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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

pain under right side of rib cage??

60 replies

misdee · 16/11/2004 22:03

has been there a few days now. very uncomfortable. surely the baby cant be that high up already (25 weeks?).

OP posts:

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blossomhill · 16/11/2004 22:08

could it be a foot or hand maybe?

colditzmum · 16/11/2004 22:09

I had that too. Have you been doing anything remotely physical? It is very easy to "pull" yourself when pg. Also maybe baby has long legs and has decided his/her toe is quite comfortable there .

Original poster

misdee · 16/11/2004 22:09

i have no idea. i dont have much of a bump, and remember this pain with previous pregnancies but not this early. i'm sure that the babies grow instead of outward with me. i dont really look pregnant, just a bit fatter.

OP posts:

codswallop · 16/11/2004 22:10

isntthat your liver?

Original poster

misdee · 16/11/2004 22:10

up instead of outward.

OP posts:

gingernut · 16/11/2004 22:11

I had this from about 20 weeks - was worried at first but in the end decided it was the baby (his bottom I think) jammed up against the top of my bump. I suppose he was just exerting an upwards pressure which I felt in my ribs, IYSWIM. I find if I lie down on my left hand side he usually shifts a bit and I feel more comfortable.

froot · 16/11/2004 22:41

message withdrawn

nightowl · 17/11/2004 01:30

had this one both sides in both pg from about 5 months. doctors never found out what it was so i just assumed unfortunatly its something i get. (but then i never "bloom" in pg anyway, i dont think it suits me!) sorry to be no help whatsoever!

scubamum2b · 17/11/2004 03:11

This my reply to a similar post incase tou have not seen it - The rib flare pain if my memory is correct was worst around 30wks.

if it hurt without the kicks it could be rib flare - stretch the arm of the side it hurt over your head. Also the kidney is just by the lower ribs and a UTI can hurt there without hurting to go for a pee.
I have experienced both, (UTI pain lower than rib flare) the last UTI was extremley painful whereas the rib flare has been uncomfortable with the stretching and walking around easing the pain. If it is rib flare it should ease as the baby moves further down the pelvis and engages - well that what I have been told by the physio and I have had less (now 34wks)

Spacecadet · 17/11/2004 15:21

This is most likely caused by the softening of the ligaments which occurs in pregnancy, in order to make way for your growing womb the ligaments connecting your ribcage soften and you can get either sharp pains or a feeling of soreness which can be quite misery inducing.With my recent dd whois now 16 weeks old, the pain started at 20 weeks and I could never get to sleep I also suffered from very painful hips too from about 20 weeks used to sleep padded out by a million cushions, turning over every half an hour!! It is safe to take paracetamol in the recommended dose if the pain is bad, if it is lower down and feels more in your lower back with a soreness in your abdomen, see your gp as its more likely to be a urinary tract infection.

PotPourri · 18/11/2004 11:34

Misdee. You have my sympathies. I have had sore right hand ribs since very early, and a few weeks ago it started getting really bad (I'm currently 38 weeks). I mentioned to the doctor and although she said there is definately tenderness, she has said there is nothing really to be done about it (paracetamol if really bad). Makes sleeping hard, and in fact in the last week it has also been affecting my left hand ribs. I think the baby kicking does not help matters, but am just putting it down to softening ligaments etc.

What I have found to help is - lots of pillows - and I mean LOADS! And during the day sitting upright on a hard backed chair (not sofa). And like scuba says, lifting your arm up can also ease it a little. I am hoping once the baby engages that it will get a bit better, although the softness will still be there, it will be aggravated by little tootsies!!

Good luck with it all - do tell your doctor just in case it's your kidney or a UTI

Bronze · 18/11/2004 11:45

I had severe rib flare with my first. Everyone gets it to a certain extent, its how they know whether a skeleton has had children if you see what I mean but some of us just get pushed around more than others by our little ones.

Sallie · 18/11/2004 11:57

I had this really badly from 22 weeks with ds but not so badly with dd. I wonder whether it is related to physiology as I have quite a short trunk and both babies were quite long. The only way to relieve the pain was to lie down which wasn't very practical given I worked full-time when pg with both! Hope you are able to get some relief from the pain.

chiromum · 20/05/2008 14:56

Hi there,
I have had right sided rib pain for the past week (I'm 34 weeks pregnant), it's sometimes just an ache and other times a sharp stabbing pain which worsens on movement.
I have been diagnosed with costochondritis which is inflammation of the rib joint as it joins the rib cartilage but other causes could be a strained/pulled muscle, liver dysfunction or the baby's postition but it is always wise to get checked out by your Dr or midwife.
I have found that an icepack helps, as does gently raising my arms above my head while I am sitting, failing that try some paracetamol and good luck.

