The 3rd day after delivery, most of my severe carpal tunnel resolved. For a LONG time I wore the splints 24/7, then only at night or when gardening. I found some supports for weight lifters to hold the wrist firm when I did alot of digging with trowels or planting bulbs.

What happened to me after my son was born, also was that both of my knees swelled up horrifically and I could not carry my infant son up the stairs. So in the morning my hubby brought him down here and I had everything set up in our little study for him...and I never went back up there all day until hubby came home. My wrists were not nearly so bad as my knees.
The endo tested me for Cushing's and that was negative and he released me, and my internist gave me the "new Motrin" which had just come out. It was thought that my knees were a induced lupus...from the hydralazine I had to take for my blood pressure during the pregnancy. I had had a C section, and was very weak and tired too, after my son came. He was preemie and not too heavy until about 8mos when he hit the normal growth curves finally. By then my knees were better. I stopped the hydralazine after delivery--I couldn't take it anymore. (hydralazine headache also is horrible). I was put on the "new" Tenormin then and that worked well with no side effects.

My son was born with a severe vision defect and hated going in the car (he'd scream the whole time because he heard sounds and couldn't see) until I finally had glasses fitted for him at 8 mons with a specialist ophtamologist. So I only went out with him alone, to the pediatrican. Not much of a strain on the knees or wrists. I remember the first time I took him to the Meijer's here (a family run all in one shopping/grocery like a Super WalMart etc back then). He had just received his glasses and was so excited about everything. I let him choose a summer toy, in the toy aisle...and he picked a little red fire truck. He hugged that truck to his chest the whole trip, and people came up to us...ohhhhh, ahhhh how cute. That vision thing is a whole other story...and still moves me to tears! sniff sniff

But you know, I never lifted him much if I could help it. Not like I see other Moms do. I've seen friends lift 4 yrs olds out of the car if they fell asleep. Not me. I'd wake him up gently and let him get out himself. Even at 2yrs, I was having him do most of the getting around. Lifting only into high chair etc. If hubby were home, He'd lift. I only have the one child, and I managed. I was 34 back then.

Over the years my carpal tunnel has become better. The P5P I took for many years seemed to help it (activated B6). I still occasionally wear a splint to bed, but not every day or even many days a year. The thyroid hormone really helped both wrists, and the fluid ganglia I had on the tops of my wrists both went away, I can barely see where they used to be.
The splints really helped.