Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Diastasis recti is where the muscles that run down the middle of your stomach separate during pregnancy. It's really common and usually goes back to normal within eight weeks of delivery. But sometimes it doesn't. And it can lead to back problems and hernia - both things that Niki Odogwu has been dealing with since childbirth, alongside stress urinary incontinence. She shares her story with Helen and explains how a postpartum fitness programme has made all the difference.
Show Notes
Diastasis recti is where the muscles that run down the middle of your stomach separate during pregnancy. It's really common and usually goes back to normal within eight weeks of delivery, but sometimes it doesn't. And it can lead to back problems and hernia - both things that Niki Odogwu has been dealing with since her daughters were born, as well as stress urinary incontinence.
In this episode, Niki tells Helen how her back troubles got to the point where she couldn't get out of bed and how a postpartum fitness programme changed everything - helping her to manage her back pain and strengthen her pelvic floor. They discuss how a lack of information leaves women in the dark about our own bodies and why we need to do better at postpartum care:
In this episode, Niki tells Helen how her back troubles got to the point where she couldn't get out of bed and how a postpartum fitness programme changed everything - helping her to manage her back pain and strengthen her pelvic floor. They discuss how a lack of information leaves women in the dark about our own bodies and why we need to do better at postpartum care:
We don't focus on ourselves and our own care. It's like we don't matter. And as women we need to get out of that mindset and stop feeling that by looking after ourselves, we're being selfish mums, or we should be putting everything into the children, or this is the price you pay for having children. It shouldn't be like that.
Creators and Guests
Host
Helen Ledwick
Helen Ledwick is the creator and host of Why Mums Don’t Jump - dedicated to dismantling the taboo around pelvic floor problems after childbirth. By sharing personal stories and expert knowledge, the former BBC journalist has helped thousands of women to access reliable information and support for issues like incontinence, prolapse and pelvic pain. Her groundbreaking book, Why Mums Don't Jump: Ending the Pelvic Floor Taboo, was published by Allen & Unwin in 2023, and builds on the success of her ARIA-nominated podcast, which recently concluded its fifth season. Inspired by Helen’s own struggle with pelvic organ prolapse, Why Mums Don’t Jump has blossomed into a vibrant Instagram community, where women describe feeling empowered and hopeful. Helen lives in Manchester, UK, with her husband and two children.
What is Why Mums Don't Jump?
One woman’s mission to end the stigma around leaks and lumps after childbirth. Honest chat about incontinence, prolapse and pelvic pain. Not a trampoline in sight. Hosted by Helen Ledwick.