Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Nancy,
    
    During my 7th month of pregnancy I began experiencing numbness in my
    right hand - pins and needles in my fingers all of the time. I had to
    be very careful about picking up things with my right hand as sometimes
    I could not grip properly (like the coffee pot).
    
    My doctor says I had "carpel tunnel" (sp?) which is a pinching of the 
    nerves in the wrist due to swelling.  After my daughter was born the 
    symptoms disappeared.
    

    Nancy,
    My wife experienced something similar but not identical to this with
    her last pregnancy. Hers was diagnosed as pregnancy-related carpal
    tunnel syndrome, and yes, it is related to the fluid buildup. Hers
    never hurt so much as were numb and tingly, but the stiffness at night
    was a real nuisance, she said. It took her about 5-10 minutes in the
    morning to be able to move them functionally. They were also more
    sensitive to temp. changes.  She ended up wearing a splint on her right
    hand at night (the worst hand), which did help a little bit. It went
    away within a day of Daniel's birth.
    
    --dave--

    I, too, experienced this with my first pregnancy.  It was the end of
    April and we had spent the day "walking" around Boston with my family.
    I was due July 21 (but delivered on the 24th of June).  My hands became
    swollen and very sore.  It took me 30 minutes with cold water and soap
    to get my rings off.  I swelled quite a bit once the weather warmed,
    thus the decision that all remaining pregnancies would be timed for the
    colder weather (and my second was born April 14th).  I don't remember
    it being a constant thing, just really bothersome during the muggy
    weather.  One other gross thing - after that day of walking around...I
    got home and took off my sneakers to rest my feet up on the sofa and
    there was so much swelling that my ankles overlapped the sides of the
    shoes!  PREGNANCY!!  Don't ya love it!!!
    
    -sandy
    

    So far, I don't have the numbness and tingling sensation -- I might
    even have thought this could have been brought on by typing at the
    keyboard, but the symptoms first appeared the weekend before Christmas
    and I wasn't working.
    
    My ankles and face don't look swollen.  It just seems to be my hands
    and knees.  It feels more like what I expect arthritis feels like than
    anything else.  Boy, I really envy those women who breeze through their
    pregnancies.  I absolutely love my unborn child and love to feel
    him/her move around, but I am so uncomfortable with the pain, sciatic
    nerve leg problems, etc. etc. that I can't wait til it's born.
    
    Thanks for the responses so far.  Keep 'em coming.  
    
    Nancy

    When you retain fluid, some of it is retained in internal tissues,
    where it isn't visible but where it presses on nerves and tendons,
    etc.  It takes very little extra fluid to put pressure on the
    nerves in the wrists because there isn't much room in the carpal
    tunnel (which is a little hole in the bones through which the
    nerves and tendons that operate your fingers work.)
    
    --bonnie

    Nancy,
    
    I am in my 7th month also and having the same problem with my hands.  I
    had the same problem with my first pregnancy.  It should go away after
    the baby is born, mine did the first time.  (Although it took about 
    4 weeks before I could get my rings back on.)  Now, I am waiting for my
    ankles to start swelling!  Just one of those joys of being pregnant.
    All that you can do is talk to your doctor.
    
    Hope it gets better,
    Penny
    

	I read the basenote and thought "what a classic description of Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome!"

	RE: CTS vs. Arthritis of the wrists. I've had both.  The main difference 
seems to be the timing and the amount of stiffness in the hands.  My arthritis 
is worse in the mornings and evenings but is a constant (if lesser) companion 
during the day. (I have Rheumatoid Arthritis in the wrists as wells as just 
about every other joint ...:-)  With CTS, The stiffness/sorness and any numbness
were confined to the 10-15 min after I woke up.  Also my hands were much stiffer 
during those 10-15 min than they usually are with my RA but once they "loosened
up" they were fine.

	Only your doctor can say for sure but just by the timing I'd say that
the wrists are CTS and the knees are feeling the pressure of 1) the extra weight
and 2) the loosened ligaments.

