs every day. So many mamas are finally getting the real results and healing they need!
If you have any questions, please post them below!
