Baby Brain

Based on diary extract 23.2.11

'Baby Brain': a phrase that is banded about the place that implies all parents are stupid - or it seems that way before you become one. Either that or just an excuse to be forgetful and make the world believe it's not your fault, like people are supposed to believe that when you begot another human being a chemical reaction happened in your brain and that, in turn, made your brain cells deteriorate at a rapid rate. Load of rubbish.
Today started pretty well to be honest, I seemed on top of things - even so organised as to sterilise my breast pump in time for the next feed (I've decided expressing and bottle feeding my own milk is actually easier and quicker than feeding him myself because he is such a nightmare to feed). I didn't, however, do the sensible thing of using an actual steriliser. No. Instead, I thought it would be quicker to just boil a pan of hot water whilst I was milling around the kitchen, under strict supervision. Of course you will know if you are a parent, that if you plan to do anything at all your baby instinctively knows to interrupt and Albie started screaming for a feed right on queue. Thirty minutes into the feed and I smelt the distinct smell of burnt plastic. I shot up and ran into the kitchen to find the whole pan in flames and the whole kitchen in smoke. I rushed back into the lounge to put Albie in his chair whilst I tackled the fire with a wet tea towel. Why I went towards the smell of burning with a baby in my hands I'll never know; Why the smoke alarms didn't go off either is another mystery.
You will probably be thinking 'what an idiot', as though I am not a rational human being and I have no sense of safety or logic. You and me both. My neighbour even checked everything was alright due to the fumes escaping into her house and then a friend popped round to find all the windows open and me nearly in tears over the fact I nearly burnt down my house, nearly killed my child and destroyed a £100 breast pump.
And there you have it: baby brain. I have no excuse, other than I'd like to see you try to function in a new job after 4 hours sleep, thinking for two people 24/7 when your whole life has been thinking for yourself. People will tell you baby brain doesn't exist. It doesn't. Being pushed to human limits, however, will do a whole manner of things to your brain. I hope it's reversible.