Toward the end of your pregnancy or after giving birth, some women notice either an indentation or a bulge in the middle of their belly. This is likely a common condition known as diastasis recti.
Diastasis recti is a common condition in pregnant and postpartum people. It occurs when the rectus abdominis muscles (six-pack ab muscles) separate during pregnancy from being stretched. The separation can make a person's belly stick out or bulge months or years postpartum.
Diastasis Recti can be as little as 1 finger wide but very squishy and deep in depth. It can be shallow like the space between your knuckles and 2-3 inches wide but I've seen width be up to 6 or more fingers wide. It can run from the top of your rib cage to below your belly button and any variation in between.
If you feel a gap or softness with muscles on either side, you may have Diastasis Recti. If you can feel the tensed muscles underneath your belly, you're probably just dealing with some abdominal fat. The good news is that most cases of Diastasis Recti are temporary (and abdominal fat can be temporary too!).
It is very common for pregnant women to develop a condition known as diastasis recti. Some women may have it and not even realize, while it may be quite obvious to other women. If you've noticed a vertical bulge on your tummy between your belly button and pubic bone, it may be diastasis recti.
If you have a hernia, you'll probably notice a soft lump around your belly button, or sometimes in your groin area. It might be dull and achy, and hurt more when you're active, cough, sneeze or bend over.
Possible causes of an abdominal lump include hernias, lipomas, hematomas, undescended testicles, and tumors. These can appear as an area of swelling or a bulge that protrudes from the abdominal area. Abdominal lumps can be hard or soft and may feel sore. However, they may also appear with no additional symptoms.
Here are reasons why your pooch is totally normal and a necessary part of the female anatomy. Your lower belly will grow throughout the day which is completely normal. It's just physics. If you fill a bag up with something, it will expand.
The lowermost portion of the abdomen is the pelvis, which contains the rectum, urinary bladder, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. In most cases, it can be difficult to know if abdominal pain is coming from the pelvis or the lower abdomen.
You shouldn't be able to fit more than two fingers in between your left and right rectus abdominus muscles. If you can fit more than two fingers into the ab gap, or if your fingers sink in at least a knuckle deep, you likely have diastasis recti.
Also called the womb, the uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen, between the bladder and the rectum.
An umbilical hernia is an abnormal bulge that can be seen or felt at the umbilicus (belly button). This hernia develops when a portion of the lining of the abdomen, part of the intestine, and / or fluid from the abdomen, comes through the muscle of the abdominal wall.
Belly fat caused by stress is more common than you think. In fact, it's so common that medical experts dub it “stress belly.” Although not a medical diagnosis, stress belly is a term used to describe how stress and hormones caused by stress affect your belly. Stress affects weight for a number of reasons.
The first body type is the ADRENAL and the adrenal belly, which is caused by increased levels of cortisol. When going through stressful periods, the production of cortisol increases, and this, in turn, increases the accumulation of fat around the waist, leading to a saggy abdomen.
Lower abdominal and pelvic hernias present differently in women than men, who typically have a visible bulge. Instead, female hernias tend to be smaller, deeper, and less noticeable. Hernias can also cause chronic pelvic pressure or pain that can be mistaken for gynecological problems.
What else can be mistaken for a hernia? While a hernia is the cause for most people who experience lumps in their abdomen, there are several other possibilities such as a hematoma, lipoma, a gynecological issue in women, or an undescended testicle in newborn boys. In rare cases, a lump may indicate a tumor.
Symptoms of a tumor in the abdomen may include indigestion and stomach discomfort, bloating after eating, nausea, loss of appetite and heartburn.
Q: What Does a Belly or Abdominal (Ventral) Hernia Feel Like? A: If you have a ventral hernia in the belly area, you may see or feel a bulge along the outer surface of the abdomen. Typically, patients with ventral hernias describe mild pain, aching or a pressure sensation at the site of the hernia.
An umbilical hernia creates a soft swelling or bulge near the navel. In babies who have an umbilical hernia, the bulge may be visible only when they cry, cough or strain. Umbilical hernias in children are usually painless. Umbilical hernias that appear during adulthood may cause abdominal discomfort.
An umbilical hernia appears as a painless lump in or near the belly button (navel). It may get bigger when laughing, coughing, crying or going to the toilet and may shrink when relaxing or lying down.
Depending on your stage of pregnancy, your body type, and even the time of day, sometimes your belly will feel soft and other times it will feel tight and hard. The reality is, there's no normal to compare yourself with. Pregnant bellies come in all shapes, sizes, and firmness.