shooting pain when engaging abdominal muscles?

[sanguine_speed]

I had this occasionally during my third pregnancy, and now with my fourth pregnancy this symptom has become more pronounced. Often, when I bend in such a way as to engage my abdominal muscles, I feel a pinching, shooting, snappy pain, always very quick and painful and always on my left side of my abdomen, slightly higher than my belly button. It happens very suddenly and sort of feels like an electrical shock, but a big one, not a little prickly one. It happens when I bend forward, such as reaching my neck and head over my kids' loft beds to give them a kiss. I don't do crunches etc...this is happening with everyday living stuff.
Does anyone know what this is? It's really bizarre. It's not round ligament pain or pelvic girdle pain or any other muscley-achey pain. Just this snappy, electrical shock-like pain. Any ideas? I'm hoping to discover whether this is a normal pregnancy symptom. I'll mention it to my midwife when I see her next, but am looking for information in the meantime. I am not concerned enough yet to call the on-call midwife.

[tngirl11]

I have the same thing! I have no idea what it is, but I get it on the right side of my belly, a few inches to the right of my belly button. It's totally weird, and it makes me jump. I haven't been able to figure out exactly what movements cause it, because sometimes a certain movement will cause it but later not cause it, KWIM? The really odd thing is that I'm a pilates instructor and am still teaching and doing pilates regularly, and it's never once happened during pilates class. I would think that it would with all of the ab work. So if anyone else knows what it is, I'll be interested to find out!