Jinja and Shoga: Life in the Land of the Rising Sun

  Today is 29 weeks, and you'd think I'd be used to the burgeoning stomach by now. But...I was quite unprepared for my abdominal muscles to so obviously and so suddenly start coming apart! The day before yesterday, I tried to do some basic ab exercises (approved for pregnancy)...and to my horror, I realized that my stomach was bulging out in a vertical line through my belly button! I guess the official term for this condition is diastatis recti, or in layman's terms, abdominal separation.
  While I have yet to be diagnosed by the doctor, I'd say it's pretty obvious that's what's going on. Apparently a small amount of separation at the midline is quite common during pregnancy, but I have no idea whether mine is a 'small amount' or not. And considering that I've still got over 2 months' to go, it's likely only going to get bigger!
Ah, beginning of the third trimester: harbinger of exhaustion, heartburn, and now, the end of my stomach muscles. I keep telling myself that it's more room for Sigourney to grow...right??
   PS If you're squeamish, I'd avoid the second picture! If you want to know what diastasis recti can look like, go ahead.

                                      29 Weeks

                          It only looks this lovely if I flex it (and yes, that's my belly button)