A recent study conducted on 90 women who were either not pregnant, in their first trimester, or in their third trimester, revealed that pregnancy does make women forgetful. The women who were in their third trimester had poorer memory function than the women who were not pregnant, especially auditory memory. Auditory memory involves remembering something that you’ve heard, which explains why you may find yourself repeatedly asking, “What did you ask me to do again?”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t need a scientific study to tell me I lost my mind during pregnancy. I recall (no pun intended) driving circles around downtown because I couldn’t remember which one-way street I needed to take to get home. It was a route I’d taken hundreds of times, yet I felt as though my mental map of the city had been erased completely! A friend of mind told me a story about how she had to go back to her boss’ office three times because she kept forgetting her work assignment as soon as she got back to her desk. Fortunately, her boss was a mother herself and knew exactly how she felt.
If you find yourself forgetting everything, there are some things you can do to combat this annoying little problem. First, make a habit of writing things down. Keep a cute notepad or small notebook in your purse so you’re always prepared to jot down that phone number, list, or important assignment from your boss. Leave post it notes by the computer when you need to remember to pay a bill, or on the bathroom mirror when you need to remember to take your vitamin. Ask your family members to remind you of things when necessary. Most importantly, cut yourself some slack! Forgetfulness is a normal part of pregnancy, and it will fade after childbirth.
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