I took a week break from wearing my splint when I thought my baby was breech. I was doing a lot of crawling and inversion (head off couch, supported with hands, knees on couch), which was hard for me, just because I knew it was making my diastasis worse. But, I was okay with that if it meant turning the baby, and, I knew how to heal it after the pregnancy.
I checked my diastasis after that week, and it was 5 on top, 7 in the middle, and 5 on bottom.
The next week, after an US showed her to be head down, I resumed splint use and ceased crawling and inversions.
I also started walking 2-3 miles a couple times a week again, and took some short hikes with my family.
I did not splint with my previous two pregnancies, but for pregnancy #3, I feel this truly made a difference.
1. It helped me keep my diastasis at a minimum - went from a 5 at week 6 to a 2.5 inch separation and week 9, which I was able to maintian for a long time. At around week 35 or 36, my separation had grown to 5 fingerwidths (middle), wich was much more acceptable that being that at week 6!
Not until week 37 did it increase (due to crawling with no ab support) to 7 finger widths.
2. My abdominals have felt strong and looked strong this entire pregnancy.
3. I have had much less ligament zinging, or pain, because the splint helped support the uterus - instead of relying solely on the ligaments (which tend to stretch and do not go back like muscle can)
4. My bed mobility is much less daunting, I can roll side to side and get in/out of bed with much less effort than with the last pregnancy.
5. My belly did not protrude as far as with baby #2
6. I felt better walking/exercising with the splint. I was able to run/jog until week 31!
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