Do You Have Bloating or Diastasis Recti?

Does your belly protrude in a way that makes you appear pregnant?

There are several possibilities for this. However, the two most common conditions are the standard everyday bloating that many of us experience, or a more complicated issue known as diastasis recti.

So how do you know if your protrusion is a result of bloating or diastasis recti? Let’s take a look.

Determining Whether It’s Bloating or Diastasis Recti

Most of us have experienced bloating. It’s that too-full feeling in the belly that can make your clothes feel too tight, cause cramps, or even limit your activities. The majority of the time, bloating is temporary.

Fortunately, there are dietary and lifestyle changes you can make to minimize or even eliminate bloating.

Ways to Manage Bloating

One of the biggest culprits for bloating is eating too quickly. Doing so can lead to indigestion, as well as cause you to overeat.

What you’re eating is equally important. A fiber-rich diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, beans, or other legumes will result in less bloating. Eating more fiber also regulates bowel movements, supports your gut microbiome, and even normalizes blood sugar levels.

Consider eating more probiotics too. These beneficial live bacteria can reduce bloating and are naturally present in many foods including unsweetened yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and kimchi. You can also use probiotic supplements.

And don’t forget to hydrate. Water breaks down food so your body can absorb it more effectively.

Meanwhile, limit (or eliminate) your alcohol consumption. Alcohol is notorious for causing bloat because it can trigger gut inflammation which causes your body to produce more gas than usual.

Finally, after eating, get your body moving to keep your digestion system moving. You can try a brisk walk or some gentle yoga poses.

Diastasis Recti

Diastasis recti looks like bloating but is something quite different. Caused usually by weight gain or pregnancy, it’s a condition wherein the abdominal muscles separate vertically down the middle.

When the uterus expands outward, it can cause the abdominal muscles to stretch so as to accommodate the baby. When the connective tissue is overstretched, the abdominal muscles actually separate.

While for some women the gap closes postpartum, for others, this is not the case. With diastasis recti, the belly extends because those separated abdominal muscles are unable to hold the organs in their normal position near the spine. As a result, the belly bulges.

Assessing and Treating Diastasis Recti

If you’re able to suck your belly all the way in until it’s flat from a side view, that shows how much diastasis you have. If you can’t suck it in, then there may be visceral fat or bloating with or without diastasis recti. There’s a simple self-test to determine diastasis recti.

Start by lying on your back and bending your knees. Place your fingers on each side of your belly button. Point them downward into your stomach and then lift your head. You’ll feel your abdominal muscles contract.

If you have diastasis recti, you will feel a gap between the two sides of the abdomen. You will, of course, want to get this verified by a medical expert. And if the gap exceeds 1.5 cm, it can only be corrected with abdominoplasty.

Also known as a tummy tuck, abdominoplasty repairs abdominal muscle separation and provides you with a smoother and more contoured midsection.

What’s Causing Your Protruded Belly?

One of the simplest ways to determine whether you’re struggling with bloating or diastasis recti is to try the lifestyle changes we’ve suggested above. If they work, you’ve ruled out bloating.

On the other hand, if they don’t, you could be dealing with diastasis recti.

If that’s the case, then don’t hesitate to contact us today. During your free consultation with our board-certified surgeon, you’ll get an understanding of your specific issue so that you can get started on a journey to a flatter and more streamlined tummy.