Mums always talk about "Baby Brain". Usually as an excuse for doing something dumb. But how long can you get away with that excuse? Asking for a friend....
It starts during pregnancy when the tiny human inside you is using all of your essential services. I think it's actually just pregnancy hormones making women a little bit loopy so we blame it on the bub. Then, the baby comes and Baby Brain goes up a gear. Again, most likely brought on by fatigue. I recall moments of putting formula in my coffee cup instead of coffee, washing my hair twice because I forgot I'd already done it (that's if I was lucky enough to even have a shower that day!) and driving all the way to work even though I was on maternity leave. I've worked in the safety field for over two decades and I never understood fatigue as a hazard until I became a Mum.
Once the baby starts to sleep, things ease up a bit. Then you get a toddler that's on the move and you are needed constantly. Plus, you are back to work so not only do you have the stress of your job, you are also a Mum that is needed and wanted 24/7 and usually, you are the preferred parent. This means no breaks, ever. If you are super lucky to have a village - extended family and friends who all help out - then you have won the lotto! I am lucky, I do have a small village that I'm super grateful for.
But - my daughter is now 5 - and I STILL HAVE BABY BRAIN! I am forgetful. And I hate it. I was never like this before. I was responsible. I could be relied upon. I did not lose anything.
I have lost the spare key to my old car - still looking so I can give it to the guy who bought it. I lost my glasses only to find them like a month later under Elsie's play kitchen covered in stickers. I walk into rooms and don't know why. I open my phone to do something only to be distracted by a notification and then forget why I picked up my phone in the first place. I order medication through an app and then forget to pick it up, but assume that I did pick it up and spend all night looking for it, then I have to trace my own steps in Life360 (best app ever) to confirm that I mustn't have actually picked them up. This is now! I have set a reminder (obviously I need reminders!) to call the chemist in the morning to see if my meds are actually there. If not, then yep, I've definitely lost the plot. And these are examples of the things I can remember. There have been hundreds more 'dumb' moments.
It's so frustrating. I'd love to be able to tell Mum's that it gets easier, but you know what, I don't think it does.
Maybe it's just the curse of constantly thinking about other humans. Kind of a different type of fatigue. I could do research but meh, these are just my thoughts.
I'm just glad I only have one kid. I can't imagine the cumulative effect of having multiple kids!
Frankly, Michelle
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