OUCH! Pain in ribs-almost 37weeks

[SummerLynn]

I am 36w5d and today I have this odd pain/sensation by my ribs on my left side just below my breast. I can only explain it as if the skin/muscles are being ripped from where they are supposed to be? like a pulling twinging pain. I'm very big (or so I have been told) so I'm wondering if its simply that my fundal height has reached max capacity and is starting to pull things? Anyone else experience this? I wish I could explain it better...

[MaerynPearl]

could it be that baby is trying to stretch and get some extra room perhaps?

i had that happen too but to be honest i dont remember what my doctor told me it was.

[iggymom]

I have already been dealing with the same pain for over a week now, and I'm only 29 weeks, eek. I did some looking online, but there's no real cut and dry reason for the pain, other than maybe the baby is tucked under that side and pressure is being put on those ribs.
My midwives had no recommendations, but when I was looking online I saw some sites mention putting pillows behind the small of your back when sitting, to make you arch your back which stretches the front out some and can relieve the pressure. Another thing mentioned was to lift that arm up when sitting/lying down to stretch even more.

Hope something works for you.

[josie423]

Is your baby head down? I've read that having a breech baby in late pregnancy can cause a lot of rib pain because of where the head is.

[SummerLynn]

Yea, he is head down and has been for weeks. I'm going to try the pillow trick in hopes of at least some momentary relief. Ugh, all the aches and pains are making me insane.

[JorgieGirl]

I suffered rib pain from 4 months on during my last pregnancy. Very similar to what you are describing. (Actually, here's the thread I posted on it 2 years ago: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=834610) One side only, just under the breast.

I was diagnosed with costochondritis. A swelling of the intercostal tissues that connect the ribs to the sternum. It happens most often in athletes and goes indiagnosed often in pregnant women. It can be excruciatingly painful and there's not much that can be done. I never found anything to help aside from delivering my baby. As soon as she was born though, the pain was gone. So, hopefully, if this is what it is for you, you wont have much longer to go.

[1babysmom]

I get it to, in the 3rd tri of each pregnancy (and my babies are always head down very early on). It's worst for me when I'm laying on my side, so I always have to put my top arm back down behind me and sort of "stretch" the area. But sometimes it gets really bad even when I'm upright. It feels like a bruised rib but not EXACTLY like a bruised rib, if that makes sense.