Short answer: It's common for the two long muscles down the middle of your tummy to separate during pregnancy — this is diastasis recti. The gap often narrows by itself in the first weeks; the NHS says it usually returns to normal by about eight weeks after birth, though in a study following first-time mothers about a third still had some separation at 12 months. Check the gap with your fingertips, do pelvic floor and deep tummy exercises, mind your posture, and avoid sit-ups, planks and high-impact exercise at first. If the gap is still obvious at eight weeks, or you have pain, see your GP.
Your baby is here, but your tummy still looks a few months pregnant. And when you sit up from lying down, you notice a ridge or dip down the middle.
What it is
Your two rectus abdominis muscles run down the front of your tummy, joined by connective tissue. As your womb grows, it pushes the muscles apart, making them longer and weaker. A separation of about two finger-widths is common during pregnancy.
A Norwegian study that followed 300 first-time mothers found that 60% had a separation of two finger-widths or more at six weeks after birth, 45% at six months and around 33% at 12 months. In that study, women with and without a separation reported similar levels of back and pelvic pain.
Checking the gap yourself
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Place your fingertips across the middle of your tummy, just above your belly button.
- Lift your head and shoulders slightly.
- Feel how many fingers fit between the edges of the muscles, above and below your belly button.
Check every few weeks to see whether the gap is getting smaller. A physiotherapist may also check how firm the tissue feels, not just how wide the gap is.
The aim isn't a perfectly flat tummy. It's a strong, supportive core that lets you lift, carry and move comfortably.
What to avoid at first
- Sit-ups, crunches and planks, which can push the tummy outwards.
- High-impact exercise, such as running and jumping, in the early months.
- Sitting straight up from lying down: roll onto your side and push up with your arms instead.
- Straining on the toilet and heavy lifting.
- Holding your breath when you lift: breathe out as you make the effort.
What helps
- Pelvic floor exercises and deep tummy exercises, which the NHS says can help reduce the separation.
- Posture: standing tall and being aware of how you hold yourself, including when feeding and carrying your baby.
- A gradual return to exercise, watching for any doming or bulging along the middle of your tummy. If it bulges, the exercise is probably too hard for now.
When to get help
Contact your GP if the gap is still obvious eight weeks after the birth, or if you have back pain or tummy pain or discomfort. They can refer you to a physiotherapist for specific exercises. Rarely, a hernia can develop along the midline; see a GP if you notice a lump that's painful, growing, or doesn't go back in.
Your tummy stretched for nine months. Give it time to recover, and choose the right exercises rather than the hardest ones.
Related reading
For the first twelve weeks: The Fourth Trimester (PDF, English) covers the first weeks with your baby — and with the new you.
Sources
- NHS — Your post-pregnancy body (separated stomach muscles).
- Sperstad JB, et al. Diastasis recti abdominis during pregnancy and 12 months after childbirth: prevalence, risk factors and report of lumbopelvic pain. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(17):1092–1096. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2016-096065.
Written by the Bloom Guides editorial team. Last updated: 20 October 2026. General information only — not a substitute for advice from your GP or physiotherapist.