Lets face it – having twins or triplets (not to mention just ONE child) can REALLY do a number on your belly! Apart from the stretch marks, the loose skin, and most likely a C section scar, you have to deal with the elephant in the room – The gap in the recti muscles – the diastasis recti!
Needless to say, several of my clients are moms of multiples. I can’t fathom having multiples and NOT knowing the Tupler Technique®!!
Just 3 weeks ago, she was the largest diastasis I have worked with at 10 fingerwidths, and 3 calendar weeks later – she is a 5 Semi SHALLOW (meaning her diastasis is no longer the deep cavern it once was – it is diminished to a shallow gap. AMAZING! Most Ob gyns and Surgeons would have told her she would DEFINITELY need surgery. Proven wrong once more!!
She told me tonite she noticed her pants fit SO much better and her waist feels much smaller.
Usually the thing I run into with people that have had multiples is that their recti are so split (if they didn’t do the Tupler Technique® DURING pregnancy) that their mind-body connection of the muscle is completely nil. The Diastasis Recti® Splint not only approximates the muscle so the exercises are more effective, but it helps with the mind body connection BECAUSE the muscles are more approximated – its a great synergistic effect.
Of course most OB GYNs would refer the moms of multiples to a surgeon with a diastasis recti, and most surgeons would tell you that surgery is the only way to go. Like I have mentioned in previous posts, most medical professionals only learn about the diastasis recti for a PARAGRAPH in med school. When they do residency, their mentors refer these patients to a surgeon, so that is what THEY do. The process is perpetuated. And surgeons CAN* fix a diastasis recti but artifically sewing weak muscles together – but without strengthening and having the right body mechanics (getting up and down properly, lying in and out of bed preperly and avoiding crunches and other bad abdominals) they can blow RIGHT through their stitches and the recti can also resplit (not to mention the high risk of infection and lengthy recovery time).
But moms of multiples do NOT NEED a surgeon to fix their diastasis recti or mummy tummy – they can learn to train to transverse muscle to bring the two halves of the recti together! This can be done DURING AND AFTER pregnancy! The Tupler Technique® is so important for putting your body (specifically your belly) back together again, getting rid of the back pain (by closing the recti and strengthening the transverse), and essentially restoring your pre-pregnancy midsection!
So moms of multiples – DONT get discouraged over your “Mummy Tummy” – the Tupler Technique is the absolute BEST thing you can do for your body!! Your weird belly button issues can BE RESOLVED! You DONT NEED surgery – training your muscles to bring the recti together are SUCH A NECESSITY for you!!
Many people ask about loose skin – skin is age and genetics (although contouring creme can be a welcome addition) – but the muscles and connective tissue healed underneath the skin will improve GREATLY the look of your skin. Staying hydrated and eating things that keep your skin more elastic will help – think dark green veggies, lemon water, and good HEALTHY protein – fish, soy, etc.
All of you moms of multiples out there – what questions do you have about your bellies, your abs, or any other body-restoring question? Lets bring to light all those questions that will help you put yourself BACK TOGETHER again after having your multiples!!
I don’t have any questions but just want to thank you for spreading the word. I’m a mom of 20 month old boy/girl twins. When I started the Tupler Technique, my separation was 8 finger widths in the middle. I’ve been able to reduce it to 3 and just need to buckle down to close it. I try to educate everyone I know about the Tupler Technique – even before they have the baby!
im a 24 yr old mom of twins and recently I went to a surgeon to possibly talk about having thermage or a tummy tuck. Altho I was leaning more to therrmage I found out that I have a hernia(navel sticking out) as a result from pregnancy that will eventually become very pain ful if I dont do anything about it, but Iam scared of being cut again, hwat do you think I should do?
I would immediately splint your abdominals with the Diastasis Rehab abdominal splint to help approximate the recti, which will start to heal the imperfections in your connective tissue. The flaws in your connective tissue are what the organs are popping through (hernia). Doing the Tupler Technique – specifically the Seated Tuplers will help strengthen your transverse and start to pull the two halves of the recti together through your strength which will complete the healing process of your connective tissue. Also you might want to read about my hernia during pregnancy and how I reversed it : http://beautifulafterthebelly.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-hernia-during-pregnancy-dissappeared.html
Its MUCH MUCH easier to pop a hernia back in with the Tupler Technique while you are NOT pregnant – and as people heal their connective tissue by bringing their recti together, many times their hernias will pop back in. My clients have also had success in manually holding in the hernia – popping it back in with their hands WHILE doing the Seated Tuplers – this is how I brought mine in permanently during pregnancy.
I would DEFINITELY go these routes before ANY kind of surgery. Many hernias end up reappearing after surgery because often its like a bandaid over other problems (diastasis, weakened connective tissue, weak transverse muscle – innermost ab muscle).
Hi! My twins are a year old, and three weeks ago, I ordered the splint from you. After just wearing the splint for a week, I noticed my diastasis went from 2.5 finger widths to 1.5. Last week I added in the transverse exercise and the elevators, and I’m down to one finger.
I can’t thank you enough! I’m going to order another splint, because I do find mine takes a while to dry. I don’t want to be without it!
I do have a question, when do I stop wearing it?
Thank you again!!!
Great question! You will stop wearing the splint when your diastasis is totally healed – meaning there is not gap between the recti.
