How to know when a pain is ok

[G1988]

I'm 28+5 and I've been experiencing what I thought was various normal pregnancy aches and pains but a new one developed tonight and when doing a little research I've frightened myself into worrying that some of them are bad signs that I should be worried about. I guess I'm looking for reassurance that I'm right to not be worried about them...

At times it feels like little lady is pulling my bump forward and stretching my skin too much. I can't lay down at all when this happens which has resulted in many a night of no sleep. Is the not being able to lay down at all anything to worry about?

I thought she was enjoying sitting under my right rib but now I've read pain here could be a sign of pre-eclampsia. I had midwife on Friday and both urine and bloods were fine. So surely nothing to worry about?

I've been getting tightenings at the top of my bump, I know contractions are at the bottom so put it down to little lady's position again. Anything to be concerned about? Some posts say it could be braxton hicks but some say they are lower down. Any ideas?

My vagina just feels different, kind of swollen/ hard but not in a bad way and just going for a wee feels different. Anyone else noticed this?

Sorry for going on, as I said above I just want to know that I'm right in thinking these are normal changes as I'm starting to doubt myself.

[Mummyme87]

All normal things

[engineeringmummy]

As Foggymist said if your mid wife tested urine for protein and checked your blood pressure it is unlikely to be preeclampsia. The pain in the right rib would be more concerning if baby was entirely on the left and it had been a while since your last test.

As for stretching and pulling, I thpught the same as you early on. Now I can see it completely normal snd continues as baby grows. I found it to be worse in clusters of growth spurts.

The important thing is not to be concerned. If you have a feeling that something is not right bring it up at your next appointment or leave a non urgent message. There is nothing worse that sitting on Google working yourself up to possible causes. Best to outright ask the professionals who know your pregnancy better, than sit and have doubts!

[Foggymist]

Loads of women posting about swollen bits here and on fb groups I'm on recently. I have this and never questioned it, it's obviously from the extra blood supply and the weight and pressure of baby above it.

Again I also get pains across the top of my bump, for me it's just baby moving, uterus stretching, probably a form of braxton hicks. They don't specifically have to be down lower, your uterus goes up quite high so they can be anywhere around that.

If your urine and blood pressure is fine it's not pre eclampsia, can just be baby hurting rib. Other symptoms of pre e are sudden swelling, headaches, visual disturbances, but protein in urine and high bp would be the main indicators.

I can't lie flat at all without feeling like I'm being crushed and a bit dizzy, makes sense to me too so never quedtioned it.