	If it is CTS, rejoice.  Like so many other things, It'll clear up 
miraculously quickly ince the baby is born.

	Just one damn thing after another, huh? :-) :-)

Tracey

    Just to clarify one thing -- I do not have any stiffness/soreness
    whatsoever in my wrists.  It's only in my hands, and the pain and
    stiffness are worse near the top part of the fingers (near the nail)
    than toward the wrist).  That's why I don't think it's CTS but more
    likely the edema or some type of pregnancy arthritis.
    
    Can you have carpal tunnel without having numbness/tingling or wrist
    pain?
    
    Nancy

    	Nancy,
    
    	During the end of my pregnancy I had the same exact thing you
    	mentioned, except I also had it in my toes.  My fingers really
    	bothered me like it was arthritis.  I never discussed it with
    	my Dr., I had to many other problems.  Miraculously, it went
    	away after about a month after Matthew was born...thank god.  I
    	really thought I had inherited my father's arthritis...
    
    	Hang in there...it only gets better....:-)
    
    	Ellen

Back a few replies someone mentioned using soap and cold water to remove
rings from swollen hands.  I've found Windex does the trick nicely.  I 
learned this from a woman I used to work for who picked it up from 
a jeweller in NY City.  I think it's the amonia in it.

    Dishwashing detergent works on the rings, too.  Makes your fingers
    nice and slick.
    
    SWelling and pain in the fingers is on the list of things to be
    sure to mention to the doctor that I got during my last pregnancy. 
    It doesn't say why -- might be an early sign of more serious edema
    
    
    --bonnie

    Well, I got a diagnosis.  It's arthritis.  The Dr. said that this is
    not uncommon during pregnancy, and will go away.  It typically occurs
    in the hands and knees (boy am I textbook or what).  It is not related
    to the fluid accumulation in the joints.  I think it's brought on by
    those wonderful hormones.
    
    Carpal tunnel syndrome is also common, but I don't have it.
    
    Thanks everyone for your help.
    
    Nancy

    I started having pain and swelling of my hands about
    3 weeks ago. The doctor diagnosed it to be CTS. It was 
    helpful to read all replies about it.
    
    Baby is due in 3 weeks. I really hope that this problem
    goes away after the birth, right now I can only type with
    my right hand.
    
    	Dirce
                               

    Has anyone ever had this not go away?  I had the stiffness,swelling and 
    pain mostly centering around any activity that required the movement of
    my thumb.  I was assured that it was fluid and would go away after I
    had the baby.  Well, Sara was born last September and not only did it
    not go away, but it started to get much worse.  I went to an orthopedic
    surgeon last week who diagnosed it as a form of tendonitis (I can't
    remember the name he used) which might be helped by cortisone
    injections (50/50 chance) and could only be cured through surgery.
    The doctor says it's pretty common.  Has anyone else had this or know
    of anyone who has?  
    
    Cathi 

    Cathi,
    
    	I also have the same tendonitis (also can't remember the name at
    this point).  Mine came on when my youngest was just about 1 year old,
    however.  I don't remember too much pain during pregnancy.  According
    to the doctors, the repetitive motions of typing heavily and changing
    diapers for 3 years running caused the tendon in my wrist to swell. 
    
    	About the tendonitis, I've been through two orthopedic surgeons 
    (both wanted to operate immediately) and finally found a wonderful 
    hand surgeon who, with a combination of splinting and cortizone 
    treatments, has almost gotten rid of the tendonitis.  My point?  
    Please be careful about getting surgery in your wrist.  Athough 
    both orthopedic surgeons wanted to operate, both cautioned that the 
    nerves in the wrist area would most likely be damaged.    Although the
    hand surgeon couldn't totally eliminate the possibility of nerve
    damage, he pointed out that of the hundreds and hundreds of wrists he
    had operated on, he only had one person with significant nerve
    damage.  I would be more than happy to send you his name and number
    in Arlington if you are in the Mass. area.
    
