Read about diastasis recti somewhere and now im paranoid about it. My belly has that small bulge in the middle when I get up from bed. How do u even check for it, is it possible to know during pregnancy itself?
Honestly checking it properly during pregnancy is tricky because the belly is already stretched. Most people check it after delivery by lying down and feeling the gap above the navel. During pregnancy please dont poke around, ask a physio or your doctor to assess.
Realistically, just mention your concern at your next appointment, a physio check takes 5 minutes. During pregnancy avoid sit ups and lift things by bending knees. Save the actual gap test for after baby comes.
I only learnt about diastasis after delivery when I noticed a gap. A physio checked it gently with two fingers above my belly button. During pregnancy just focus on good posture and dont strain your tummy, the real assessment comes later.
My doctor said the classic test, lie on back, knees bent, lift head slightly and feel for a gap between the ab muscles, is mainly done postpartum, not really during pregnancy. While pregnant its better to avoid that crunch movement. A physio can guide you safely.
