Oct 24, 2012

Baby Brain

As if 'pregnancy brain' is not intense enough- forgetful, aloof, flighty- 'baby brain' is seriously exponentially worse. I cannot blame it on being tired as I am getting a full 7 (sometimes even 8) hours of sleep regularly. My schedule is jam packed and busy but there is no way that is the reason for my failure of intelligence.

I remember when my good friend and former co-worker was going through this. She had just returned to work after having her first baby, Patrick. She would often stand in my office and try so hard to form full thoughts but struggled. I would finish her sentences and assist her find the words she struggled to spit out. She said it's 'baby brain.' I of course had no real idea what that term meant until now.

Like Erin, I cannot retrieve words which should be a regular part of my vocabulary. As the Coordinator in the Disability Resource Office I work closely with students to suggest and provide reasonable academic accommodations. Many times students are coming to me unsure of what they need to be successful in the college setting and it is my job to use their documentation combined with my knowledge of their specific disability and the laws that protect them to write these accommodations. Sometimes students are really insecure and have a hard time admitting or vocalizing their actual diagnoses. I need to be sensitive to this and use language which is both compassionate and intelligent.

Today, a student came in very nervous. After some small talk we got down to business and began to talk about accommodations. As he sat there and I began to ask questions I seriously blanked. And the word I blanked on.... Disability? What? I work in the disability resource office and for the life of me could not pull out the word disability. It was a loooooong meeting for me and I'm positive the student thought anyone other than me was qualified to help.

I've been reassured by my friend Erin that although baby brain is a real (and in my option serious) condition that your intelligence will eventually surface again. In the meantime, I'll spent my lunch break reviewing vocabulary necessary to allow me to do my job and to also discount the rumors about Ohio U just being a party school as the students observe the diploma's on my wall.

In closing, I have this beauty to thank for this dip in brain cells...






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