pregnancy brain

there isn't that much scientific proof or articles about the 'pregnancy brain' - i will have to check out some sites and research more during my sleepless 4am-ness nights. but lack of sleep, changes in your life, excitement, distractions, lots of things combined can probably be the causes to my absentmindedness.

i find myself being the annoying person during a movie asking what happened, what's going on, who said what (luckily we haven't been to any movies i have to really think too hard). i say stupid things and then realize it later. i get directions on a project at work and don't write it all down - then i have to go back and ask again. i go out the door with all these errands to do, but forget stuff and have to go back. lots of stuff like that happens. it's like pregnancy ADD. PAD - pregnancy attention disorder.

from an article:

Many mothers-to-be call these occasional slips of memory "mommy brain" or "pregnancy amnesia." Even very organized and efficient women say they are distracted and find it harder to maintain their focus and concentration during pregnancy.

In fact, according to a report published in The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 82 percent of the women surveyed reported some type of absentmindedness or inability to concentrate during pregnancy. Of those women, 68 percent reported general changes in recall or memory, 54 percent had problems concentrating or paying attention, and 52 percent experienced absentmindedness.

What causes absentmindedness during pregnancy?

There is much debate on the topic, but many experts believe changing hormone levels are to blame. Hormones have a powerful influence on our bodies -- including the brain -- and pregnancy is a time of dramatic hormonal changes. In a process that is not completely understood, these hormonal shifts seem to cause diminished memory and changes in thinking. Many women find that they are similarly affected at other times when hormones are fluctuating: before their monthly periods and during menopause.

According to one study described in New Scientist, in 1997 researchers recorded a number of changes in the brain that may explain the alterations in memory function. One small study looked at images of the brains of healthy pregnant woman and detected a temporary slight shrinkage in the overall size of the brain during the latter stages of pregnancy as well as an increase in the size of the pituitary gland. However, scientists said more research was necessary before memory loss could be attributed to these observed conditions.

Other experts, according to the Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, have suggested that pregnancy brain haze may be worsened by iron deficiency and stress, but these theories have not been proven.

Whatever the cause, forgetfulness is likely to worsen as a pregnancy progresses (thus the term "last-trimester fog"). Along with the hormonal changes you experience, you may be preoccupied with the prospect of childbirth and of caring for a new baby. Worries about difficult labor, your personal finances, the baby's health, and how you will handle motherhood may be more pronounced, adding to the distraction. Sleep is often erratic during pregnancy, and you may become even more forgetful if you are tired during the day.

so i guess i'm going to get really absentminded as we get closer. :) so please be patient.