When "placenta brain" attacks
Categories: Newborns, Just for moms, Pregnancy & birth, Health & safety, Weird but true
The other day I went to the post office and bought some stamps to put on some thank you notes I'd written for gifts I'd received for my new daughter. I'd actually created an excel spreadsheet with the name of each person who'd given me a gift, what the gift was, and whether or not the thank you had been completed--those that had were given a nice "X" in the appropriate column. The reason for this exercise, which to some might seem a little...well, anal retentive? I'll tell you quite honestly: PLACENTA BRAIN.
You may know what placenta brain is. You may know someone who's suffered from it or have had a bought with it yourself. Placenta brain strikes pregnant women and those who've recently given birth, causing them to not be completely in control of their faculties. Some blame the hormones for the condition. Some blame the general craziness of having a new baby and trying to fit said baby into some sort of (sleepless) schedule. Regardless of what causes it, placenta brain DOES exist, and is even considered to be real by medical professionals.
How can I prove that it exists to you? Case in point--remember the stamps? Well, I very carefully put each one of them on the top left-hand side of the envelope. You know, the part where the return address goes? My husband, who apparently was also suffering from placenta brain, watched me do each one of the envelopes in this fashion before pointing out to me my error. Luckily I was able to remove and reattach each of the stamps to the proper, right-hand side of the envelopes, but we both couldn't help but laugh at how something so easy, simple and rote had still been screwed up!
Did you suffer from placenta brain when you were pregnant or after you had your children? Have any funny stories to tell? If so, please share. And let me know if it ever goes away....
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Melissa 11-06-2008 @ 6:26PM
LMAO!! It will totally go away....I had it while I was pregnant....I was at work one day and I asked my boss a question....he gave me an answer....I kid you not, TWO MINUTES LATER I went and asked the SAME question! Lol, he just shook his head and laughed and said "you have pregnancy brain, don't you?" That was when I realized how real it is lol....it went away after I stopped pumping breast milk!
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steph 11-06-2008 @ 10:56PM
I have always called it the Maternal Lobotomy. I warn my new mom friends prior to labor that when you are in the hospital for delivery I have insider information that they come in at night and remove a piece of your brain for medical experiments. Unfortunately, that leaves the new mom with a dangerously low amount of working gray matter to deal with all the important and not so important aspects of motherhood, like names of your children, the difference between hair product and tooth product and whether those dishes you just put away were clean or did you forget to actually run the dishwasher. My personal favorite was driving away while still talking on the home phone, I did not realize until I was at the end of the street and the reception went south. Just part of the job.
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carolinecassar 11-07-2008 @ 1:38AM
When I was still working, I used to make lists of things I had to get done. The only problem was, I would put them down to write something more on them, only to forget not only to pick it up again but also where I left it!
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Carrie Sestak 11-07-2008 @ 5:35AM
My fourth child is just a few weeks away from being one year old. I feel like I am getting stupider with each child I have. I have too many examples of placenta brain that I care to remember. The latest one is that I filled out my daughter's first birthday invites. As I was licking all of the enevelopes and sealing the very last one, I realized I did not put the time on any of the invites. I had to reopen all the envelopes and fix it. I sent the worst looking ones to my family. They understand.
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Jenn 11-07-2008 @ 2:44PM
Hmmph....My daughter is almost 3, and I'm *still* waiting for this to go away.
I can never remember where I put my keys or my wallet. I am having to go and get a replacement registration sticker for my car because I can't remember where I put the stupid thing when I brought it in the house.
I could go on and on.....
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Alyssa 11-08-2008 @ 3:50AM
I'm 12 weeks pregnant, and had a horrible case of pregnancy brain last week. I'd organised with my brother to go visit him. I got my two children ready, dressed, and packed the nappy bag, then went outside to put the kids in the car. I looked in the driveway... no car! Then I realised the car hadn't been there all day, my husband had it at work! Had to explain to my brother, who just laughed. :o)
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jess 11-18-2008 @ 5:28AM
~lmao~ i know exactly what you mommies are talking about....I'm soon to be 9 months "prego"
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