Treatment for Diastasis Integrated Core Rehabilitation
When Another’s Words Speaks Volumes

When Another’s Words Speaks Volumes

by Cheryl

She came privately to me in 2013.  She was about one year postpartum from her first child.  She was a very busy working mom who didn’t take time for herself.  After doing a complete evaluation I found her diastasis was extremely deep and her spirit was completely broken.

I worked with her and fitted her with a splint and then sent her home to work on her program.  She returned in 3 weeks for her second session and her progress was amazing.  Below is a private blog piece she wrote last night and is allowing us to share with you. 

It’s late, but I bet there are several of us women / moms who are up, catching up on life after kids are asleep…

I’d Love to share my story of my Diastasis Recti diagnosis and journey to recovery. During my first pregnancy I worked out throughout my pregnancy doing pilates / yoga / running – thinking I was doing all of the best things for my baby. Unfortunately I didn’t know that pilates isn’t always the best for you while pregnant and some of the moves I was doing I would see a lump in my pregnant belly and thought it was “cute” and the baby’s head…or some body part. Fast forward to post delivery…I returned to work after 12 weeks of maternity leave. I work in the field and am constantly in my car driving to customers, and every day I would have to route out where to stop for a bathroom on my drives, I would know exactly where the bathrooms were in my accounts. It was embarrassing. I would have to stop mid conversation with people to go to the bathroom because I just couldn’t hold it…mentally I was in agony praying I would be able to make it to the bathroom, how I would interrupt a conversation, or how I would even pay attention in a conversation with my mind consumed on hoping I could make it to the bathroom. Finding a bathroom was basically the #1 priority of my every day.

I didn’t understand why this was happening…I had done such a great job losing my pregnancy weight and even was below it…but my “belly pooch” still looked like I was 4 months pregnant. I had heard Drs say therapy or surgery was the only way to heal this problem, but I didn’t want a surgical approach…

I had never heard of Diastasis Recti…Then my prenatal / postnatal yoga studio brought in Cheryl Rydzinski Mostowski for “tummy checks” and I looked up what it was all about – I immediately contacted her and went to her home studio to be checked. She did a check for me, high, mid and low. I was measured at a 4 (that’s 4 fingers width that my abs were separated) and DEEP…my organs were coming through my abdominal wall, she could feel my pulse in my abs, and my bladder was prolapsing. It was an incredibly emotional moment. I learned the things I shouldn’t and couldn’t be doing until my abs were closed (sit ups, planks, pilates, core exercises). Cheryl fit me for a splint, taught me the exercises to do, the right posture to sit in and the proper ways to get out of bed and more. What stuck with me the most was that she taught me how to love my core (that I was mad at for how much I was struggling) – because even though it wasn’t what it once was or would be after going through her program, it carried my babies, and brought them into this world and I needed to love it for that. I fought back the tears because I knew she was right and it was exactly what I needed to hear. My “warrior stripes” were hard earned and I needed to be at peace with that. As she said, this is a part of my body that worked very hard and I knew it wasn’t fair for me to ignore it because it didn’t fail me, I was failing it and it needed my help.

After 2-1/2 weeks of adhering to the program I returned to Cheryl and measured a 2-1/2 and Medium…in just 2 WEEKS!!! And after another week I completely closed my DR…I lost inches off my waist, regained core strength, and most importantly I was able to strengthen the muscles around my bladder and hold it for a “normal” period of time, not interrupt customers or run to the bathroom as soon as I got there or stop along the way…my quality of life was given back through this amazing and natural approach!!

I recently was at an OBGYN appointment with someone going through some issues, and the OBGYN said to her that she could undergo surgery to fix her pelvic issues. I asked her if she was familiar with DR and the Tupler Technique to correct it. Her response…”Yes, but that takes a lot of work and surgery is easier.” I was blown away. Surgery being easier than 2-3 weeks of natural exercises, posture correction and conscious effort? I had to disagree with her, and then I had to suggest a second opinion to the person I was with.

BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE. This is something I teach my oldest daughter regularly (and something she taught her whole kindergarten classroom the first week of school…proud mama moment when I received that email from her teacher). 
DO THE RESEARCH. BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND TRUST THAT YOU CAN HEAL YOUR BODY, BECAUSE YOU ARE WORTH IT.

Thanks much friend for telling it like it was.  We know you can heal with our help, and more importantly without surgery.  Give us a call at 847-420-9764 for your tummy check.