Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Pregnancy Brain (also known as momnesia)

I spent the entire day yesterday thinking that it was October 13th.

We passed jack-o-lanterns on people's front steps and I thought, "Why would they carve their pumpkins so soon? They'll be rotten by Halloween."

People say pregnancy brain is a myth. There is no chemical change that makes you incapable of remembering things or confused about details.

To that I say: yeah right.

Pregnant women are on weird eating and sleeping schedules.

They are constantly consumed by a million thoughts, things to do, things to remember, things to eat or not eat, plans for the future, plans for the baby, can we afford this? can we live here? should we get a job there?

If you are me, which I am, this happens: I get up TOO early and go to school where I cannot pay attention, and then to work where I feel exhausted and hungry but only have a mini fridge and a microwave to provide me with good wholesome foods and so I don't eat, and then I go home where I'm too exhausted and overwhelmed to do any homework or housework (drastically different things) and feel guilty eating food like instant rice because it has no redeeming qualities but am too tired to make real food.
So I lie on the couch whimpering and clutching my stomach until my husband comes home and gives me cereal to eat and then also collapses on the couch exhausted and stressed out and over worked.
Then I go to bed at 9:00, and toss and turn all night long and have nightmares about food and death, and then can't get comfortable and keep Travis awake by periodically getting up and going into the kitchen for some oatmeal.

And also, all this time I haven't gone to the bathroom because it is no myth that pregnant women are constantly constipated (especially if they eat instant white rice twice a day, and even if they pinch their nose and force themselves to drink a big glass of prune juice).

So I can't keep track of the days of the month or week and think I can blame pregnancy brain.
Even if it doesn't exist.
Because being pregnant leaves no time for thinking about things that aren't food, sleep or poop.
And Travis can tell you, that is also all I talk about.

2 comments:

kaylie jean. said...

Sunday I left the burner on on the oven after making fajitas, and when my pumpkin bread came out of the oven, I placed the pans on the top and nearly ruined them all.

Last Friday I left the cash register drawer WIDE open and walked away with about 6 or 7 customers loitering about, waiting to be helped.

Yesterday I got mad at LJ for turning the windshield wipers on because the sound annoys the crap out of me. Forget the fact that the weather was like a torrential downpour.

Pregnant brain? REALITY.
Pregnant fatigue? Also a reality, even though I did not include my "yeahs!"
Emotional roller coaster? Indeed.


Worth it when you feel your baby move? Absolutely.

Love you, Beck. We need to commiserate more often.

Marge Bjork said...

i hope you are at least within cell phone distance if i am ever pregnant.