WCM Doctor Helps Women Lose 'Mummy Tummy' After Birth

Dr. Geeta Sharma

Dubbed by some as "mummy tummy" or "mommy pooch," diastasis recti affects about a third of women who have given birth.

The condition describes the separation of the abdominal muscles that make up the "six-pack." During pregnancy, these muscles stretch apart to accommodate the growing fetus. But after birth, they don't always bounce back, creating the mommy pooch.

While many women feel self-conscious about their "jelly belly," the condition can also be painful, particularly in the lower back, according to Dr. Geeta Sharma, an OB-GYN at Weill Cornell Medicine, who was interviewed by NPR about the topic. In rare occasions, it can also cause a hernia, she told the news outlet.

To help combat the mommy pooch, Leah Keller, a personal trainer from New York City, worked with Dr. Sharma to create an exercise routine to help align the stretched abdominal muscles.

Today, Keller holds classes to help women flatten their mummy tummy in a few weeks. Meanwhile, Dr. Sharma is conducting research to determine the effectiveness of exercise to fix diastasis recti.

Head over to NPR to learn more about the exercise routine and the science behind the mommy pooch.