My Experience with Surgery to Repair Diastasis Recti and an Umbilical Hernia
During my pregnancy with Amelie, when I gained very little weight due to constant nausea and reflux, I noticed something unusual about my abdomen—it made this funny triangle shape during any movement resembling a sit-up. At the time, I thought it was amusing.
But after giving birth, it was no longer so funny. In a mom-and-baby yoga class, I learned the hard way that I had diastasis recti, a significant gap between my stomach muscles. Being gently called out for overdoing it (while barely moving!) was embarrassing. Still, I assumed it was something I could fix with a little effort. I started working with a physical therapist, but even after months of diligent work, the problem didn’t resolve.
Learning to Live with It (Until I Couldn’t)
Life got busy. Between work, parenting, and managing my home, I had no time or energy to keep working on my stomach. I adjusted instead, avoiding plank-based exercises like push-ups and burpees—not that I missed them!
Then came the wake-up call. A few years later, I carried a canoe 100 feet to the edge of a lake and felt a sharp, searing pain in my abdomen. Experimenting with my hands, I realized I had an umbilical hernia. My "funny" post-pregnancy outie belly button wasn’t funny anymore.
After one more pregnancy and years of compensating for my abdominal issues, I decided I’d had enough. I wanted to feel strong again. I started working with a physical therapist who introduced me to hypopressives, which focus on breathing and core activation. I got stronger and reduced embarrassing moments like laughing- or sneezing-induced leaks.
Still, something wasn’t right. When I did certain movements, my stomach would hang down or collapse inward unnaturally. My gynecologist confirmed my suspicion: the only real solution was surgery.
Deciding on Surgery: Mixed Emotions
Hearing the words “plastic surgeon” shocked me. I didn’t think of myself as someone who’d pursue plastic surgery—it felt vain. But this wasn’t about aesthetics; it was about function and freedom. Although let’s face it, not looking a little bit pregnant all the time would be a nice side effect!
I met with three surgeons, chose the one who impressed me the most, and booked the surgery quickly so I could recover before our Thanksgiving travel to the States. I intentionally avoided researching recovery details because I didn’t want to scare myself. (Not the wisest move in hindsight.)
I also decided to go with the most extensive surgical option, one that wrapped around my abdomen and even included some liposuction on my back — which I’m oddly embarrassed to admit — because the surgeon said that option would look the most natural, post-surgery, and it didn’t cost any extra.
Surgery and Recovery: The Intense Reality
The procedure, done on October 12, was more intense than I expected.
The first day is a blur of nurses adjusting my IVs, pain meds (nothing stronger than Tylenol and ibuprofen!), and trying to eat. My abdomen was completely numb, which helped, but I still felt very uncomfortable and was scared to move. The doctor told me he had removed 1 liter of fat in addition to a bunch of loose skin from my back but I couldn’t feel those, just the soreness of my stomach muscles having been stitched together.
The real challenge came on Sunday morning when I attempted to get out of bed. The first time, I got so dizzy and nauseous that I fainted and had to lie down again. Using a bedpan (seriously, peeing while lying down is bizarre) and slowly building up to standing were humbling experiences.
Later on Sunday, I managed to shuffle to the bathroom, take a shower with help, and was cleared to go home. The bumpy drive back and fainting again when I got to bed were reminders of how far I had to go.
The Long Road to Healing
The first week was tough, and the second one wasn’t easy either, but at least I could see improvements each day. I had daily visits from a physical therapist for lymphatic drainage, electrical stimulation, and massage, which sped up healing but wasn’t exactly pleasant. Walking was a laborious process, starting with furniture-supported laps around the house and progressing to short outdoor walks.
I had two surgical drains in place when I came home, and they were quite annoying in different ways. One was a tube near my tailbone that stayed in for 10 days and made a mess of my clothes, while the other, which had a little collection bottle, stayed in for four weeks—much longer than expected. That bottle was especially irritating because I had to carry it everywhere, holding it in one hand while I showered because there was nowhere to hook it. Eventually, my surgeon decided to remove it, despite the drainage not stopping. It was such a relief to be rid of both drains and feel a little freer again!
The hardest part? Not being able to pick up 18-month-old Valentina. She didn’t understand why I couldn’t hold her, but twice-a-day snuggles on the bed with her bottle kept us both connected.
Where I Am Now
It’s been over three months since my surgery, and the swelling is slowly going down, more quickly now with a low carb and higher protein diet (unfortunately I couldn’t stick to this at first because I had a lot of protein aversions for the first two months post surgery). I’m cautiously starting abdominal exercises again: sit-ups last week (nervously!) and knee push-ups. It feels like I’m breaking a rule every time, but I’m retraining my brain to trust my body again.
One unexpected outcome? I no longer have a belly button—it was removed during surgery. It’s a strange adjustment, and I feel oddly self-conscious about it, even though I’m not sure why.
Would I Do It Again?
Do I regret the surgery? Definitely not. Am I glad I did it? I think I will be once I can fully return to all the activities I love without fear or discomfort, but since I’m not there yet, I’m not 100% confident yet. But I’m pretty sure I will be soon.
Thinking About This Surgery? Let’s Talk!
If you’re considering surgery to repair diastasis recti or an umbilical hernia, I’m happy to answer your questions. Send me an email at abby@abbywolfsoncoaching.com, and let’s chat.
I feel VERY self conscious showing these photos but I am hoping they might be helpful for someone else who is considering the surgery so here goes: this is pre-surgery, left, and 3 months post-op on the right. You can see the vertical line in my mid abdomen where my belly button used to live. There is a piece of surgical tape over it for now to help with healing. You can’t see my main scar very well because it’s mostly covered by clothing and redness from my clothes but it extends from hip to hip and wraps around my back.
The “outie” ness of my belly button in the first photo is from the umbilical hernia. It didn’t look like that pre-pregnancy or after my first pregnancy — it was an “innie” back then.
Self conscious again! The pregnancy-like curve of my abdomen in the photo on the left is from the diastesis recti, the separation between the vertical stomach muscles, not fat. The photo on the right is unfortunately not a great shot because of where the surgeon position my pants for the photo but the curve above my pants on my abdomen is where I still have swelling from the surgery. I believe that will eventually be flat… but time will tell! The most inward part of my abdomen is where my belly button used to live!
The best part of this is not how it looks, but that I no longer have any limitations on my activities.
