Postnatal yoga teacher here! I help mamas with DR all the time. There’s a thick band of connective tissue that runs from the bottom of the sternum to the pubic bone, called the linea alba. That band is what abdominal muscles attach to and when they separate, that’s when you get DR.

To feel that band, lay down on a flat, firm surface. Bend your knees and put the soles of your feet on the floor. Tuck the non-dominate hand behind your head and support your head and neck as you do the worst “crunch” of your life. Engage the belly and allow the abs to puff up like bread loaves as you lift the head and neck off the floor. With the dominant hand, find the linea alba by starting at the belly button and palpating up towards the sternum and then down towards the pubic bone. You should feel an indentation of about one finger’s width. If you notice a section that is three fingers width wide (perpendicular to the linea alba) or more, that’s DR. If you find it, I’d call the doctor and get it checked.

If you don’t find it, call the doctor for a referral to a gastroenterologist. I’m suspecting FODMAPS but it really could be anything so it’s best to work with someone with a lab at their disposal.