Breast feeding and carple tunnel

[KatyS36]

Hi all,

i got pregnancy related carple tunnel very badly in the last trimester, and 5 months after giving birth it still hasn't completly gone away (can't type properly, can't bear any weight). i've got exercises and wrist splints etc

DD is currently exclusively breast fed, but I've come across some evidence that the carple tunnel not going away after birth may be linked to breast feeding.

i wondered if anyone had any experience of this, or any information?

i'm loving BFing DD, but i can't return to work (i need to) whilst I still have the carple tunnel

many thanks

katy

Hi,

I had carple tunnel too during pregnancy and was told it would go away when I gave birth. Like you it didn't and actually it was only after 4 months when I dropped the bf down to 2 feeds a day morning and night that it went away. Sam is now six months and carple tunnel isn't back.

Don't know if it's a coincidence or whether it's connected. If your bf all day perhaps you could try to drop to two bfs allowing you to work?

Hope it helps.

I had pretty bad wrist pain from keyboard/mouse use a few years ago, and had tingling and numb hands in late pregnancy.

This did make breastfeeding difficult, especially at first when I had to push my baby's shoulders forward and sometimes shape my breast to get her to latch on. Both of these involve having your hand braced with the thumb and forefinger apart, which seems to cause the pain for me.

Things are easier now after two months, as she is better at latching on. I have found that feeding lying down is the best way to avoid strain on my hands. Sometimes I use a rolled up blanket or towel to prop her on her side. When I feed sitting up, I need to lie her on a firm cushion at the right height so I'm not supporting her weight, just resting my arm along her back.

There is some information about this on kellymom that I found when I was having the problems.