Anyone given birth with bad rib pain?

[SillyCalamari]

I'm almost 38 weeks, have just had a 3 week chest infection and thought I'd pulled a muscle coughing. But today I have terrible rib pain around the front that makes me wonder whether it's the baby or growing uterus putting pressure on my ribcage. I can hardly move / speak when it's at its worst.

Has anyone else had this in the final weeks? How did you cope with the birth? I can't see how I'm going to get through it...

It could be that baby is actually pushing up into your ribs as they haven't actually engaged yet. Hopefully, once they get in position and labour gets going, the pressure/pain on your ribs will reduce significantly.

My DD wasn't actually fully engaged at my MW appt a wk before she arrived (when I was 38wks) so I still had rib pain, from the rib cage expanding to accommodate your organs & baby, right up until quite soon before labour. But I don't remember it being an issue - there were other things occupying my mind!! :)

Hi, I didn't have rib pain, but had hip & pelvic pain. Didn't notice it one jot in labour! You'll be fine, trust your body :)

Thanks both. Have been to GP and hospital today, they think it's due to coughing / infection rather than baby / uterus which means further engagement isn't going to help.
So looks like it's just fingers crossed that the muscular-skeletal pain will get better in the next couple of weeks - and/or that the gas and air / pethidine will relieve me when in labour!

Fingers crossed then that you have time to get over it :)