It's official, I've lost my ankles

[HotI]

Worst though, is my fingers. They are so painful, I can barely move them in the mornings. They're like claws, and some of them lock completely. I've never had anything like this before in my life (first pregnancy, can you tell?). Feels like I imagine arthritis would feel.

Are you getting pins and needles? If your thumb and next 2 fingers are the most affected, you may have carpal tunnel syndrome. This caused by swelling in the wrists and it compresses the nerve that goes through to those fingers.

I have found icing my wrists at night can help with the swelling. Also wearing snug bandages from elbow to fingers (i use tubigrip bandage) can help. One more is very light massage, pushing away from the hand up the arm- this helps to move the fluid and lessens the pins and needles/aches for a little while.

Apparently carpal tunnel is pretty common in pregnancy and settles down again after bub is born.

take care,

[HollyC]

I had lots of trouble with my hands last pregnancy due to carpal tunnel issues. It started sometime in the second trimester too. It was so much worse at night time too.

I remember my hands were better very soon after birth. The rest of my swelling went down when my milk came in. I think this was on day 5 or 6.