Question for the moms..
 

I'm about 30 weeks pregnant, and I've been experiencing really sharp pains towards the center of my ribs. When I went in for my last dr appt, I was told that basically, as the baby is growing and pushing all my insides around, that he's also making my ribs flare out to try to make room.

My question is this: Have any of you experienced this? Any ideas for relief? They told me there's really nothing I can do about it and that I should pretty much get used to it, but when it hurts bad enough that I can't stand to breathe, and it lasts for a really long time, I don't want to accept that. Heh.

Any help, ideas, or advice would be GREATLY appreciated. :)

I don't recall feeling anything like that when I was pregnant. I did have a harder time breathing when I was pregnant with my daughter, I carried her very high apparently. The only thing I could do was take it slower and catch my breath. But this does not sound like what you are feeling. If you are unhappy with the answer the doctor gave you, I'd ask him again. You don't need to be feeling this way for another 10 weeks. I am sorry I could not help you much.

Don't accept that as an answer -- Get a second opinion or a third opinion.

Not to really worry you - -but if it's a sharp stabbing pain in the area of your pelvis it could be a sign of something that needs attenion immediately.

Has the doctor done any ultra sounds yet -- to rule out possibly an ectopic pregnancy?

Ectopics wouldn't go that long, so that's not a worry.
Lots of things are going to hurt. The body produces a hormone while pregnant that allows the bone connections to loosen-cartilidge, ligaments, etc., all stretch and areas will hurt. The baby's head is up under the ribs now, so they'd hurt, sometimes feeling like a sharp pinch. Hips might hurt too as will your knees sometimes.
You will also get some cramps that first time pg'ers think are labor; they're called Braxton-Hicks contractions.
Not sure how you lie down; I was told to at least start on the left when (trying to) go to sleep. Since I carried twins, I was pretty stretched out and could feel parts of their bodies in the third trimester. If the baby is hurting your ribs, maybe her head is there-feel around gently and if you feel what might be her head, massage it and she'll move! That really worked to get the weight off my ribs.

It's not in my pelvis, and everything's going fine, we're having a baby boy, haven't had ANY complications, and apparently I've been pretty lucky.

NG, I usually sleep on my left side, still kind of on my stomach. It's really the only way I'm comfortable. SOMEtimes when I feel that pain, if I put my hand where it hurts and push down some (towards my feet) it helps, but not always. Then if I sit back down again it comes back. Hasn't happened the past couple of days (after two weeks nonstop!) so I'm thinking that what you said is exactly right. He just thinks it's fun to push on mommy's insides. I figure if that's the worst thing I have to deal with during pregnancy, I'm pretty lucky. Lots of my friends/family haven't been so lucky

This happened to my sister when she was pregnant, and I don't know of anything that helped her. It could be a pinched nerve...I got a pinched sciatic nerve when I was pregnant and the pain would bring me to tears sometimes. Could it be heartburn? I got horrible heartburn towards the end of my pregnancy, basically the weight of the baby pushes stomach acid up and it just sits there. My doctor told me to try liquid maalox for the heartburn...perhaps you could try that next time the pain happens and see if it helps. Pregnancy definitely can cause discomfort, but the end result is worth it :)

That happens to me, and I'm not pregnant. The best way to get rid of it, I've noticed, is breathing out all the air in your ribs...and then hold it. Then slowly begin to breathe again.

(Does that make sense?)

My brother did this to my mom when she was carrying him. He was so big and she was so tiny he had nowhere else to go.

Also, sometimes gas can cause that kind of pain in weird spots when you're pregnant (at least according to my mother) and heartburn is also common.

Yeah, he likes to kick up against my pelvis, which hurts like hell, but usually whenever he kicks that hurts a lot, I can massage him into a new position. I've been pretty lucky and haven't had heartburn or a lot of things that I was told I'd encounter. I also don't have the gestational diabetes that has pretty much run in my family, so I'm counting my blessings. The worst that I've had since I got pregnant (besides the first 17 weeks) was last week I somehow ended up with a bladder infection AND a stomach flu AND this 'rib flaring' that I was told is probably happening.

I really think that what causes the pain is his head, butt, whatever, pushing up under my ribs. Too bad that there's no happy cure for it, but I'm glad that I'm not the only one who's had to deal with it. If that's the worst I have to deal with with this son, I'll consider myself REALLY lucky. Haha.

rib expansion is common. My wife went from a 35 inch to a 38 inch chest after two kids and it ain't going back

Yay, I think he must have dropped some because my ribs aren't in constant pain anymore!! He's back to kicking at my bladder again. Heh. Dunno which is worse.. constantly having to pee, or the rib pain. hehe.

I'm glad to hear it's a common thing.. I don't feel like such a weirdo now. :)