Baby is now 1 foot long and weighs around 1-1.5lbs. :)
Matt has painted the baby nursery and put together the new white Ikea dresser that will double as the changing table. It's so nice! I am in the process of painting the drawer pulls :) The walls are a nice navy/cobalt color, the curtains are white (the window is huge), white carpet (not our choice!) and all white furniture. It looks so great! Good Job, Hubby!!
Matt has also been reading to the baby at night - Dr. Seuss books (we only have two so far, Green Eggs and Ham and One fish, two fish...) but he is trying to memorize them before the baby comes. It's such a special and sweet time at night when Matt reads to the little boy in my belly. I can't wait until the actual baby boy is laying with us listening to his daddy read!
As the subject of the post says, Pregnancy Carpal Tunnel - yep looks like I have that. It's been ok so far, I was just waking up at night with sleeping hands, tingling, and having trouble holding things for the first hours of the morning.
I am now to wear the wrist braces at night while sleeping and it should all disappear when the baby is delivered. Since not many people know about this subject (even though these days about 25% of pregnant women get this, and those who work on computers are way more likely to experience it), I decided to post what I read in the "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book and babycenter.com...
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome during pregnancy
"That telltale tingle… Here's why aching hands are common during pregnancy, and what you can do about them."
What it is: Numbness, a "pins-and-needles" sensation, or aching in the hands and wrists, especially noticeable at night. Symptoms may include numbness, tingling, burning, pain, or a dull ache in the fingers, hand, wrist, and even up the arm to the shoulder. In severe chronic cases, your hand may feel clumsy or weak.
What causes carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy: Pregnancy swelling puts pressure on a key nerve in the wrists and causes the same aching and tingling symptoms most often associated with ergonomic strain and repetitive motion. (Of course, if you're pregnant and having ergonomic strain or doing repetitive motion, you're twice as likely to experience it.)
Symptoms usually affect both hands and can appear at any time, but they're more likely to begin or worsen in the second half of pregnancy when women tend to retain more fluid. The symptoms usually go away gradually after you give birth, as the swelling from pregnancy subsides.
The carpal tunnel is a bony canal formed by the wrist bones on three sides and a ligament that runs across the wrist on the other. The swelling and fluid retention that's so common during pregnancy can increase the pressure in this relatively narrow and inflexible space, compressing the median nerve that runs through it.
The median nerve gives sensation to the thumb and the index, middle, and half of the ring finger and is responsible for movement of a muscle at the base of the thumb. Pressure on this nerve is what causes the symptoms.
What you need to know about tingling hands during pregnancy: If you're feeling these symptoms more at night, it's because the fluids that accumulate in the lower part of your body during the day are redistributed elsewhere, including your hands, when you lie down. (Kind of reverse gravity.) And of course, if you've been at a computer all day long, nighttime leaves your carpal nerve with a double whammy. Luckily, though, this symptom should disappear after delivery as your swelling diminishes.
What to do about tingling hands during pregnancy:
•If you work at a computer, or do any other activity that requires repetitive motion, like playing the piano or filing, take frequent hand-stretching breaks. If typing, type gently, making sure your wrists are straight and your elbows are higher than your hands.
•Try not to sleep on your hands.
•Use a pillow to prop up your arms at night.
•Shake your hands and wrists out frequently. At night, you can hang your hand over the side of the bed and shake it.
•If you're in a lot of pain, try a wrist brace. Ask your practitioner which kind to buy.
So...that is the story with CTS and pregnancy. The wrist braces are a God-send. They have helped me so much by keeping my hands from clenching at night and also from falling asleep. So far, so good!
Oh - this weekend we celebrate our 1st Wedding anniversary! (Our only wedding anniversary we will celebrate without a child! We can't wait to celebrate this weekend.
-Bre and Matt
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