Hand falling asleep?

[PerkyKP]

The last few nights my left hand has fallen asleep. I've tried to see if there's a pattern, and it's mostly when I lay on my left side and sometimes when I lay on my right. When I lay on my left, my arm goes under my pillow and straight out from my body. On the right it's propped up on two small pillows that I snuggle with.

If I lay on my back or bend my elbow it slowly goes away.

Does anyone else experience this? My BP and urine have been fine all along. I have felt a bit more 'puffy' in the last few days, and my next MW appt is Tuesday.

ETA - I was just washing some dishes and my hand got all tingly again. It lasted a few minutes and then went away.

[PuppyFluffer]

I have ongoing issues with carpal tunnel syndrome from far too many years of grooming dogs. I counted one time how many times I opened and closed my hand while scissoring the legs of a small poodle and it was over 350 - and that's just one dog! I used to do 8-10 a day!

I find that if I sleep with my wrist curled, I will have a numb hand.

I think pregnany aggravates this issue.

I have read that B vitamins are important for nerve function and that they can be helpful in carpal tunnel.

If you don't have issues with this regularly, I'd just guess it's pressure on the nerve from pregnancy related swelling. Try to find a position that doesn't cause it and sleep that way. I suspect like most of the ailments we are complaining about, birth will fix it!

[Intertwined]

Yes, and it really common though I haven't gotten a definitive answer to "why" it's common. My own theory was that I have so much baby laying on various nerves that run through my back. My chiro said it's because of swelling in my hands. My MW said that she was surprised I'm just now complaining about it! It's better after an adjustment, although I've now got the pads of three of my fingers in my right hand that are almost always numb.

[ecomommy2b]

I also have this problem due to pregnancy related carpal tunnel. I sleep with wrist guards on each arm at night that immobolize my wrists...this eliminates the numbness and pain during the day.

[Breeder]

I wake up with a numb hand almost every morning regardless of how I sleep. Probably just another one of these oh so lovely side effects from carrrying another human inside of you.

[circle vortex]

My arm and hand always is numb in the morning when I wake up. My hands even tingle while holding blowdryer, steering wheel... My chiro adjusted my neck (he said thats a big cause) but it only last a day. I would have to be adjusted daily I think for it to go away.. It is realying annoying in the morning bc I still want to be asleep, but my arm feels like its going to fall off.

[PerkyKP]

Wow, I didn't realize this was so common! Thanks everyone for your replies and reassuring me it's normal.

[merry-mary]

Originally Posted by PerkyKP

The last few nights my left hand has fallen asleep. I've tried to see if there's a pattern, and it's mostly when I lay on my left side and sometimes when I lay on my right. When I lay on my left, my arm goes under my pillow and straight out from my body. On the right it's propped up on two small pillows that I snuggle with.

If I lay on my back or bend my elbow it slowly goes away.

Does anyone else experience this? My BP and urine have been fine all along. I have felt a bit more 'puffy' in the last few days, and my next MW appt is Tuesday.

ETA - I was just washing some dishes and my hand got all tingly again. It lasted a few minutes and then went away.

oh yes. during pregnancy and even a few weeks postpartum, my hands always fall asleep at night!

[symesa]

Very common during pregnancy...and can be VERY VERY painful if it gets severe. I *highly* recommend getting some inexpensive wrist braces at the drug store to wear at night. They keep your wrists in the optimal position for good circulation/blood flow.

I developed severe carpal tunnel during my first pregnancy (starting at the start of the 3rd trimester). By 36 weeks I had to stop working - as I was completely useless at my computer job because I could not feel my hands at all. I couldn't sleep more than 30-45 minutes without having to rouse, stand up and shake out my hands. And then, the pain just got so bad that I'd be screaming every morning from it. It was horrendous! My OB just kept saying -- the only cure is childbirth. But, that wasn't the cure. After I had DD, it took several weeks for the swelling to subside enough for me to hold DD to nurse. I would literally struggle to latch her on, make sure I had enough pillow support under my boob and under DD, and then have to drop my hands to my side to regain any sensation other than PAIN. It was BAD. I really think that played a big role in our troubles with nursing....

Anyway, that was over 3 years ago. I still have some long term residual effects, particularly in my right hand. And I slept with a wrist brace on my left hand for 1 year PP, and 3 years PP on the right. In the last few months, I have stopped wearing the braces most nights...though occasionally I wake in middle of the night and need them on.

I lost a good deal of weight between #1 & #2, which has helped tremendously. Also, this pregnancy has not produced the swelling the first did -- a common occurance for a lot of women.

Good luck!

[chrfath]

I need to go pick up wrist guards as mine has been keeping me up at night. I keep thinking only 4 more weeks, but I really need my sleep. Plus, they get tingly during the day too.