“𝑾𝑶𝑾, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒋𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒚!” a friend said when she saw my cesarean scar. Yes, yes it was. So why then are cesareans the only major surgery where you aren’t sent home with a rehab plan?

It’s tempting to jump right back into your regular exercise routine postpartum. But, while it’s great to get moving, it’s important that postnatal movement be purposeful. Now more than ever is the time to slow down, listen to your body, and approach working out as therapy.

You may have heard women talk about “mommy tummy,” “the pooch,” or “mom belly” when referring to a stubborn bulge or doming in the middle of the abdomen post-baby. What these terms actually describe is the effect of diastasis recti abdominis (DRA). So, what is DRA?