Rib pain in the morning, and a soft spot near your navel

You sit up in bed and there it is again. A dull ache under your left breast, every single morning. By afternoon you've forgotten it. Next day, back.

Then you run your hand over your bump and notice something else. Everything feels tight and firm, except a small soft patch around your navel. Nothing hurts enough to call the doctor. Just enough to make you google at midnight.

The rib pain

Your baby needs space, and your ribs are giving it up. As your uterus grows, it presses up under your ribcage, leaving the ribs less room to move when you breathe. Heavier breasts pull on your upper back and chest. A whole night in one position stiffens all of it, so it greets you first thing. Heartburn and gas sit in the same place and feel much the same.

Sitting up straight, a soft supportive bra with wide straps, pillows at night, and slow deep breathing with gentle side stretches all help.

The soft spot

Your abdominal muscles separate down the middle to make room for your baby. Around the navel, that gap can feel soft while the rest of your bump feels tight.

Sometimes there is also a small umbilical hernia, where a bit of tissue pushes through. It feels like a soft lump and is often harmless in pregnancy. Show it to your doctor at your next visit so she can put a hand on it and tell you what it is.

Don't wait if

Rib pain turns severe, or comes with a headache, swelling in your hands or face, or changes in your vision. That needs checking the same day.

Go to the hospital straight away if the soft area becomes hard, red or very painful, or you get sudden bad tummy pain with vomiting.

In short

Both are common, and both come down to the same thing. A baby is growing in a space that was never built to hold one.

Mention them at your next visit anyway. You will feel much better once someone has looked.