February 5, 2010

Pregnancy Brain – The Real Deal

Pregnancy brain is real and I’m living proof of it.
I used to be skeptical of my friends who are moms complain about having “mommy” brain or “pregnancy” brain. I didn’t realize at the time what it was all about and assumed their claims were simply a result of being tired and taking on too much.
Now I realize that tired is one thing, feeling as though you’re being hit with dementia is quite another! I forget things ALL THE TIME! Before I got pregnant, being tired meant taking everything at a slower pace. And while, in the past, I have been forgetful, this new feeling is overwhelming.  

The other morning I poured juice into my cereal rather than milk. Lately when I’m in mid conversation, I literally forget words. For example, the other day I forgot the word “key”. I was asking my husband if he could leave me his keys but a simple question turned into a chore with me saying,, “can you leave the....those...the things that unlock the door for me?” I’m not kidding; pregnancy brain has taken over my life!

So of course because I’ve been hit with this supposed pregnancy symptom, I had Google if other women are “losing their minds” too. Guess what I found? Pregnancy brain is normal! That’s the good news. The bad news is that it doesn’t just go away when the baby arrives. Once the baby is here, mommy brain settles in.

Will I ever get my memory back? Or will I forever need to carry reminder notes around? The other day I went grocery shopping and completely forgot what I needed. Yes, of course I wrote down a list, but I left that list on my kitchen table...

February 3, 2010

Baby's First Gift!

We received our very first baby gift this past weekend. I was extremely touched by the generosity and it really drove home that we’re having a baby!

Ok obviously after testing positive and viewing the ultrasound I know I’m going to be a mommy in July, but to be given gifts for my unborn child just really helped to solidify that I’m not just me anymore. I am me, plus one. The gift was a Winnie the Pooh themed outfit including a hat, mitts and booties. It’s all so adorable and I can just picture a little boy or girl wearing them. It’s currently sitting in my spare bedroom/office which will soon be converted into a nursery.

I’ve been told this is the first of many, many little outfits we will be receiving over the next few months. If this is the case, I have no complaints! The more onesies, booties and cute little outfits we get the better. After all, we’ll be splurging on a stroller, a crib, a change table, a play pen, car seat, diapers...the list goes on and on I’m sure! I will definitely have to start doing my research into the best baby “gear” to purchase.  I know I’m still early (16 weeks this week!) but I have a feeling time will fly by. Four months disappeared already so I better start making my list as I have a feeling baby will need a whole lot of stuff! Hopefully a baby shower or two will help out as well!

February 1, 2010

Is Yoga for Me?

Now that I’m feeling less exhausted and the nausea is tapering off (although it’s not completely over), I’m thinking about incorporating exercise into my routine. I’ve always heard my friends who already have children discuss prenatal yoga and so I’m going to look into it and see if doing the “downward dog” is really for me.

Exercise for me is like boarding a flight to a dream vacation – I dread the thought of the flight, hate the flight while I’m up in the air, but am so happy I did it once we land. So in other words, getting me to any yoga class is going to take a lot of energy. Because of this, I’m taking steps to understand what’s out there and if I want to go to a class or if I want to try a program from home.

From doing my research so far, I’ve learned that yoga can greatly increase my balance. This is a great thing because as my pregnancy progresses, I’ll be losing my balance more and more! It can also improve my concentration and my breathing, helping me to better deal with anxiety and focus my mind. If this is true, I should have been doing yoga well before getting pregnant. I tend to worry incessantly!

So now that I’ve learned the benefits of yoga while pregnant, I guess I’ll decide whether or not I’ll put them into practice. There are many classes available near me (I live in Toronto). But I’d like to find a class, should I decide to take this route, that is very close to home (maybe even in my condo complex!), and reasonably priced. Whether I decide to take my poses public or learn in the comfort of my living, I’ll definitely be writing about my experience in an upcoming post!

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