    Back to our regularly scheduled program.
    
    Donna

    Could it be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?  I developed numbness and swellling
    during pregnancy #1, which seemed worse with #2, and now it's more
    frequent and I know I'm NOT pregnant now.  I saw an ortho man who
    preferred waiting until after delivery, with the assurance it would
    probably work itself out, and it did until a few months ago.  He wanted
    no part of surgery during pregnacy unless it was life threatening.
    
    I wore this elastic brace thing with a metal rib on the
    under(palm)side, it helped a bit.
    
    Just my thought.......
    Lyn

    Just a caution:  remember we aren't doctors here.  If your hand
    problem hasn't gone away a couple of months after delivery, you
    should see a good orthopedist right away.  Conditions that
    restrict the nerves can cause permanent damage if you don't treat
    them. 
    
    Because so many people are typing for a living in jobs that didn't
    used to involve typing, but not all nerve problems in the hand are
    carpal tunnel syndrome. 
    
    Mine has pretty much the same symptoms as c.t.s., but it's caused
    by a sesamoid bone in the tendon of the first finger of each hand. 
    When it's bad, the pain and swelling extend clear down my wrist. 
    It's operable, but somewhat riskier than more conventional hand
    surgeries, so they don't want to operate until the pain can't be
    controlled by aspirin and the swelling interferes with hand
    function.  Danger to the nerves is minimal. 
    
    --bonnie

    I am still experiencing some aches and pains 7 months after Daniel was
    born. As previous noters have described, I get a swollen feeling in my
    hands. I also have times when it feels like what I would perceive to be
    arthritic pain. But it doesn't stop there... I experience pains in my
    shins and thighs, also. Most of the time, I can't stand up straight
    when I get up from sitting or lying down.

    I have been experiencing aches and pains for so long, that I just went
    for a physical. The doctor ordered blood tests to see if there is any
    arthritis there. I, myself, think it is something that needs
    chiropractic care, but since my insurance doesn't cover that, I went
    the conventional route first.

    I'll let you know what the prognosis is.

    Norma

    Just to update:
    
    What I have is called DeQuervain's Tendonitis.  I went to another 
    othorpedic surgeon who prescribed an anti-inflammatory to start.
    He says if that doesn't work a shot of cortisone will take care of it.
    Although I was initially hesitant, I've decided to try the cortisone
    if the medication doesn't work.  I'll keep you posted.
    
    Cathi

    My baby is three months old now. I had CTS during last month of
    pregnancy, and it didn't go away. I have been seeing my family doctor
    (my insurance doesn't allow me to see an specialist unless referred by
    the primary physician). In a way it was a good thing that I didn't see
    the surgeon. I also have tendonitis. I took cortisone for 20 days, 
    gradually decreasing the dosage. The pain went away, and I am back
    working part-time. BUT, after 2 weeks of work, the pain is coming back.
    I don't know if it is because of the typing, or just that the cortisone
    effect has worn off. (BTW, both my doctor and the
    pediatrician agreed that cortisone was not going to affect maternal
    milk).
    
    Anyway, the important lesson I learned so far is that I will not see a 
    surgeon, as long as I can live with the pain (take tylenol when needed)
    and as long as I am breastfeeding. I figure that my body is not back to
    normal yet, I still have lots of fluid and fat to loose, and my
    hormones also are not back to normal. 
    
    Also, my family doctor said that the "terrible truth" is that the usual
    surgery for CTS may not solve the tendonitis problem.
    
    At work, Health Services is helping me to set up my workstation at the
    proper position, and I got a wrist pad.
    
    I encourage you to check with your Health Services on this; it is
    important to let them know of your problem, since it may be work
    related. They say that they have helped lots of people just by 
    correcting the positioning at the keyboard.
    
