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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I have had a baby and now my brain doesn't work

16 replies

Spl0ink · 22/07/2016 17:52

I used to be quite clever. I understood relatively complicated concepts and was able to express myself fairly eloquently.

I was quite quick on my feet and good at problem solving. I worked in a 'creative field' and spent a lot of time brainstorming (yes yes PR sweedie dahling).

I am now as sharp as a potato. Today I completely froze in a job interview, proper "uh ah oh, uhhh I don't know" froze. That has never happened to me before.

My child is one. Can I have my brain back?? AIBU??????!!!

OP posts:
AliceInHinterland · 22/07/2016 17:54

Apparently it takes two years for your brain to recover, then it's better than ever. BUT I found with biz speak it's more about getting back into practice than anything else - go to a few networking events or similar and you will soon be back in the swing of the horrible jargon of it all.

Buttfucknowhere · 22/07/2016 17:55

Haha, don't worry it will come back, it's just in hiding at the moment Grin

Original poster
Spl0ink · 22/07/2016 18:09

Oh god, thank you both so much. I figured this far down the line it was gone forever. The interview began by being unspeakably dreadful, and then by the end was semi passable, so working on that sort of upwards curve, I should be completely mediocre if I get to do four more interviews Hmm

OP posts:
AliceInHinterland · 22/07/2016 18:15

When I went back to work my son was one. I could barely answer the telephone, it was so embarrassing, I was stammering and stuttering. I'm a relatively senior professional. It took a week or two but I was soon back on it, and much better at prioritising than I was before. If you can speak to fellow professionals outside of interviews it might be a less soul-destroying curve!

Idliketobeabutterfly · 22/07/2016 18:16

Lol my brain has still not recovered and my son is nearly five.

Idliketobeabutterfly · 22/07/2016 18:17

Although I am a SAHM so it be that my son's never ending questions sap it too much.

bloomburger · 22/07/2016 18:19

Hope you're luckier than me, I've not had a brain for 16 years, it's got worse with each child. Not read a book since DD was born 2.5 yrs ago! I buy Hello for the pictures!!

daisywhoopsie · 22/07/2016 18:22

So glad I'm not alone.

I used to be a reasonably successful, up-together person.

Now my DP has to follow me around making sure I don't put random objects (cutlery, bottles, other peoples' jumpers, you name it really) in the bin, order a takeaway to an address we haven't lived at in years or take the remote out thinking it's my mobile.

Alisvolatpropiis · 22/07/2016 18:23

My brain took a holiday until my daughter was about 11 months old.

To the point that when I was asked a blatantly discriminatory question at an interview (when she was 9 months old) I didn't challenge it and when I was subsequently declined, I still didn't challenge it. Blush

She's 13 months now and I'd say I've been solidly back in 'mentally sharp' territory for a couple of months. Although still not on my A game just yet.

MrsMook · 22/07/2016 18:26

How interrupted is your sleep? Disturbed nights turn my brain to mush quite quickly. I feel like my brain processes a lot less than it did pre-children, but that's because a lot of the RAM is being used up by mundane survival things like DS having a non uniform day on Friday, and the logistics of getting out of the house at a reasonable time. I'm not less intelligent, just mentally cluttered!

Original poster
Spl0ink · 22/07/2016 18:32

MrsMook you are spot on with the sleep, as the heat has been punishing to us all lately and between open windows and noisy neighbours and hot sweaty babies waking up, I've not had more than three hours consecutive sleep in the last week. I drank my first can of redbull in about ten years today before this interview :shame: Didn't help much. Or perhaps it did - perhaps I would have been even more of an incoherent blunderbuss without it, eek.

OP posts:
Original poster
Spl0ink · 22/07/2016 18:34

Alis hope you got a better job subsequently with people who appreciate you. Anyone discriminating against you at the interview stage is someone you'd probably not want to work for.

OP posts:
Ohflippinheck · 22/07/2016 18:37

I have no advice. I'm just here to say yes. I think. At least I think I think that's what I came here for hnguhvbbhgvbbbnkkjjkk

WeeWaspie · 22/07/2016 18:47

I'm going back to work in 6 weeks and dreading it with my baby brain (given my dear manager has already told me he doesn't believe new mothers have the brain capacity to be able to juggle work and babies, i fully intend to prove the bastard wrong). I have to know a lot of nitty gritty legislation, i think I'll need a cheat sheet somewhere....

Alisvolatpropiis · 22/07/2016 20:14

I did Spl, thank you Smile

I'm very wary of the company know, for all their "we treat our employees so well" shiny exterior. Certainly wouldn't insure my car with them...

Alisvolatpropiis · 22/07/2016 20:14

*now!

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