UmmFulaan · 20/05/2008 14:58

ohh i had this from liek 17 weeks, its called rib flare..and it kils!!!

pud1 · 20/05/2008 15:00

i had the same all through from about 20 weeks. went to doctors and he said that it was just pregnancy niggles ( that was worth all that time at uni)

xRHIx · 03/06/2008 20:43

Oh my god,RIB PAIN - Absolute agony! sharp aching pain on the right side. Nothing helps apart from the usual temp. relief that the stretching exercises give. How long did others suffer with this? I'm currently 31 weeks and losing my mind with it!

boolean · 04/06/2008 13:54

God, I am so glad I found this thread!! I went to my GP as I have had this pain and have also been short of breath and they sent me to A&E and I spent the whole day in hospital while they tried to work out if I had a blood clot!! I think this rib flare thing must be what I have and the breathlessness was just a coincidence, which unfortunately meant a day wasted in hospital worrying my head off!!

I am 22 weeks and it is really unbearable already. There is a really tender spot if I press my flesh just on/below right hand rib cage, plus a sharp pain which comes and goes - is this what other people have experienced??

MrsJamin · 04/06/2008 14:02

I had this exact thing, my DS was breech and it was his head. Hope that this isn't the case for you!

xRHIx · 04/06/2008 22:14

well i had my 31/40 check today and babys position is fine. The pain is mental, nothing helps and judging by others, child birth is the only solution. You got my sympathy.

beaufies · 04/06/2008 23:08

I've had exactly the same thing from about 18weeks (I know it's early but it's a big baby and I'm a small person!).

I was going for a private anomoly scan around that time and mentioned it to the obstetrician doing the scan. In simple terms he said it was my ribs being prized apart to make room and pressed a certain spot saying 'is it there' and I nearly went through the roof.

So the long and the short of it is that it's nothing to worry about, is quite normal and sadly will persist for some time, although you can take paracetamol if it gets too much apparently.

Hope this helps

xRHIx · 05/06/2008 20:50

beaufies....at least someone identified it for you until I found this thread I thought it was just me because no one else seemed to know about it. Sleeping on my left side helps loads. Dont know if paracetamol is worth taking as I dont think it makes a difference unfortunately trying to get comfortable is near impossible. Sorry am feeling very sorry for myself here

MrsJamin · 06/06/2008 12:16

I think beaufies is onto something as I'm rather a short person with a short torso - so 'junior' was running out of room even after 20-something weeks. It's meant to get better after they engage as they drop down quite significantly but my DS never did as he was breech, so there was no let-up until the c-section!
(to be quite honest with you I think my rib cage shape has changed forever, it seems to stick out slightly when I feel it (DS is 5 months) )

lilapple · 06/06/2008 14:11

I am 27 weeks tomorrow and since 20 weeks I have been tomented by agonising right sided lower rib pain. It is both burning and stabbing and although it used to go away when lying down, now it is not guaranteed to do so. It is UNBELIEVABLY UNPLEASANT. Takes my breath away. Leaves me sobbing if I have been standing up for more than five minutes or sitting with my back unsupported. Obviously it is completely incapaciating - I can do nothing without ending up very quickly in agony.

I have seen my GP, Midwife, Obstetric Consultant, Orthopaedic Consultant, Physiotherapist, Pregnancy Yoga instructor, Alexander Technique teacher and massage therapist about this. I have also had my gall bladder and right kidney ultrasounded and liver function blood tests done. No one knows what causes the pain.

How am I going to make it to 40 weeks and what if it doesn't go away afterwards?

Can anyone advise me on how best to cope???

appleeater · 06/06/2008 22:19

I am having pains under my ribs on my left hand side. Do people think its the same cause as right handed pain? Am 26 weeks, and have had it since about 20 weeks. Its getting worse almost daily now and have found stretching my left arm up helps, as does lying down flat. Shame I can't spend the day at work with my arm in the air or lying on the floor!

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