Pregnancy Brain is Real

“Pregnancy brain.” “Baby brain.” “Momnesia.” Whatever you call it, pregnancy-related difficulties with concentration and memory are real. And while we still aren’t sure what causes it, we can help with a few tips on coping with brain fog.

Healthy tips

You need to remember that you’re growing a tiny person, so cut yourself some slack. Your body and brain are working overtime on the most important job ever, so keep them both in top condition by:

• Getting plenty of sleep
• Eating nutritious food (and taking your prenatal vitamin)
• Getting regular exercise
• Finding ways to de-stress

Digital tips

Take advantage of the digital technology at your fingertips:

• Use a calendar app to keep track of appointments and other daily to-dos.
• Use the alarm function on your phone to schedule notifications for things like meetings, taking medication and remembering to eat.
• Use your phone’s camera to take a quick photo of where you parked your car or that gorgeous color of paint you want to use in the nursery.
• Store important phone numbers, including those for your doctor’s office and the hospital.

Analog tips

Not everything can be digitized. But pretty much everything can be organized and simplified:

• Give important items (like keys, wallet, sunglasses, the cat) a “home” and make an effort to always set them in the same place so you can find them.
• Carry a notepad in your bag to jot down things you might forget, like grocery items, insurance information, your husband’s name…
• Accept help and delegate certain tasks so you have fewer things to remember and keep track of.

Most importantly, keep a sense of humor and remember that this, too, shall pass. So what if you left your sunglasses in the freezer (again)? You’ll probably forget about it anyway.