numb hands

[jaceycat24]

i keep getting numb hands when i sleep or read a book. today i was making bead braclets with dd and my hand went numb so we would have to take a break and come back after hand felt better. anyone else getting this and anything i could do to help it?

[baby duck]

I've had this problem since the second trimester. Been told that it is because of the way the babe is sitting and that I will return to normal after he is born.

Sorry that I couldn't be more help. Maybe someone else will come along with advice for both of us.

[Nate'sMama]

Mine get all funky every once and a while too. I just have to shake it off. I chaulk it up to beacoup blood hanging out in there.

Silly visual for everyone - I actually put my hands above my head straight up and shake them around for about 20 seconds. I think I learned that on Sesame Street

[emilysometimes]

numb hands

It's most likely carpal tunnel syndrome. It often flares up during pregnancy due to the pressure exerted on the nerves by all the extra fluid we're carrying around. I started feeling the tingle, and shooting pains up to my shoulders, during my first trimester. I wasted a couple hundred bucks on a doctor who said he could do nothing till the 36th week before I found acupuncture. I think it took 8 treatments- going once a week, then every two weeks, and I'm cured! I go about once a month now. I HIGHLY recommend acupuncture as long as you find a good practitioner who knows what spots to avoid on a pregnant woman.

[symesa]

I'm not sure how long you have to go -- but you can get some wrist braces at the drugstore which will keep your wrists in the optimal position to allow for circulation. The swelling around your carpal tunnel is very common in pregnancy.

If you have time for acupunture, try it. Oh, and there are several yoga exercises that can help too.

[natty529]

i have this too... i hate it. i think it's carpal tunnel- apparently it will go away when the baby arrives.

[Intertwined]

It's driving me MAD but there is no cure for me until I get the 11 pounds of baby off my nerves.

[merry-mary]

Originally Posted by natty529

i have this too... i hate it. i think it's carpal tunnel- apparently it will go away when the baby arrives.

Not necessarily. With my first pregnancy, I had the occasional numbness and it stuck around for a month or so after the baby was born. It happened mostly when I was sleeping - I'd wake up and the hand would be numb. It did go away soon after that though.

[symesa]

Originally Posted by natty529

i have this too... i hate it. i think it's carpal tunnel- apparently it will go away when the baby arrives.

It goes away (maybe) after all the swelling has subsided. NOT right after the baby arrives. I literally could not latch my baby on to my breast for the first 2 weeks, and couldn't hold her on for at least another 4-5 weeks after that. It was hideous!

[emilysometimes]

Symesa-
That's awful! I really feel for you. My carpal tunnel is gone, but I have crazy wrist pain (completely different from the CTS). I really, really hope it clears up soon after Mimi is born.

[GiGiQ]

I wear a wrist brace and try to stay really hydrated to keep swelling under control and that helps. Doesn't cure it completely, but helps.

[merry-mary]

Originally Posted by symesa

It goes away (maybe) after all the swelling has subsided. NOT right after the baby arrives. I literally could not latch my baby on to my breast for the first 2 weeks, and couldn't hold her on for at least another 4-5 weeks after that. It was hideous!

YES! That was my experience! I didn't catch the correlation until you just mentioned this. I was still pretty swollen in the ankles, knees, wrists and fingers for about 4-5 weeks postpartum ... and once the swelling went down/away, so did the numbness.

[jaceycat24]

i have some swelling in my feet and legs. i am drinking lots of water so i hope it goes away once baby comes.