Defending My Rib

I remember several months ago, about the time I first started feeling baby boy move, my friend Darcy was complaining about her baby kicking her ribs.  At the time, I felt something tickling my ribs & figured it must be the same feeling.  Darcy had her baby in in August.

As time as moved along, I've learned that what I was feeling was definitely a tickling sensation.

Lately, I've found myself resting my hand on the right side my stomach - in a defensive position. He seems to be partial to my right rib.

Once, Dean & I were driving when baby lodged his foot in my rib, pressing up & out.  I wanted Dean to know what it felt like, so I tried to grab him under the rib & pull.  I know, I know... that wasn't exactly "nice" but I think having a baby inside you makes you think that it's relatively easy to replicate the experience in others.  There just isn't much space underneath anyone's rib cage to pull.  (Sorry honey!)

The other morning, I could feel the baby nestled on the left side of my belly when I got up to go to the bathroom.  I lay back down on my left side and he resumed his position but this time with his foot pressing out into the right side rib cage.  My hand automatically moved to it's defensive position and began pushing his foot out of the rib.  He pushed against my hand for a moment, then his foot retreated so I relaxed a little bit too.  Then, he kicked my hand... THWACK!  At once, both surprised & shocked, I just started to giggle - I didn't move my hand, though.  

THWACK!

THWACK!

What's up baby boy?!

THWACK!

I rolled over on my back, giggling, which made my belly shake.  I'm of the opinion that shaking dislodged his foot from my ribs and probably frightened him into immobility because there was a cease fire in the attack on my ribs... at least for the rest of the night.

Baby really likes my ribs.