What to Expect?

This blog is written to inform, laugh at and record some of my personal experiences with pregnancy. I have found it very interesting to discover how little I knew and still don't know about what to expect during pregnancy. As much as I learned in sex education classes (next to nothing), and from discussing things with friends and of course through the media, I can't help feeling like I knew nothing about my own body and the changes that occur during pregnancy.

My newest surprise maybe shouldn't be that surprising. I have mentioned repeatedly that I have had major water retention issues which have for one thing made it impossible for me to fit into any shoes; other then my Birkenstock (thank you Cathie). I have shocked my nurse by my water weight gain and have been for extra tests to eliminate the possibility of any problems that this level of water retention could be a sign of (there are none, I'm just bloated). I have given my RMT lots of extra business helping me move that water around and possibly improve my circulation, if only temporarily. So on a somewhat related issue I now have been loosing feeling in my hands. That's right. About a week ago I started noticing that my hands would loose feeling, or get a sort of pins and needles feeling that is normally associated with ones foot falling asleep. This is a circulation issue, which is partly to blame for me swollen feet syndrome.

Last night I had a very difficult time falling asleep because ironically my hands falling asleep were keeping me awake. My doctor has said this is not totally uncommon with the circulation issues I have been having but it does seem to be getting worse. Literally right now, at work, as I type my hands are not fully awake. I stretch and move them around but I still feel a slight pins and needles feeling that does not want to dissipate. This is strange and certainly does not appear in that famous 'What to Expect When you're Expecting.' When I search online for answers, most sites seem to focus on leg cramps (which I have experienced, although not regularly thank goodness), but they do not seem to be too focused on the hands of a pregnant lady falling asleep. Just another thing to keep it interesting, keep me on my toes and perhaps soon nudge me in the direction of "oh god I'm so uncomfortable I can't wait to go into labour" mode. And I have learned to expect the unexpected which is perhaps yet another good lesson to be learned before having my first child.