When discussing the common complaint of a protruding lower belly, I believe in being fully transparent about the root cause of the issue, as it varies.

Here are some common reasons:

1. Diastasis Recti: This is a lack of strength and tension across the abdominal wall. Weak or Tight Pelvic Floor: This can cause pressure to settle in these areas, creating the ‘belly pooch’ appearance.
2. Poor Back Mobility: If we can’t breathe into our ribs on the back side of our body or lack sufficient rotational ability, your body will offset this pressure elsewhere, like the belly.
3. Not Connecting Movement to Breath: When you exhale and activate the pelvic floor and deep core, every breath should work to activate and strengthen your deep core. Missing this connection makes ab exercises less effective.
4. Straining During Bowel Movements or Urination: Let’s delve into how our everyday habits can contribute to our frustrations. Pushing during these activities activates the abdominal muscles and, in turn, the pelvic floor muscles, signaling them to lift and contract. However, the pelvic floor muscles actually need to relax to allow urine and bowel movements to pass. Pushing against activated muscles creates downward pressure on the pelvic floor and lower belly, weakening them over time and potentially worsening prolapse. This can also confuse the pelvic floor’s role, leading to an overactive state. A tight pelvic floor can then push pressure back up into the belly.

You can see how a buildup of pressure and weakening of muscles might disrupt the proper functioning of our core and pelvic floor. The sum of our daily habits can significantly impact and be one reason why we’re not seeing improvement.

Try this swap for your daily toileting habits:

• At home, elevate your feet on a stool.
• With feet flat and elevated on a stool (or flat on the ground if you’re out) and a slight forward lean, inhale to relax the pelvic floor.
• Keep your belly pushed out as you slowly exhale. During a bowel movement, this helps to “bear down” while maintaining pelvic floor relaxation, making for easier bowel movements. Additionally, making a low humming sound during a bowel movement also helps keep the glottis open (back of the throat) and prevent downward pressure on the pelvic floor.

I demonstrate the correct way to have a bowel movement in this video: work smarter, not harder!

Click Here to Watch

Check it out above, and if you still haven’t gotten yourself a squatty potty (and I don’t know why you haven’t!), you can find it linked in my Amazon Store

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Cheering you on ♥️
– Caroline Packard, DPT