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Diastasis Recti And The Pressure To Love A Broken Body

Michele Merritt
18 min readJul 5, 2020

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When the best path to healing is surgery, you need support, not shame

Photo by Arren Mills on Unsplash

I’ve had two kids and I’m approaching 40 with rapid speed. My partner and I are definitely not having anymore. I’m one of those annoying women who got back to pre-pregnancy weight very quickly after both babies. I’m an avid swimmer and triathlete. Still, I’ve decided to get an abdominoplasty, also known as a “tummy tuck.”

Why am I opting to get this invasive and expensive “cosmetic” procedure, especially if I am otherwise in shape and a healthy weight? The answer is simple: I have a severe case of diastasis recti, and it makes me miserable. It makes me even more miserable that this surgery will not be covered by insurance, despite the fact that for me, and many other women with this condition, surgery is the only way to fix this problem.

What Is Diastasis Recti (DR)?

First things first. I am not a medical doctor, so take what I say with that in mind. I’ve poured a lot of time into researching my condition and consulting with professionals, but I’m not offering medical advice here. These are just my experiences and opinions about what ought to be done to address DR more comprehensively, so other women can make informed decisions about their health.

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Michele Merritt
Michele Merritt

Written by Michele Merritt

Philosophy professor. Adoptee. Advocate. Activist. Marathon swimmer. Cheese consumer. I write about dogs a lot. michelemerritt.com

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