Rib pain – baby’s position or heartburn?

[Anonymous]

I am 28 weeks pregnant and for the past several weeks I have had really bad pain up under the left side of my ribs. It sometimes migrates to my back, right behind my left side ribs. At first I thought this was just my uterus expanding or the position of the baby, but I have also had horrible heartburn (waking up in the middle of the night with a mouthful of stomach acid no matter what or when I eat!) and even when if feels like the baby has changed positions, I still have the pain. Does anyone else have this problem and have you found any solutions? It is driving me insane especially at work when I am stuck behind my desk.

[Anonymous]

I don't seem to have heartburn, but I had a similar sort of pain with DC#1 and it is starting with DC#2--almost 20 weeks. Unfortunately, I think it is just your ribs stretching. For me with my first child, I think is started to go away later in the preg. when baby starts dropping. Other than that, nothing worked except maybe sitting in more of a reclined posiiton which is not really possible at work, etc.

I know I asked my OB about it and he just sort of blew it off. And I think all the worrisome stuff--gallbladder, appendix, etc is on the right side. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

DS#1 had his foot stuck under my rib for the last 8 weeks of my first pregnancy - it was miserably painful (so much so that it brought me to tears sometimes). Stretching my arms over my head would sometimes offer temporary relief, but as soon as I put them down, the pain would return. You can put ice on it to numb, and take tylenol when it's just unbearable. (DS still has a mark on his toe where it was stuck - his only birthmark). I feel for you - that was the worst part of that pregnancy for me

[Anonymous]

My daughter wedged her foot up near my lungs because there was room there. (my doctor explained that.) I found that if I poked her in the foot a few times, she'd eventually move it. Hope that doesn't constitute pre-natal child abuse! Babies are resourceful - they will find space anywhere they can. Almost as annoying for me was when I could feel her little hand move across my bladder, because that made me have to pee really badly.

Also annoying - I felt like I had a hernia from where her head would press up against my uterus. That spot would get very sore and strained-feeling.

good luck - you'll be done soon!

[Anonymous]

I had this and it turned out the baby was breech. I'd ask about the baby's position at your next appt if I were you.

[Anonymous]

I had this as well. My DS was breech until 34 weeks and lodged right up under my ribs. It was unbelievably painful. My OB ended up ordering an ultrasound just to check it out, but it just confirmed that, yes, his head was lodged there. Once he turned round the pain went away completely. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I had a similar pain. Very early; about 15 weeks. OB said it was unusually early, but a common pain. It comes from ribs stretching. It lasted about two weeks and then went away. Tylenol before bed helped a little bit, but otherwise I just had to wait it out.