Is “mom brain” a cry for help? Holly Myers, May 11, 2023May 31, 2023 Women’s brains undergo massive changes during pregnancy and postpartum. A decrease in gray matter in the brain allows for mothers to be more responsive to their baby’s needs. Do these changes to the brain actually cause the forgetfulness that almost 80% of pregnant women report experiencing? The science is inconclusive. But studies so far show that no, pregnant and postpartum women do not have worse memory than their non-pregnant counterparts. So, what gives? How do we make sense of this information while validating our experience as mothers who definitely can’t remember why we put our shoes in the fridge…again. And what steps can we take to manage our busy lives while it feels like our brains are failing us? What is “mom brain”? Mom brain can also be referred to as baby brain, pregnancy brain, mommy brain, or momnesia. It is a phenomenon experienced by women across the world that causes pregnant and postpartum women to feel forgetful, experience brain fog, and have the general feeling that the hamster in their brain stopped running on its wheel and is taking a break to snack on some cheese…and pickles. This phenomenon can start as early as the first trimester and can last well into a few years postpartum. Women who experience mom brain typically report the following symptoms: Minor forgetfulness Forgetting names, words, or phrases Disorientation Clumsiness Causes of baby brain The exact causes of mom brain are unknown, but some likely causes include hormonal changes, sleep deprivation, and stress and anxiety. Hormonal changes MRI studies show that pregnant women experience a “shrinking” of the brain during pregnancy. The decrease in gray matter is thought to be a mechanism that allows mothers to be more responsive to their babies. This is thought to be caused by the increase in hormones that women experience during pregnancy. Estrogen and progesterone are the two hormones that are likely the cause of changes in the brain. These hormones peak during the third trimester. Perhaps this is why studies have shown that women in their second and third trimesters report worse cognitive function than those in the first trimester. In rodent studies the following hormones are also believed to cause changes in the brain: -Prolactin -Oxytocin -Glucocorticoids Key takeaways on how hormones may lead to the feeling of baby brain: Decreased gray matter in the brain Hormones estrogen and progesterone are thought to be responsible for the changes in the brain. These changes can last up to 2 years postpartum. The reorganization of the brain aims to foster attachment to baby and make mother more responsive to baby’s needs Sleep deprivation Pregnant and postpartum women are riddled with sleep struggles. In the first trimester women often experience extreme fatigue. The kind of fatigue that leaves you feeling in a daze even after 12 hours of sleep at night and a 4-hour nap during the day. As pregnancy progresses, women tend to feel more energized during the day but may start to experience interrupted sleep at night or even insomnia. Common causes of interrupted sleep during pregnancy: Heartburn Frequent need to pee Generalized discomfort Horrifying dreams Anxiety and stress Oftentimes the closer a woman gets to the end of her pregnancy, the worse her sleep becomes. Then, once the baby is born, the sleepless nights intensify. Babies wake up every 2-3 hours (at a minimum) to be fed. Babies also wake up for comfort and snuggles from their parents. Plus, many babies don’t want to sleep in their crib by themselves so that leads to even more night waking. Many women will not get a consistent amount of uninterrupted sleep until around 6 months. Some women will not experience uninterrupted sleep until well over a year postpartum. This massive amount of sleep debt affects women’s cognitive function. Key takeaways on how sleep deprivation may lead to the feeling of baby brain: Decreased ability to learn Reduced concentration Slower thinking Short attention span Poorer memory Poorer judgement Stress & anxiety Growing a human is pretty tough stuff. It’s amazing stuff, but it’s tough stuff. Many women experience stress and anxiety during the pregnancy and postpartum period. This stress can be related to a variety of factors. Dana Raphael coined the term matrescence to describe the “physical, emotional, and psychological changes” that women go through when they become mothers. The pregnancy and postpartum period are full of trials and tribulations. Maternal health concerns, newborn health concerns, breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, maternity leave, daycare, lack of spousal involvement, financial strain, etc. can all add up to a big ole pile of stress and anxiety. Key takeaways on how stress and anxiety may lead to the feeling of baby brain: Declined cognitive function Decreased ability to concentrate Decreased ability to learn new things How to cope with baby brain So, what is a mother to do when she feels as though her brain is melting but still has to go about her normal life as if nothing has changed? Change in mindset For beginners, we must shift the way we view baby brain. Dr. McCormack and Dr. Callaghn call to “rebrand mommy brain”. They state that they believe mom brain is a “cry for help” from mothers as we attempt to live up to an impossible ideal of the “perfect mother”. They believe we should “rebrand the mommy brain as a narrative reflecting the adaption of a mother’s (and parent’s) brain to take on