Most JB mums finish their maternity care with a 6-week postnatal check at the hospital or clinic - baby is assessed thoroughly, mum gets a quick wound review and a "you're good to go." But diastasis recti (abdominal separation) and pelvic floor dysfunction are often not addressed in that visit, even though both respond very well to structured rehab.

This is the postnatal protocol we run in our Johor network.

How to self-check for diastasis recti

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat.
Place fingers horizontally just above the belly button, fingertips pressing into the abdomen.
Slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor (small crunch).
Feel for a gap between the two sides of the rectus abdominis muscle. Measure with finger-widths.

Less than 2 finger-widths: within normal range postnatally - rehab is optional.

2–3 finger-widths: mild to moderate diastasis - responds well to structured physio over 8–12 weeks.

More than 3 finger-widths, or you can feel your organs bulging: significant diastasis - needs professional assessment and a longer rehab course. A minority of these need surgical repair.

The evidence-based rehab protocol

Not every "core exercise" is safe with diastasis.

Crunches, sit-ups, and front planks in the early weeks will often make the gap worse.

The evidence supports:

Weeks 1–4: Transverse abdominis activation (pulling the belly button gently toward the spine without breath-holding).

Diaphragmatic breathing. Pelvic floor co-contraction.

Simple, low-load, frequent.

Weeks 5–8: Progressing to more challenging transverse abdominis loading - dead bug variations, bird dog, modified side plank. Add upright functional strength (wall squats, rows, gentle carries).

Weeks 9–12: Integrating compound lifts at controlled loads (goblet squats, single-arm work, glute bridges). Still avoiding front-loaded flexion (sit-ups, full planks) until the gap closes to less than 2 fingers.

Months 3–6: Return to full strength training, running, and most sport. Crunches and planks can be reintroduced gradually once the core is functionally competent.

Pelvic floor dysfunction - the other common issue

Symptoms:

Urinary leaking with coughing, sneezing, jumping, or exercise (stress incontinence).
Urgency or frequency beyond normal (urge incontinence).
A "heavy" or "bulging" feeling at the vaginal opening (pelvic organ prolapse).
Pain or discomfort during intercourse.
Lower back pain that doesn't respond to back-focused treatment.

These respond very well to pelvic floor physiotherapy - kegel-based strengthening done correctly, bladder-behavioural retraining, and hypopressive-style exercises for prolapse.

Results typically visible by 6–8 weeks.

For more complex cases - stage 2+ prolapse, postnatal nerve damage, or very weak pelvic floor - we match to a physio with specialised women's health training.

Realistic JB access and timing

Most JB mums come for postnatal physio between week 6 (post-check clearance) and month 4.

The earlier you start the better - diastasis and pelvic floor issues are much easier to correct early.

Sessions are usually 45–60 minutes, once or twice a week for 4–8 weeks, then fortnightly.

Most clinics in Mount Austin, Iskandar Puteri, Skudai and JB city have physios with postnatal experience.

Clinics close to maternity wards at KPJ Puteri, KPJ Johor, Regency, Columbia Asia Iskandar and Gleneagles Medini see the highest volume.

Typical Johor RM costs

Postnatal physio sessions: RM120-250 per session. A typical 6–8 session course: RM120-250.

Physio pricing is shown as RM120-250 per session; total spend depends on the number of sessions needed.

How PhysioJohor matches postnatal mums

WhatsApp us with: delivery type (vaginal / C-section), weeks post-delivery, any leaking or prolapse symptoms, diastasis finger-width if you've checked, and your JB location.

We match to a physio experienced with postnatal care - usually with flexible appointment timing around feeding and school pickup.

Related guide: Physiotherapy in Johor - complete guide