Pregnancy stretches just about every part of your body to the max — including, for some moms-to-be, the rib cage. The result: an achy side and rib pain that may not go away, even when you change positions.
Here’s what causes rib pain during pregnancy and how to ease the ache.
Is rib pain during pregnancy normal?
Yes, rib pain is a normal and fairly common pregnancy symptom, and usually not a reason to worry.[1]
What causes rib pain during pregnancy?
Rib pain tends to crop up in the second and third trimesters, especially near the end of your pregnancy, as your belly — and everything else — stretches to accommodate your growing baby. Pain in your ribs can even surface as early as the first trimester.
There are a few possible causes of rib pain during pregnancy, including:
- Hormones. The same pregnancy hormones that are responsible for loosening your joints — especially that aptly named hormone, relaxin — can sometimes cause the ribs to expand.[2] This is welcome news to your lungs (which are already short on space) and uterus (which won’t stop growing), but not to your achy ribs and side.
- Inflammation. The cartilage attached to your ribs can loosen and expand during pregnancy, causing inflammation (read: pain) in the area.
- Increased pressure from the uterus. As your uterus continues to expand — and your breasts keep getting bigger — your rib cage may be, quite literally, under some pressure.
- Baby’s kicks. Your little contortionist may have sunk a foot into your ribs, and (surprise!) she packs a powerful punch.
How do I relieve rib pain during pregnancy?
You don’t have to wait until delivery day to feel better. Use these tips to ease rib pain.
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- Wear loose clothing. A too-tight shirt or dress can add more pressure to your already-aching ribs. Stick to maternity dresses, loose sweaters and extra-long tanks and T-shirts.
- Take a bath. A warm (not hot) bath can ease many of the aches and pains of pregnancy. Not sure you can safely climb out of a bathtub? Try a heating pad instead.
- Find a different position. If your baby is a, well, pain in the ribs, try to change her position by changing yours. Try bouncing on an exercise ball or doing a few pelvic tilts.
- Wear a belly-support band. Belly-support bands are designed to help redistribute the weight around your growing middle. While they’re primarily used to ease round ligament pain, they can also help take the pressure off your straining abdomen, which may be pulling on your ribs and causing pain.
- Take Tylenol. If you’ve tried every home remedy for rib pain to no avail, ask your doctor if you can take Tylenol (acetaminophen).
How does rib pain change during pregnancy?
In the early stages of pregnancy, you may not experience any rib pain at all. Some women, however, will feel rib pain during the later stages of their pregnancy when their body starts to stretch in earnest. Here’s how rib pregnancy can change as the months progress:
- First trimester: Because rib pain is often caused by an ever-expanding body — particularly a uterus that keeps stretching to accommodate a growing baby — it doesn’t tend to occur in the first trimester. By the end of the first trimester, it’s likely that your baby weighs only an ounce or less. What’s more, many women don’t gain very much weight in the first few months of their pregnancies. Those who have morning sickness may even lose a few pounds.
- Second trimester: As your baby continues to grow, you may experience some rib pain and shortness of breath, which crops up as your growing uterus pushes up against your diaphragm and compresses your lungs.
- Third trimester: Rib pain tends to continue later in pregnancy, when the uterus is expanding in earnest and putting more pressure on the ribs. Your baby is also growing bigger — and likely throwing a few jabs or kicks into your ribs too.
The good news: In the weeks before you deliver, your baby often gets ready for birth by dropping into the pelvis, which takes the pressure off your ribs (and keeps them safe from any stray kicks).
When to call the doctor about rib pain
If you have concerns about rib pain or nothing seems to be helping, it’s a good idea to call your doctor.
Call, too, if you’re having rib pain in your upper abdomen, particularly if it’s flaring up under the ribs on the right side of your body. Pain that appears in this area is a possible symptom of preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that’s characterized by high blood pressure. Other signs of preeclampsia include severe headaches, changes in vision, and nausea.
Preeclampsia likely won’t go away until after your baby is born, and until then, it’s important that you’re treated for it.
If you do have preeclampsia, your doctor will likely recommend regular blood and urine tests, and ask you to monitor your blood pressure levels. Depending on how severe your condition is, you may need to take BP meds or receive treatment in the hospital.
Remember, it’s never wrong to ask your health care team about any kind of pain. Your practitioner will likely recommend at-home remedies or if they’re concerned they’ll have you come in for an ultrasound.
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