Keep it around if it resplits – then you can wear the splint for a few days, do some hardcore sets of seated tuplers, and it will go back together.
Hi! I am a 37 year old mom with 4 year old twins and a 2 year old. I eat well and am fairly active (chasing kids around all day)I am a petite person yet I look like I am about 5 months pregnant still! I am worried that it is too late to repair without surgery. I am glad I found your blog!!
Christa
. I am defiantly going to fololw through with all the resources you suggested because even though the muscles are *much* closer together now after a year I am still having a lot of trouble communicating with them something I realized when I was upside down on a pole (yes, a pole) the other day.My brain said sit up. It might as well have been talking to the girl on the next pole for all the response it got from my stomach muscles!)My dance teacher had to come rescue me. How embarrassing! I am *really* hoping that this and what to do about it, besides practice is addressed somewhere! (Or at least that someone else has had this happen to them!)Thanks again!
Good luck!
Hi Anonymous 37 year old mom with twin boy and a 2 year old! ABSOLUTELY you can fix this without surgery!! Doctors REALLY need to educate themselves about OTHER AVENUES for women who have diastasis recti. They either say “live with it” or ” you need surgery” – both are SO incorrect!!
If you are interested in Skype training for the Tupler Technique to get you a jump start let me know. I have to verify where you live to see if there are any licensees in your area. Or you can go to http://www.diastasisrehab.com to find out.
I had one lady in one of my workshops this past week who brought her diastasis 75% closed in 3 weeks AND brought her waistline in 6 inches…in THREE WEEKS!! I see stuff like that all the time – you can SO do this!
Hi im 21 and a mother of a four year old and i had a set of twins in june 2011 one of my not make it he lived to be 2 months and passed away so i have not really had time to work on my self my stomach looks alot better then it did but i still hve a weird looking hanging skin i also had a hernia repair in nov ’11
ive nver been told anything bout my stomach but everything u describe fits with me so my ? Is how do i know if i need the DiatasisRehab?
Thank you so much
Hi Anonymous!
Usually with twins the probability of a diastasisis near 100%. On other postpartum moms, its slightly less at around 98% that have a diastasis recti. And its NEVER TOO LATE!! Where are you located? I can point you in the right direction – bonniewayne1177@hotmail.com.
Does this help with loose skin too?
Hi I’mso glad I found your site, I had twins 6 years ago and my youngest is two years old I would really like to try your program how do I get started…I did a self check and I can only fit two fingers but I would like to get it closed or at least st a one is that possible? I eat right exercise and I still look bulgy…I list weight but my tummy is still saggy and bulgy….how can I try ur method?
Skin tautness is age and genetics,
HOWEVER, your belly will aesthestically look much better, INCLUDING the skin – look at some of the before and after pics on the site. Once the muscles are together and waistline is smaller, the skin often shrinks down to conform to its smaller frame. It will also help with the bulges – look at the before and after pics again for some examples.
Also it is POSSIBLE for your diastasis to be only 1 or 2 fingerwidths, but it would greatly surprise me. My guess is that when you measure you are lifting your head way too high. You just BARELY lift your head off the ground until your muscles very FIRST engage. It usually is no more than an inch off the ground. Also, make sure you measure in all 3 areas.
I live in the Chicago area, so if you live by me or in a neighboring state, we can work something out. Or you can go to https://www.diastasisrehab.com/licensed-pros.html to see if anyone lives by you. If no one lives by you, you can email me and I will give you other options, including Skype Tupler Technique sessions.
Best of luck!
Also, forgot to mention on the integrity of the skin – don’t forget to put on RAW ORGANIC coconut oil – GREAT for healing the connective tissue. I go to tropicaltraditions.com. They have a free shipping day once a month, so sign up to get the email specials 🙂
Hi Bonnie
I’m 18 welds pregnant, but look more like 8 months since my diastasis that I’ve had since baby number 1 8 years ago is now about 8/9 fingers apart. My question is how right should I splint while pregnant? I’m kinda scared to make it too tight and hurt the baby… Though anatomically I think that’s not really possible… Also, I’m having trouble doing seated tillers and relaxing my pelvic floor muscles at the same time…I just started this morning. I had been working on closing my diastasis before I got pregnant and undid all my progress one morning jumping out of bed to grab my one year old. Right now I’m wearing two splints as my belly hangs really low. I’m trek g jot tokeep hop yr alive, any advice and encouragement is much appreciated.
You will want to get a splint that will give you room to grow so to speak. You will put it on the same way that you do postpartum. You don’t need to make it too tight – just tight enough to feel some approximation of the recti muscles. You will need to do 5 to 10 sets of 100 seated tuplers per day (more on the 10 sets of 100) while pregnant to really make progress closing the diastasis, especially if its thats far apart. The first goal for you now, will be to make sure it does NOT get bigger, and then try to close it at least 2 to 3 fingerwidths while pregnant. You will be able to make the most progess postpartum. I do have lots of moms that close theirs while pregnant, but they usually don’t start that far apart. However, if you have GOOD TECHNIUE and a GOOD MIND BODY CONNECTIVE with your transverse muscle, AND you are CONSISTENT, you can probably make more progress than that. Best of luck!! IF you are in the Chicago area, let me know and I will be happy to work with you!