I think this is a fairly trivial worry, but is this normal?...

[StripyMouse]

I am 24 weeks pregnant (and a few days..) and it is baby number 2. As DH is away at the mo and I have no rational sane people around me to tell me this is nothing to worry about and to go to bed, I am asking you guys to put my mind at rest!
Since yesterday morning I have noticed that an area about the size of my hand across the left centre part of my bump is really tender and sore like a bruise. It isn?t a bruise - no markings and I haven?t bumped into anything, it is just a niggly patch. Don?t think it is muscular as it is no different when I pull my bump in or out IYKWIM and the pain isn?t sharp or crampy and only in one vague area. Is it just the baby pressing on my tum and very slowly stretching it out or something else? Should I just ignore ? Has anyone else experineced somthing similar or know what it is? I never had anything like it first time round and the bump grew fast then - enough to give me loads of stretch marks - none in sight this time. Sorry for this post - I know it sounds fairly minor but it is playing on my mind now and need a bit of sympathy/empathy!! Thanks

i hate to give advice on this kind of thing but your message has been screaming at me for an hour and i feel i should answer.
i have had very tender spots as you have described. but i was carrying twins and there mustnt have been much room in there cos i constanly had a limb in one place for ages and it literally felt like i had been punched three days previously.

i dont know if this is of comfort. am sure its nothing if you are worried please phone somone dont lose sleep. let me know if everything is ok

Is it low down? The ligament suspending the uterus can cause discomfort because they are stretching. You can get all sorts of pain because of the fact the pregnant uterus is stretching your abdomen, so try not to worry. If you do feel worried then give your midwife a call and she can check you over.

Stripy ... I had a pain EXACTLY like you describe when I was pg with DS only it was right in the centre of my tum just above my belly button ... started about 28 weeks and carried on to the end on and off. I went to the doctor about it as I was quite worried. He smiled condescendingly at me and said, almost with satisfaction, "Nothing to worry about Mrs. **, it is just your muscles tearing." I wished I never asked ...

My own theories were as custy says ... a limb or something AND sometimes I wondered whether it had anything to do with the placenta as it was right at the front of my tummy that time ....

Try not to worry but if you are really worried give your m/w a call like Mears suggested ....

thanks to all who responded - you were all very reassuring and have made me feel a lot better. I had ligament pain and stretching pains last time round but hadn?t felt like this - tender patches rather than muscular type feeling, hence my concern. I am sure that you are all right when you suggest that it is just the growing baby, more crowded space and the general stretching. The baby is lying transverse this time and could well be arms and shoulders around there and the bump has grown a lot over the last few days so all ties in.
I finally managed to get to sleep around 12.30 so sorry i didn?t respond last night. Awful dreams but forgotten the details luckily...DH is flying home this eve. so can delegate parental responsiibilty and share the household chores a bit more (hopefully).
If it goes on for more than a few days i will phone my mw otherwise will just put up with it - easier to do now I am reasonably confident it is nothing serious.
Oh, the fun of pregnancy.......
Thanks again, your posts have made me feel much better.

stripymouse- how was your first baby born? I found pregnancy number 2 quite uncomfortable- with some weird pains. Found out when ds2 was born (by c-section) that I had a lot of scar tissue from c-section with ds1.

Hope it's gone away now!

Jim jams - had a ventouse delivery so don?t think that would affect this. I can imagine that a C section could lead to further problems for future pregnancies but am fortunate that this isn?t adding to it in my case.
I am still really sore today - custardo?s description of being punched is rather accurate way of explaining the level of tenderness. Oh well, don?t mind being uncomfortable toom much as long as the baby is ok. Resorted to painkillers this evening and it has eased off a bit - maybe a good night?s sleep will improve things for tomorrow. Heres hoping....