In this video Dr Kathy Dooley – who I am lucky enough to have been tutored by – gives a great visual illustration of what happens if you experience a diastasis recti (where the rectus abdominus muscles separate from each other). Focus should not be primarily on shortening the rectus abdominus. The obliques – muscles of exhalation – and the transverse abdominus muscles need careful work to begin to improve the diastasis. This can begin with simple breathing exercises.