    	Dirce Richards DTN: 381-2118

    
    I didn't want to start a new note yet, so I thought I would include
    this subject in this note. If the moderators think it warrants its 
    own note, feel free to move it. 
    
    Has anyone had ACHING feet being pregnant???? I mean, REALLY sore. Like
    someone hit you across the bottom of your feet with a 2x4????  It
    started about a week ago or so, and is continuing, despite how much
    rest I am getting. It almost feels like my arches are falling???? 
    I haven't gained a tremendous amount of weight yet at 5 1/2 mos along
    (probably 9lbs since day 1) so thats not really it I dont think...  
    it was reallY AWFUL last week, when I was preparing my house for a
    party of 30 people, (understandable, I was working my butt off), but
    its still bothering me now after taking it easy for 3 days..???
    Ive started wearing my sneakers with the best support...and even
    thought of maybe trying those Dr SHolls supports..   
    
    I guess what I'm really wondering is, is this just another one of those 
    "aches and pains" that comes with pregnancy, or is it something I
    should see my regular doctor about (not my OB/GYN)????   
    
    Confused again,
    Chris
    
    

    The bottom of my feet got WICKED sore, but that wasn't until the
    8-9th month.  It wasn't so noticeable once I got walking around,
    but when I got up in the middle of the night, it would kill me.
    
    I hope your soreness is due to something else - like shoes - and if 
    you do get the sore feet I had (and have heard about others getting), 
    that it holds off a few more months!
    
    Donna
    

    There is a condition called Plantar Facieitis (sp???), which sounds
    like what .21 is describing.
    
    Usually the pain gets better during the day, MUCH worse after resting,
    and can be concentrated to the heel or arch.
    
    What's it from?  Could be new (Flat) shoes, or straining the arches -
    such as standing on a ladder or something.  
    
    I got it once from when I was sawing some boards for a few hours and
    was using my foot to hold the 2x4 still.  My husband had it just a few
    weeks ago from a pair of new shoes that had less arch support.
    
    My Dr.'s advice .... "Gee, sorry!"  No seriously ... there's not much
    they can do - wear shoes that have good arch support.  If you just got
    new ones, switch back to your 'old' ones.  If I remember correctly,
    this is what's going on;
    
    There's a muscle that runs the length of your foot, from your heel,
    _under_ your arch muscle and connects around the ball of your foot or
    something.  This muscle is easily inflamed/damaged.  When that gets
    damaged, your arch muscles sort of 'squoosh' it, thus the intense pain. 
    It's like having a bruise and then having someone put 150 lbs of
    pressure on it.  The only thing that might help at all is if you van
    get your foot real stretched out.  When the muscles tighten (when
    you're resting), it adds to the pressure.  It may be helpful to stretch
    out your calf too - it helped me.
    
    GOOD LUCK!!  I remember crying just trying to walk - or standing up and
    falling down it hurts so much.  Good news is, it went away about a week
    later for me, 1 1/2 for my husband, after he switched back to his old
    shoes.
    
    Don't Rest! (-;
    Patty

    
    Thanks for the info Patty...not sure if thats what it is though. I
    haven't bought any new shoes lately...and can't think of anything I
    have done to have made this happen.  Granted, the sneakers I wore most
    of the time were those little "white" ones...with no support, but I
    have been wearing them for years...?  I also have a couple of leather
    pairs that I alternate with (I don't have to dress up for work) that
    do have support...   ?????  Although, I have noticed the pain like you 
    said seems pretty strong after resting...such as when I wake up in
    the morning....especially THIS morning!  I have an ace bandage on it 
    now to see if keeping the pressure on it helps.
    
    I have an OB appt Monday, and I'll see what she says...If she has 
    no idea, and it persists, I guess I'll call my GP.  
    
    Any other idea/input welcome!
    Chris
    

    Chris,

    	You and I appear to be on pretty much the same schedule.

