Baby Brain - really worried

[auntyspan]

Hi there. I'm really concerned about my lack of mental function, since I had my DD1 last year. I'm back at work now and it's rare I can get a full sentence out without stumbling over a word, or forgetting what I'm saying. Its really worrying as I'm sure my colleagues have noticed as with my job I'm on the phone all the time. I mix up my words, forget them, subsititute stupid words for the ones I can't think of and generally end up looking really daft most of the time and have to make excuses.
Can anyone reassure me? Should I go to the docs?

Hi, can't reassure you I'm afraid but you are not the only one!! I'm still like this now (ds is 2.11) and it drives me nuts!! I've not been to the gp (because my gp is truly appalling!), but I've taken up reading again and try and buy one of the sunday newspapers every so often (takes me up to 2 weeks to trawl through!) and I seem to be improving slowly! I find I'm more prone to this when I'm really tired...
It is horrible though, I'm always telling myself off: fgs, I have a degree and everything and sometimes I can barely construct a sentence!!

try omega 3 and 6..it is fats in your brain being depleted

I found this too, I also think though that your brain needs practice at concentrating on stuff. In my logic, when with babies small children etc full time your attention span only has to match theirs . When it comes to doing something that you want to do (reading a novel, doing a crossword etc) your brain hasn't been used to practising the concentration thang and so it seems a bit faulty. Keep on plodding it'll come back!

I can't even spell brian anymore...

You're definitely not the only one. Even DH has said my memory's not once it was (neither are my mammaries, but that's a different story).
It's frustrating & worrying I know but I just take a wee bit more time when speaking, try and relax.

I've noticed this too - I think it's partly hormonal, partly tiredness and partly just because there's so damn much to remember when you're trying to be a mother on top of being all the other stuff (career woman/daughter/sister/wife/friend etc etc etc). There's only so much room in my brain and remembering when DS's next immunisation is due seems to have pushed some vital stuff out.

Someone told me it's a hormonal thing designed to stop you going bonkers when stuck at home with a small baby , ie your brain shrinks so that watching them bash two blocks together for half an hour is bearable. Not sure if that's true but it feels true! Anyway I wouldn't worry about it, I'm sure it'll come back in, ooo, say twenty or thirty years. Sadly, I think the perky mammaries have gone for good.

your brain actually does shrink that's why you can help it by taking fatty acid supplements

Thanks everyone, had a chat with a pal and worlk and she reckons I'm just knackered and under a lot of stress (moving house, changing childcare provider, work very busy, dad just diagnosed with v serious illness) and not to worry. She also pointed out that the stuff I really need to remember, like when to pick up DD, or when to feed her etc, I'm fine with. So thankfully possibly not early onset dementia.

And LOL Miss Golightly, the only way my lovebuns will be perky again will be if I install scafolding!

Thanks for comforting words all xx