the remarkable feat of parenting.” In other words, we shouldn’t view forgetfulness and brain fog as a cognitive deficit, but to view the transition into motherhood as a developmental period. Thus, allowing us to “take a broader, holistic view of the brain… and consider the adaptive importance of these changes in brain function.” Although baby brain can be frustrating, we can do ourselves a favor and view it simply as part of our matrescence. Organization and planning strategies In order to minimize the effects of baby brain on our everyday life, it’s advisable to have organizational strategies in place. It’s ok to strive for a sense of organized chaos here. We shouldn’t strive for perfection. A few tips on keeping all the things a little more organized: Use a calendar to keep track of all doctor’s appointments, soccer games, prenatal massages, PTO meetings, etc. Set reminders on your phone Utilize sticky notes to set up reminders around your house and/or workplace Maintain a schedule for household tasks Create daily and weekly checklists (don’t forget to give yourself a gold star when you complete a task!) Mindfulness and meditation Find your center and be more present during daily activities with mindfulness and meditation. It’s easy to forget what you’re doing in the present when you are so focused on the future. Stressing over what daycare baby will go to can make it easy to flub up a simple everyday task. Practicing mindfulness brings awareness to the current moment and allows us to observe our thoughts and feelings as they come and go. A few different mindfulness techniques to try: Mindfulness of breathing Compassion focused meditation The body scan Studies have shown that meditation and mindfulness practices causes changes in the brain that are associated with anxiety and depression. You may also find yourself feeling calmer and more peaceful. Which we can all use a little more of! Sleep It almost feels sacrilegious to try to give advice on improving sleep during pregnancy and postpartum. There are so many factors that are working against pregnant and postpartum women. With that said, here are a few tips to try out: Empty bladder before going to sleep Avoid foods that cause heartburn before going to bed Buy a pregnancy pillow Create a consistent bedtime routine for baby Seek support from your partner during the night hours with the baby Pump milk during the day so that your partner can feed baby a couple times throughout the night Catch a nap during the day when baby is napping. (Don’t worry about the dirty dishes in the sink. They’ll be there when you wake up.) Seek support They say it “takes a village” for a reason. Women require support from those around them during their pregnancy and during the postpartum period. It is no wonder that women experience feelings of disorganized thinking when they are responsible for so much. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from family and friends. If you do not have any family or friends that you can receive support from, then you can reach out to your community programs for assistance. You can call 1-800-311-BABY (1-800-311-2229) to get in touch with your local Health Department. They may be able to connect you with local resources. Conclusion Baby brain can be a frustrating part of pregnancy and postpartum, and many women have days where they feel like their brain is going to melt and drip out of their nose and ears. However, it is of utmost importance to realize that this is a result of the changes occurring during this developmental period. It is not a reflection of a woman’s intelligence or cognitive function. Self-compassion and empathy, plus a planner and a plethora of reminders on your phone, can help make the experience of mom brain *a little bit* more tolerable. References: Afonso, R. F., Kraft, I., Aratanha, M. A., & Kozasa, E. H. (2020). Neural correlates of meditation: A review of structural and functional MRI studies. Frontiers in Bioscience (Scholars Edition), 12, 92-115. Barba-Müller, E., Craddock, S., Carmona, S., et al. (2019). Brain plasticity in pregnancy and the postpartum period: Links to maternal caregiving and mental health. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 22, 289-299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-018-0889-z Callaghan, B., McCormack, C., Tottenham, N., & Monk, C. (2022). Evidence for cognitive plasticity during pregnancy via enhanced learning and memory. Memory, 30(5), 519-536. doi:10.1080/09658211.2021.2019280 Carmona, S., Martínez-García, M., Paternina-Die, M., et al. (2019). Pregnancy and adolescence entail similar neuroanatomical adaptations: A comparative analysis of cerebral morphometric changes. Human Brain Mapping, 40, 2143-2152. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.24513 Scott, S. B., Graham-Engeland, J. E., Engeland, C. G., Smyth, J. M., Almeida, D. M., Katz, M. J., Lipton, R. B., Mogle, J. A., Munoz, E., Ram, N., & Sliwinski, M. J. (2015). The Effects of Stress on Cognitive Aging, Physiology and Emotion (ESCAPE) Project. BMC Psychiatry, 15, 146. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-015-0497-7 Hoekzema, E., Tamnes, C. K., Berns, P., Barba-Müller, E., Pozzobon, C., Picado, M., Lucco, F., Martínez-García, M., Desco, M., Ballesteros, A., Crone, E. A., Vilarroya, O., & Carmona, S. (2020). Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness to offspring cues. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 112, 104507. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104507 Women's Health