    	A few weeks ago, my biggest complaint was that my feet hurt, and I
    mean *really hurt!* I couldn't describe the pain to my husband who
    thought that I was nuts, ache yes, but hurt? What I had was exactly
    what you are describing, it felt as if the bottom of my feet had been
    whacked over and over. Like you also, I hadn't gained a lot of weight
    and so couldn't understand what was going on.

    	After enough of my complaining, my husband changed his mind. For
    awhile there, he was giving me nightly foot massages. It helped some,
    (although it hurt) but it was terrible to wake up and the first step of
    the day would *hurt*. I would also wake up in the night to use the
    bathroom and literally have to limp to get there.

    	I switched to good athletic sneaks ALL OF THE TIME (I also don't
    have to get dressed up for work) and finally learned the lesson of
    getting off my feet when they hurt. I also do a lot of self massage on
    the soles of my feet and have been sorely (no pun intended) tempted to
    get a foot massager.

    	I've mentioned it to the midwives and they just gave me that look,
    you know the one where they give you some sympathy but that's it,
    "cause you're pregnant".

    	I've also heard that cool water foot baths help. Basically try
    anything that makes you feel better, hot, cold, massage, stretching. As
    part of the problem is inflammation, elevating your feet might also
    help, it did somewhat for me.

    	If it's any consolation, I do feel better in that my feet don't
    hurt everyday now, but there are still days that it is very painful to
    walk, but at least I seem to get some breaks. I've learned to cut down
    on my walking routine (and that's what they really what you to keep up
    while pregnant) and I view this as yet another orthopedic (stress)
    injury that needs to be attended to as any other of my conditions.
    (this, to me, means that I have to *listen* to my body signals and
    respond to them even if *I* try to rationalize that "it's not that bad)

    	Good luck, this one just doesn't seem fair does it?

    				Wendy

    
    Boy Wendy...youre right...We do seem to be on the same schedule...with
    me being a few weeks behind...  So, tell me, (or should I even ask),
    whats next???   :-)
    
    I'm glad you replied, and I'm not the only one in the world that has
    had this experience. Makes me feel like I'm not totally nuts here.
    And my hubby seems to be taking the same attitude yours did in the 
    beginning, doesn't seem to beleive me, or take it seriously. I ask
    him to rub it (mainly just the right one for some reason) and he lasts
    about 2 mins, and thats it. I hope he'll come around and help a little
    more. I could understand it on days(like last week) when I'm on my feet
    all day, and doing alot of things, but to wake up with it is the pits!
    Thats why I tried the ace bandage today, although I don't think it is 
    helping much.
    
    Well...at least I know now...(at least I hope)...it won't be a
    continuous thing, like it seems to be now. Maybe it will ease up like
    yours has.   I'm thinking of pickin up a small basin on the way home,
    and some Epsom (sp?) salts, and see how that does. I wasn't sure if I 
    should use cold or hot water...but I think I'll try cold like you said.
    (alot nicer in the heat too!)
    
    The joys of pregnancy!
    :-)
    
    Chris
    
    

    I had sore feet a lot during all three pregnancies.  
    
    Get your partner, or one of your other children, or somebody to
    massage them for you, or massage them yourself, or if you can't
    reach your feet, roll a golf ball or tennis ball around so it
    presses up and down your whole foot.
    
    --bonnie

    reply to the last few.
    
    I too have had foot problems and pain, especially when getting up after
    resting.  I've gained much too much weight and I'm sure that hasn't
    helped.  Massages and cold water do help some and just being patient
    with yourself.  Resting the feet feels good too.
    
    Hope both Chris and Wendy recover soon.  I have just one month to go.
    
    Kath

    Wendy and Chris,  I am right behind both of you two.  My feet ache and
    swell.  I have noticed that the last two mornings when I woke up that
    the swelling in my feet had gone down but they seemed to really hurt 
    until I had been up and moving around for about an hour.  
    
    I have also noticed that if I am going to be on my feet for a while I
    have to wear my athletic shoes instead of my cloth shoes.  
    
