Mommy Brain: When Pregnancy Changes Your Brain 🧠

During pregnancy or after giving birth, some mums feel as though their brain simply doesn’t work quite the way it used to. An appointment gets forgotten, the keys turn up in the most unlikely place or a word suddenly refuses to come to mind… And before you know it, someone mentions the famous “Mommy Brain”.

The term is generally used to describe those little moments of forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating or that feeling of brain fog that can come with pregnancy and postpartum. But there’s actually something much more complex going on: pregnancy really does bring about significant changes in the brain.

Don’t worry, though: this doesn’t mean your brain is losing its abilities or suddenly becoming less capable. Instead, it goes through a period of significant plasticity, reorganising itself as it adapts to the changes of pregnancy and the arrival of a baby. So, is Mommy Brain actually real? What happens to your brain during this time? And can these changes really explain those everyday moments of forgetfulness? We took a closer look.

What Exactly Is Mommy Brain? 🌫️

“Mommy Brain”, also known as “Baby Brain” or sometimes “Momnesia”, isn’t a medical diagnosis. It’s a popular term used to describe a range of cognitive changes that can be experienced during pregnancy or after giving birth: your memory might feel less reliable, you may be more easily distracted, struggle to find the right word or simply feel less organised than you used to.

In everyday life, this can show up in very ordinary ways: walking into a room and forgetting why you went there, forgetting to reply to a message, losing your train of thought halfway through a conversation or finding yourself writing more things down so you don’t forget them. And while plenty of mums will recognise these situations, everyone experiences them differently.

Pregnancy is an important period of neuroplasticity. In other words, the brain gradually reorganises itself and adapts certain connections in response to the many changes happening in the body. It isn’t becoming less capable – it’s going through a period of transition and reorganisation.

A Brain That Reorganises During Pregnancy 🔁

So what’s actually happening inside the brain during this period of transition? Brain-imaging studies have observed changes in several regions associated with emotions, attention and social interaction. Some of these changes begin during pregnancy and may remain visible after giving birth. One of the changes researchers have observed is a reduction in grey matter in certain areas of the brain. But this doesn’t mean the brain is losing its abilities or becoming less capable. Instead, research suggests that certain neural networks may be becoming more refined. The brain could be reorganising its connections to make them more specialised – somewhat like the changes that take place during adolescence.

So rather than simply “losing” something, the brain appears to be undergoing a much broader reorganisation. This period of reorganisation could continue for up to two years after birth. Its exact purpose still needs further research, but these findings already show just how adaptable the brain can be during pregnancy and the transition to motherhood.

Hormones Play a Part Too 🤰

Hormone levels change significantly during pregnancy. Oestrogen and progesterone levels rise considerably to support the baby’s development, prepare the body for birth and maintain the pregnancy.

But these hormones don’t only affect the uterus and the rest of the body. The brain also has receptors that respond to them.

Hormones could therefore play an important role in the way the brain reorganises itself during pregnancy. And these changes don’t suddenly stop once the baby is born. After birth, grey matter volume gradually increases again in certain areas of the brain, without necessarily returning immediately to pre-pregnancy levels.

The brain continues to change during the postpartum period, influenced not only by hormones but also by sleep, stress, your environment and all the new experiences that come with having a baby.

Is It Really All Down to the Brain? 💤

The changes observed in the brain during pregnancy aren’t enough on their own to explain every forgotten appointment or misplaced set of keys. Mommy Brain is probably the result of several biological, psychological and environmental factors coming together. So yes, the brain really is changing. But that’s only part of the story.

Tiredness is extremely common during pregnancy and after birth. And when we don’t get enough sleep – or the sleep we do get is constantly interrupted – it naturally becomes harder to concentrate, take in and remember new information or quickly retrieve a particular word or memory.

Then there’s the mental load. Medical appointments, preparing for the baby, organising everyday life, feeds, sleep, new worries… It’s not that your brain has stopped remembering things – it simply has much more to keep track of than before. Stress, anxiety and changes in mood can also make that feeling of brain fog more noticeable.

Living with Mommy Brain Day to Day 🗓️

The first thing to remember is probably the most important: forgetting a few more things during pregnancy or postpartum doesn’t mean you’ve become less intelligent, competent or capable. Your brain is adapting while your everyday life is going through a huge transformation too. It makes sense that everything might not work exactly as it did before.

Rather than expecting your memory to keep track of absolutely everything, a few simple changes can help take some of the mental load off:

Keep appointments and important reminders together in one calendar.
Make short, realistic to-do lists rather than letting tasks pile up.
When possible, focus on one thing at a time – and accept that some things can wait.
Share organisation and responsibilities with your co-parent or the people around you.
Let others help and ask for support when you need it.

None of this is about becoming a more “productive” mum. It’s about freeing up a little mental space. When your brain is already dealing with tiredness, emotions and countless new experiences, simplifying things around you can help avoid adding even more to the load. And whenever possible, rest – however imperfect – and support from the people around you can be particularly valuable.

It’s also important not to automatically put every difficulty down to Mommy Brain. If significant problems with concentration, persistent sadness or anxiety, loss of enjoyment, or difficulties looking after yourself or your baby continue, speak to your midwife, doctor or another healthcare professional to explore what else might be going on.

One Last Thought 🫶

Mommy Brain isn’t simply a myth, nor does it mean your brain has suddenly become less capable. Pregnancy brings about real changes in the brain, while hormones, tiredness, lack of sleep, stress and mental load can all affect memory and attention in everyday life.

So yes, your keys might disappear a little more often, a word might stubbornly stay on the tip of your tongue or an appointment might need three reminders. But behind those little moments of forgetfulness is a brain going through a major transition – while quite a lot is changing in everyday life too. 💛

Please note: The information in this article is intended as general guidance and does not replace individual medical advice. If you have any concerns about your physical or mental health during pregnancy or after giving birth, please speak to your midwife, doctor or another qualified healthcare professional.

@tajinebanane

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