Painful movement (of the baby)

For the last couple of days the baby's movements have been painful for me. Not all of them, but many. It's like he rolls or something and scrapes an elbow or a knee against my insides as he rolls. You can actually see it from the outside sometimes too. Like a bump sliding across my stomach. It just a few seconds but sometimes I almost double over from the pain.
Is this just par for course? (My girls never moved this much.) Or is this something to see the doctor about? The only thing that I can think of is maybe there isn't enough fluid to cushion his movements?

edited because I wrote babies instead of baby's--I'm still not used to using the singular!

 

I looked around a little on the internet, and the only thing I can find is a LOT of other women asking the same question on message boards--so it must not be uncommon. One women even perfectly described what I've been feeling.
It seems more common in subsequent pregnancies and the only explaination seems to be having more relaxed abdominal muscles allows the baby to move more.

My abdominal muscles are relaxed if they are anything!

 

From my experience, I'd have to say it's normal. Sam was a party animal!! It was often not very comfortable at all.

 

Sometimes if I get a similar pain in my abs I try to tighten them up and hold while taking a few deep breaths. That usually convinces the peanut to pull back in the knee/elbow/head.

 

It's not normal for me...but unfortunately I have the same thing happening in this pregnancy. None of my other babies did this, but this little boy is just shoving his butt out or feet in really painful ways. I know that it happens with other women. In fact, I know someone who actually had a broken rib due to their little boy kicking her so hard.

 

This one doesn't do it often but he has done it a few times, usually if I change my position he will stop. My oldest DD was my party animal, she seemed to move almost constantly.

 

I have read various suggestions on how to make your baby move to a different position, which could help. Something like holding your arm up over your head, taking deep breaths, laying on a side, etc. Otherwise I think the baby is just in a sore spot for you... I hope you get some relief soon!

 

Unfortunately it seems to happen when I'm standing, like when I'm in the middle of giving class! At least it's only a week and a half until Christmas break.