Jabbing near ribs... is it the baby?

[rubybloom2]

I'm 18+2 with my first baby... the past few days I've started to feel sharp jabbing near my ribs, on and off. First one side, then the other... and then a little lower down on my right side. Could this be the baby moving? Has anyone else experienced this?

I've never felt anything like this before, which makes me certain it is the baby. However, friends and MW have told me it's more like a fluttering/bubbling feeling lower down at first, which i don't seem to have had. Although I have IBS, so it could be tricky to tell the difference.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I am 23 weeks, 2nd baby and am still yet to feel anything in the ribs.

Since 19 weeks, I have started gradually felt them getting higher and the highest now are just above my belly button, but to the front. And they are only very recently turning to 'jabs'. I do think at your stage it should be a lot lower down. Weeks 18 - 21 for me were more like a prodding of my bladder..

Congratulations on pregnancy

Thanks for your reply fairyfeatures
I was expecting to feel it further down first, so it's been really strange to get this feeling in my ribs. The baby has been a right little wriggler during scans (I've had to have three as it was moving too much at 12 weeks for the MW to take measurements), so perhaps it's just dancing all over the place.

Your uterus won't be anywhere near your ribs just yet. I think, so don't quote me on this, that your uterus doesn't reach your belly button until about 24 weeks. As the baby is located inside your uterus he/she can only move about as much as the uterus allows.

Could it be a muscle twitch/spasm? They feel almost identical to early movement (to me anyway)

I'm 19+2 and have had a similar feeling under the ribs. I put it down to indigestion / trapped wind. I have felt the baby move (I think), but much lower down and as a sort of fluttery rolling feeling.

I had this (rib flare) on my first pregnancy, around 16-26 weeks, but havent had it this time so far (18 weeks now). Apparently it's the baby literally stretching your rib cage and only happens on the first pregnancy.

Are you quite narrow? I was (i stress, WAS!!) as in my bra was a size 30 across the back. I was told it was more common if you had a narrow frame. My back has never 'retreated' in size, i'm a 34/36 now. SIGH.

Thanks for your comments everyone.

I'm really confused as it definitely feels like movement and something poking me, but I understand it seems too high for the baby to be there at this point. I get trapped wind a lot and this feels different. I guess I'll just have to wait a couple of weeks until my 20 week scan.

I'm not particularly narrow ChicaMomma - 32/34 - but guess rib flare could still be happening.

I'm 28 weeks and have only started to get rib kicks past two days everything before was lower down x

i wouldnt say it's too high, the baby is generally a bit higher around this gestation as the uterus moves up. 32/34 is narrow enough. It's horrible, but i found yoga stretching movements really helped.

Ribs at that stage is usually ligament and muscles relaxing causing jabbing feelings. Way too early to be baby. Im 31 weeks and only started feeling actual movement near my ribs within the last couple of weeks, was the same with my previous pregnancy.

I'm 18+6 and quite narrow too and have been getting this mostly on the right hand side for the past few days. I'm finding moving around helps but it does get rather uncomfortable.

I was going to say yes, DS did this for about 8 week non stop, but not that early.

*weeks

Well rib flare isnt caused by the baby per se, as in, not from kicking and the like- just from everything getting bigger and pushing the ribs out.. at least that is what i was told!