For several weeks I wake anywhere from one to three times a night with my left arm completely numb, even though I'm not sleeping on it. It's happened once or twice in the evening when I'm not asleep. Even though I do the easy version (top leg in front) when I do a side plank on my left it hurts pretty bad and now for the past few days my wrist/hand has been in pretty bad pain. I can't open jars, turn the doorknob, if I pick LO up a certain way it hurts, etc. I'm like 90% sure this is carpal tunnel....anyone else have any experience, advice or a positive story about it disappearing g after birth?
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Yup! It was awful. Same as you described - I couldn't open jars, get a good grip on certain things...and my fingers felt stiff. I described it more as arthritis than CTS, but that's probably more accurate. It does go away quickly after delivery!
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I get it and it does go away after birth! I was trying to unscrew some window coverings yesterday, and it took me like an hour to do 3 screws because it hurt so badly. I have had it in both pregnancies though.
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@Rockies11: I didn't have it last time and it's also not in my dominant hand which goes against what Dr Google says but I haven't tweaked it or anything and it's been kind of a slow build to this point so I don't know what else it could be!
Glad to hear it goes away! That's my main concern lol
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mine's in both hands although it's worse in my dominant hand. they def go numb when I sleep at night, and then I have trouble with screwing and unscrewing motions and they ache a bit. I only get it in the third tri, really.
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@Mrs. Sunshine: I started getting it in my right hand a few weeks ago. I find it varies from day to day, on my worst day I couldn't grib or lift anything! Icing my hand/thumb in the evenings helps. Apparently wrist braces can help too. A friend had it during her pregnancy, and it did go away after!
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Sort of! I was fine while pregnant, but I got it after birth. I think the cold weather and the strain of picking up LO many times a day did it... it stuck around for a couple of months, then slowly went away. Hope yours doesn't stick around for very long! Maybe your doctor knows of duke exercises to reduce it?
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I had it. It went away postpartum after my swelling did. So not immediately, but within a month it was gone.
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I had it with my first pregnancy. Since it's related to swelling I found drinking lots of water and eating really clean helped a lot. At least it helped enough to motivate me to drink water and eat cleanly.
If you really want to keep planking I would try doing it on your fists to avoid bent wrists.
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Yes, I had it during my first pregnancy. It started about a month before I gave birth and it lasted 7 months PP. I had to wear wrist braces and I took anti inflammatory meds. It did not return during pregnancy 2!
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ugh, yes and it was terrible
it did go away shortly after birth and when all the swelling went away but it was really awful. so sorry! -
Try googling "nerve glide exercises", not wearing anything heavy or tight on your wrists and wearing wrist braces at night. I had a mix of nerve pain, de Quervains and carpal tunnel and that's what the Hand Therapist I saw recommended for me.
Hope you feel better soon!
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@Corduroy: I'm not against stopping the planks but I'll see if using my fist helps, thanks!
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Can you wear a wrist guard? Friends of mine have had to, since we are on computers all day
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Yes, it was awful
But it got a lot better right after birth and totally went away within a few weeks. My OB actually couldn't operate when she was pregnant, hers was so bad.
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Yep, I got it around week 34 I think. I wore wrist braces/splints when I slept. I think its recommended 24/7 but in August I was already hot enough and the thought of more skin being covered was unbearable lol.
It went away after birth. Not immediately, but quickly enough that I don't remember it being a nuisance with the baby. -
@Mrs. Sunshine: I got it after pregnancy and it didn't really go away until after all weaned. I wore wrist braces to sleep and when driving long distances, and sometimes at work if I had a typing- heavy day. Good luck!
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I had it and it did go away after delivery! I found icing was really the only way to help and also of course avoiding triggers, like dish washing! Seriously. It was super painful after washing dishes.
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Mine went away right away after delivery, but it started coming back from the way I was breastfeeding! Now that I am more used to bfing and I noticed the discomfort starting in my wrists, I can be more aware of how I position and hold my hands. Honestly I think it was also from using my phone so much during feeds as well! From my preliminary google search, it's actually common, especially with the cross cradle hold!
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Yes, it really hurt! I think it started around 30 weeks, and it actually got worse after I delivered at 35 weeks. It took at least a month to finally go away, thankfully!
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I did at the end of my pregnancy. I haven't noticed it at all since delivering though.
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Oooh yeah I had it really bad with my pregnancy. It started in my second tri and I had to find a way to sleep on my side but with a pillow behind my back so I could roll back a little and take the pressure off my arm. Also had numb hands on and off all day so had to wear wrist braces. My yoga teacher would have me do downward dog on my forearms, no bent wrists. It did go away about two weeks after I delivered but came back for a while when bah started gaining weight.
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I had it during the 3rd trimester and it lasted until 5 months or so PP. It gradually decreased until one day I noticed it didn't bother as much. It was very severe and I had to sleep with braces. After I had DD though I couldn't wear the braces effectively because of the many diaper changes and constant hand washing. It's a terrible feeling to always have aching hands. I had to get medicine for it but the medicine that worked made me so sleepy! So glad the pain eventually went away. I don't miss that at all and am so scared it will return with future pregnancies.
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@Kimberlybee: Can I ask what medication you took? I think I will have it for sure with future pregnancies since I had it so bad with LO1. Would love to know about more treatment options for the future.
I also had to sleep with wrist braces on. My friend who is an OT told me I should get the kind that immobilize the thumb as well, so I will try that next time.
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I had it with my twins. I had to wear wrist guards at night to keep it from waking me up. It went away quickly after delivery
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@lady grey: I took naproxen as needed and flexeril occassionally, when it was just too much pain because for me the pain would vary from day to day. I didn't like the side effects of flexeril so I tried not to take it that often. It made me sleepy and irritable. I really hope I don't get again but that's just me wishing upon a star.
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I just self-diagnosed myself with this. I'm almost 19 weeks. It's primarily my right/dominant wrist. It seems to be worst when I'm sleeping, not sure the reason for that though. I'm on the train now and thought a window was open blowing snow on me. No, just a tingly wrist. Awesome. Let me know if you find anything that helps!
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@LindsayInNY: oh yeah this is totally self diagnosed on my part lol
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I had this my first pregnancy (office job on a computer 9 hours a day) and I wore wrist braces to bed Every night. It helped with those sensations. It didn't go away right after birth but it did eventually when I wasn't thinking about it. This time so far no major problems. In bed holding my phone my right wrist starts getting tingly but if I put the phone down it gets better.
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Oh gosh yes, and in both hands. It was by far one of the worst part of pregnancy for me. I wore wrist splints on both hands for months. It helps if you have someone rub your forearm from your wrist towards your elbow because it gets the fluid moving. The splints were also lifesaver. I think next time, if I get it, I am going to look into getting some sort of compression sleeves for my forearms.
I'm sorry. Hang in there.
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