Find your gap in about two minutes, at home
Before you buy any program or worry about your belly, a simple finger test shows you where your core actually is. Here is exactly how to do it.
Quick answer
To check for diastasis recti at home, lie on your back with your knees bent, place two fingers just above your belly button, and gently lift your head and shoulders off the floor. Feel for a gap between the two sides of your abdominal muscles, and note how many finger-widths wide it is and how deep or soft it feels. A gap of roughly two finger-widths or more, or one that stays soft with little tension when you engage, may point to diastasis recti. This is a helpful guide, not a diagnosis, so confirm anything you find with a GP or a women's health physiotherapist.
Lots of mums notice a belly that still looks pregnant, a doming ridge down the middle, or a soft gap when they sit up, and immediately assume the worst. The reassuring truth is that some separation of the abdominal muscles is normal and extremely common after birth, and it often narrows on its own over the first year. A quick self-check tells you where you are starting from, so you can choose the right next step instead of guessing.
Step 1: Get into position
Lie on your back on a firm surface with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Let your shoulders and head rest down to start. Take a relaxed breath so your belly is soft, not braced.
Step 2: Place your fingers
Place the fingers of one hand across your midline, just above your belly button, with your fingertips pointing down toward your toes and your palm facing you. Press in gently. Above the belly button is the most common place to feel a separation, but you will also check below it and at the navel.
Step 3: Lift your head and engage
Slowly lift only your head and the tops of your shoulders off the floor, as if starting a very small curl-up. Keep the movement gentle. As you lift, the two ridges of your rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscles) will draw closer, and your fingers will feel the edges on either side of the gap.
Step 4: Measure the width and depth
With your head lifted, feel how many finger-widths fit between the two muscle edges. That is your width. Then notice the depth: does the middle feel firm and springy under your fingers, or soft and sinking? A gap that is wide and stays soft with little tension tells you more than width alone.
Step 5: Check above and below your belly button
Repeat the lift and feel at three points: a few centimetres above the belly button, right at the navel, and a few centimetres below. Separation can be wider in one spot than another, so checking all three gives you a fuller picture to share with a professional.
What your result means
| What you feel | What it may suggest |
|---|---|
| Less than 2 finger-widths, firm tension | Within the typical range for many mums |
| About 2 finger-widths or more | Possible diastasis recti – worth a professional check |
| Gap feels deep and soft with no tension | Depth matters as much as width – get it assessed |
| Doming or a ridge that pops up when you lift | Ease off that movement and see a physio |
Finger-widths are a rough, at-home measure. A women's health physiotherapist can measure your gap more precisely and, importantly, assess the tension and function of the tissue, which is what really guides your plan. For more on that, see our guide to how to know if diastasis recti has healed.
Will the gap close on its own?
Often it narrows a great deal over the first year, which is exactly why an early self-check is only a starting point, not a life sentence. The figures below, from a well-known study following women through their first year postpartum, show how prevalence typically falls over time.
of women had diastasis recti at 6 weeks postpartum (Sperstad et al., 2016)
still had a separation at 6 months postpartum
at 12 months postpartum
60%
45.5%
32.6%
Source: Sperstad et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016.
Gentle, consistent deep-core work supports this natural narrowing. What matters is avoiding the moves that make things worse, like traditional crunches, which is why it helps to know why crunches can make diastasis recti worse.
When to see a professional
Book a women's health physiotherapist or see your GP if your gap is wide or feels deep and soft, if you notice doming or a bulge when you move, if you have back or pelvic pain, or if you have any pelvic-floor symptoms such as leaking. These often travel together, as our note on the pelvic floor and diastasis recti connection explains.
Know your gap? Here is a gentle plan
Once you have checked at home, the Core Reconnect Program walks you through safe, progressive deep-core work step by step. Use code GLOW20 for 20% off – a one-time guide you keep for good.
Frequently asked questions
When can I first check for diastasis recti?
Many mums do a gentle self-check from around 6 weeks postpartum, once early healing is underway and after any postnatal check. If you had a C-section or any complications, check with your GP before pressing on your abdomen.
How many finger-widths is a diastasis?
A separation of roughly two finger-widths or more is often used as a rough at-home marker, but depth and tension matter too. A physiotherapist can give you a more precise and meaningful assessment.
Can I check for diastasis recti during pregnancy?
Some separation is expected and normal in later pregnancy as the belly grows, so the home test is most useful postpartum. During pregnancy, focus on gentle movement and ask your maternity team if you are worried.
Does a gap always need "fixing"?
Not necessarily. Many gaps narrow over the first year and function matters more than a perfectly closed gap. The goal is a core that works well and feels strong, which gentle rebuilding supports.
What if I feel doming when I lift?
A ridge that pops up along your midline is a sign to ease off that particular movement and focus on gentle deep-core breathing instead. Doming with certain exercises is a common cue to modify and to get assessed.
Sources: Sperstad JB et al., "Diastasis recti abdominis during pregnancy and 12 months after childbirth," British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016; NHS and ACOG guidance on postnatal recovery and abdominal separation.
This article is general education, not medical advice. A home self-test is a guide, not a diagnosis, and results vary from mum to mum. Please see your GP, midwife or a women's health physiotherapist for an assessment tailored to you.