    I remember my feet swelling with my daughter but I don't remember the
    arch pain.
    
    What's next????
    
    Angie (Who is wearing my tennis shoes with my dress at this moment).

    I second the idea of a good pair of sneaks for the foot pain.
    
    Here's the other two things that worked for me.
    
    Buy a pair of the Dr Scholl Back guards., make sure your shoes are a
    little big though, these things take up space in the shoe, but work
    like a miracle, even when you're not pregnant. (I promise you won't be
    pregnant forever!!)
    
    Second, and this made people wonder if I'd lost my grip on reality. 
    Take a can of Lemonade (OJ or whatever you use), the big 12 or 16 ounce
    size, and put it under the arch of your foot and kind of roll it back
    and forth.  The theory on this is that the cold will reduce muscle
    spasm, and that's essentially what's happening.  I was also fortunate
    to have a cold plaster wall close enough to our bed when I was
    pregnant.  I can't count how many mornings I woke up with my foot
    planted on the wall, and the rest of me under the covers!
    
    Lyn

    
    	On a somewhat related topic to this note, have many of you mothers
    continued to have hand pain *after* the baby was born?
    
    	My left hand has had to be casted because my thumb keeps
    dislocating (not fun when the weight of the baby is on the dislocated
    joint). I just chalked this up to my particular body and past history
    of joint problems until I spoke with two others mothers who had/have
    the same problem in their left hands (all of us are right handed). For
    all of the mothers, the problem started after the babies were born.
    
    	I'm wondering if women tend to put more stress on their left hands
    (if right handed) when picking up babies and therfore stressing the
    joint. Any support to this hypothesis?
    
    				Wendy

    
    Wendy, during my last pregnancy, I gained a lot of weight. I was
    wondering in the last few weeks of carrying why my bad knee wasn't
    hurting at all -- It should be complaining to high heaven with all
    the extra weight. About a week after the delivery, it REALLY let me
    know it wasn't happy about my weight (which at that point was about
    25-30 pounds over normal for me). 
    
    I figure that during the pregnancy, the hormone that was softening the
    bone was also easing the pain -- i.e. making joint and ligament
    problems less painful. However, after delivery this hormone stops,
    and so we are left with our same problems (which probably act up
    more because we have or are abusing these aches more than before).
    
    Just an idea.
    
    Monica
    

    I had alot of problem with hands and feet pain after my second baby.
    It started at around 3months postpartum and lasted about 3-4 months.
    I felt like I had run a marathon, the muscles were real sore.
    
    I thought it had to do with stress and not sleeping well because I was 
    getting up with the baby.  It was alot better when I got a good nights
    sleep, and I also noticed it more when I awoke mid-sleep.  I had
    tingling too.  Incidentally, it was my right side, and I am left
    handed, but I always pickup my children on my left side.
    
    I hope it doesn't come back with this next baby.  It sure seems like
    many women have arthritis like symptoms after the baby, I wonder if
    there are any studies on it?
    
    Hang in there!
    
    Karin

    
    	I have since spoken to apx. 10 women who have had wrist/hand pain
    after their babies were born. In all cases, the hand that was affected
    was the opposite of the dominant hand and it lasted until the baby was
    about 9 months old.
    
    	Coincidence? I think not.
    
    	I plan on mentioning this to my orthopedic surgeon and see what he
    says. Perhaps there *is* a new mother's syndrome.
    
    			Wendy
    
    			

    My hand pain turned out to be because my breast was so full of
    milk that when I went to sleep, it pressed on the veins and nerves
    on the inside of my arm.  My hand was numb and my wrist hurt all
    day.  I figured it out when I noticed that my hand was actually
    asleep when I got up to feed the baby.
    
    --bonnie

    I had my baby 11 weeks ago and my feet are still so painful....
    
    How long will this last?  I am breastfeeding, could that be why 
    I still have it?  I feel like an old lady getting up.
    
    Anyone else have similar experiences?
    
    Kristen