Since I've Had 2 Babies My Speech Is Slurred and My Memory Is Not as Sharp. Help

A.,

I had the same problem after my son was born, and for about a year in a half chalked it up to just being a tired new mom. I finally did go to the doctor, and he immediately tested my thyroid levels. My T3 was low, and I started taking one pill a day to balance my hormone levels. The difference in my mind clarity and overall well being has been tremendous. If you do go to the doctor, make sure they test your T4, T3, and TSH. My T3 was the only thing low on me, and most doctors don't think to test it. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.

I know how you feel. You need to do something to stimulate your brain. Dealing with kids all day brings down the complexity of your vocuabulary. Read magazines with mature subject matter, Reader Digest, Time, etc. Play Soduku, that will sharpen your mental agility. Good luck.

I vote for sleep deprivation. I know that after raising 2 kids and thinking that I was done...I had my youngest (14 yrs later) and WOW...I can't hold a complete thought if it was tied to my wrist.

Also, you are talking a sleeping pill to go to sleep...my guess is that you're drinking some kind of caffeine in order to wake up and that's never good for you.

I would load up the boys to go to grandma's house for a weekend...or get a sitter...or your sexy great provider can take them for a night and go to a hotel/friend house/grandmas place and SLEEP. Then sleep some more. Don't feel guilty about it...you can't take care of those boys unless you take care of you...and eventually they turn into teens and make fun of you when you can't remember peoples names or why you even walked into a room (that's a humor attempt).

Good luck to you!!!

I may be a side effect from the Ambien. Have you had a sleep study done to see if you're getting the right kind of sleep? Have you tried nutritional based sleep aids such as melatonin and tryptophan? Also, if your hormones are out of balance, you can have this brain fog. For example, low thyroid function can cause it. I take supplemental thyroid hormone and if I don't take enough of the T4, then I have terrible brain fog.

A.,
This happens to me all the time. I am prego w/my 2nd child and I stop midsentence sometimes b/c I can't remember what I was going to say. I used to have the best memory....my sister inlaw used to joke about being "stupid" while she was pregnant...I totally get it now! Hope someone posts about how to "FIX" this.....but yes, I have heard this is pretty common! Maybe we are just too busy w/thinking of our children and that's where all of our concern goes that we can't fully think about anything else....lol

It sounds odd, but could it be that since you're a SAHM, you're not using the fullest of you vocabulary anymore? I know I felt that way after being at home with my (now 7 year-old) daughter. After starting college again, and conversing with people who would respond with greater than 2 syllable answers, I felt like my language abilities were coming back!

Just a thought. Good luck!

i also have a 3 1/2 yr. old and a 21 mo old and i feel the EXACT same way! i really think it's a lack of adult interaction on my part! i used to go to college, i was employed, i read books all the time, i had intellectual discussions...and now i barely get the chance to get out of my house, let alone talk to other adults! hopefully i can change that when i move in march and my husband is back at home (he's in the army, and has been away for almost 5 mo.)

Hi A.!

I know how you are feeling! My oldest is 2 yrs and my youngest is 4 months old. My memory used to be sharp as a tack but nowadays I can't emember what I did two days ago, let alone 5 minutes ago! I forget things real easily and just like you, I get confused and stumped when I'm talking in a conversation. My train of thought goes choo-choo right out the door! I don't pay attention as well as I used to either. My mind goes on vacation quite a bit.

Another weird things I've been experiencing is my grip isn't what it used to be. I drop things very easily now and I don't understand why. My keys are always falling out of my hands, etc. usually the small things. And I'll go to pick them back up and will get a hold of them but they fall out again.

I haven't asked my doctor about these things. I figure he'll just tell me "it's normal".

Did you know that lack of sleep can even take on ADHD type symptoms???

I have 4 kids- my youngest are 12 months apart and about to be 3 and 2..and I am better but still like this and it is all from lack of sleep. I know it is hard, but write down how many hours of uninterrupted sleep you are really getting. Look at it over a weeks time. I have read that even though most of us believe we can 'catch up' over the weekend, that it really doesn't do anything but mess up our clocks even more. My 7 year old has a lot of sleep issues. We have done sleep studies and everything and his cycle is just too short for his age. After getting him on meds to sleep, he is doing better in school and he is a better child all around. It is truly amazing the difference it has been in him. Now if I could just get myself to go to bed :)

Google articles on your sleep cycle and you will be amazed at how lack of sleep effects us. Good luck!

Hey A.,
I'm guessing two things. If you are taking ambien, you obviously are having sleep troubles- which will cause you to be slow and sluggish with your sleep. I have also heard some not so good things about ambien lately too. When my family went to go visit my husbands family, his father would wake up in the middle of the night and come downstairs and talk gibberish for quite a while and even go for walks around the house (his father took ambien every night). When we approached him on it, he had no idea what we were talking about and laughed it off. Now, I'm not saying your cruising around your house in the middle of the night, but you could be waking up and not know you are doing it and therefore not getting the sleep you need. I have also heard that it does mess with your short term memory. My suggestion would to try to take herbal supplements that have little to no side effects, just for looksies, and if it doesn't work, see if you can talk to your doc to see if he has any ideas. I wish you the best of luck!
C.

I will say this--I took Ambein and I felt HORRIBLE the next day. I tried it for about a week and it never got better. I felt so groggy that I could barely hold my head up and my eyes constantly watered. Even after a full night's sleep. See if it gets better if you quit taking the Ambien. Good Luck!

I know exactly what you mean and I am glad to see that I am not the only one! I noticed that my once sharp memory was becoming almost non-existant and when I talk I almost feel tongue-tied. I thought it would get better after pregnancy but after staying at home not much has changed. I had to find adult activities to help stimulate my brain. Now I am taking a few online classes and a night class, I read when I can get time alone, and I keep a blog just to have an outlet when I need it. Things are getting better but I am still not 100% back to what I used to be.

It is true that it can also be a reaction to the Ambien. But, I used to take ambien before I got pregnant and I don't remember it affecting my memory or speech.

You are not alone in this. Even my friends could tell a difference in me especially after my second child. And I'm sorry to say, 3 years later and I'm not anywhere near as sharp as I was before.

I'm no expert but I think it's hormonal. Your hormone levels change after you have children, and each time you have a child, they can change again. I don't know if there is any way to change or reverse it either. And because it's hormonal, if that is what really causes it, it can cause these issues in some people but not in others.

I guess if it really bothers you, you should talk to your doctor about it and see if there is anything they can test you for or prescribe to you. Now that I know it's not just me who experienced this, I think I'll bring it up to my doctor the next time I go.

Good luck!

Sounds like chronic lack of sleep to me. At least, I have similar problems, and that's what I assume (and, I guess, hope) it is! I have a 5 1/2 year old and a 2 year old. I've been trying to write my dissertation since before my oldest was born, but, yikes, it's slow going. I definitely feel not as smart as I was before. My 2 year old still nurses, and I usually get only about 6 hours of sleep a night, and that interrupted by at least one nursing. I agree with other advice, get some good sleep and see if it helps! I should try to do that, too....