Have you been working at closing your diastasis but it just doesn't seem be getting any better? Could you have possibly hit a plateau in your recovery? If this sounds like you, consider how you manage pressure.
First off, what is pressure? Pressure is the tension you feel when you tighten your abs - think of someone about to punch you in the stomach and you tense up to protect yourself. That is pressure being built up from the inside to protect your organs from the punch. Now, with a diastasis there is a weak point in the connective tissue, or fascia, that runs between your rectus abdominis muscle (aka, your "six pack" muscles). When you create pressure while lifting something heavy, like a bulky awkward car seat, the pressure goes out towards the front and to the weak point causing the belly to cone or bulge.
The same goes for dealing with pelvic floor issues like incontinence or a prolapse. Whether it be from lifting something heavy or coughing or sneezing, the pressure management of someone dealing with incontinence is bearing down. Simply put, it means the pressure is being directed downwards. The body LOVES to use the path of least resistance so it's up to us to manage that pressure!
Sometimes, the weakness in the pelvic floor or diastasis is so prominent that it can be seen on the inhale. With a diastasis this means the pressure is coming out through the front where as with a weak pelvic floor a person may describe the sensation of feeling "empty" or "falling out" down there.
So what does "pressure management" mean? Finding out how to distribute the pressure evenly when doing activities. If you're dealing with a diastasis, what is causing the majority of the pressure to go forward? Could it be tight back muscles? Often "pressure management" can be a small adjustment body positioning or cuing but it can also mean strengthening certain muscles and releasing others. It's not always a quick fix, but figuring out what is causing you to bear down or bulge will be the key to get you back on track to healing!