You may have already experienced mommy brain during pregnancy, even if you couldn't quite identify it. In recent years, the term has become more widespread and appears frequently in scientific publications and women's magazines. Mommy brain, "mamnesia" (maternal amnesia), baby brain, or even brain fog—though the names differ, the phenomenon remains the same: a feeling of constant fog that leads expectant and new mothers to frequent forgetfulness. It's an effect of pregnancy that continues into the postpartum period, which we invite you to explore together in this article.
- Mommy or baby brain, it all starts in the brain!
- Mommy brain: the superpower of being a mom?
- 5 ultra-useful tips for navigating through it
Mommy or baby brain, it all starts in the brain!
In 1956, British pediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, who introduced the concepts of transitional objects and transitional spaces, identified what he called "primary maternal preoccupation." According to his research, this exclusively female state of mind could be the reason for the "fog" and slow pace experienced by new mothers.
Today, mommy brain refers to the pre- and post-birth period during which new moms may experience concentration difficulties, feel like they're constantly out of sync, and have frequent memory lapses. Appointments, words, names, keys, glasses... everything is affected, and most of it is lost. Moms who feel this brain fog talk about a permanent haze in which they struggle to organize their days and their thoughts. But in practice, what do we really know about this confusion?
Jodi Pawluski, Canadian neuroscientist and author of the 2022 book "Les supers pouvoirs du mommy brain" published by Larousse, describes new maternal feelings, such as a brain running in slow motion and the sense that you have given birth to a baby literally able to suck up your neurons. 😯
How pregnancy actually changes brain structure
The neuroscientist, also a researcher at the University of Rennes, says that 80% of women would experience this “mamnesia” to varying degrees. And for good reason: while the mechanisms of mommy brain remain somewhat mysterious, one thing is certain: the very structure of the female brain changes, starting in the first months of pregnancy. This is called perinatal neuroplasticity.
Thanks to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers have observed an increased functional connectivity of gray matter in the brain during pregnancy. However, this increase in activity is accompanied by a decrease in the volume of gray matter in various regions of the cortex, as well as a reorganization of neural networks. Dr. Pawluski doesn't describe it as "loss," but rather as a kind of "restructuring" for a new focus, which is almost entirely centered on the baby. This reorganization could be long-lasting (at least two years after childbirth) and perhaps even permanent. Different studies also suggest a link between the evolution of maternal brain structure and the mother-child relationship.
Imaging has shown, for example, that during pregnancy, the parietal lobes (related to empathy) and the temporal lobes (involved among other things in auditory perception, receptive components of language, and emotions) take up more space.
Neuroscience insights for better understanding
It therefore appears the female brain undergoes a true transition toward motherhood, preparing itself to help you adjust to parenthood.
This is precisely the point made by Lucie Joly, psychiatrist and head of adult perinatal psychiatry at Saint-Antoine, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Tenon, and Trousseau hospitals in Paris, and Hugo Bottemanne, also a psychiatrist at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital and a researcher at the Sorbonne University and Brain Institute, in their joint 2023 book "Dans le cerveau des mamans" published by Éditions du Rocher.
Their specialty? Perinatal neuroscience (where biology and psychology meet) and the study of mothers' and babies' brains. The two scientists confirm that the female brain is indeed capable of evolving from the first weeks of pregnancy and long afterward.
Starting with the hypothesis that these brain changes accompany the development of mother-child attachment, they also suggest a possible link with certain emotional difficulties related to pregnancy, such as baby blues or postpartum depression.
As for mommy brain, it may be partly explained by a hormonal production able to slow the renewal of neurons, especially in the hippocampus, where memory is located. These hormones are also responsible for the emotional storm of postpartum and the depression that affects 20% of new mothers.
How long does the "fog" of mommy brain last?
Memory loss, forgetfulness, and confusion can begin as early as the first trimester of pregnancy and peak during the third, then disappear in the months following childbirth. However, the effects of mommy brain could stretch much further, up to two years or more after the baby is born.
Mommy brain: the superpower of being a mom?
So does "mamnesia" only come with drawbacks? Was nature designed so that expectant and new mothers sail blindly in a sea of doubts and questions? Not entirely. 😉
For Jodi Pawluski, mommy brain is something of a maternal superpower, characterized by the partial restructuring of the brain for new learning and a complete focus on the baby and their needs.
If some areas of the female brain are affected, such as those linked to communication, it's to better develop others, such as empathy and emotional skills that help mothers better "sense" their child's nonverbal signals.
Thus, as confusing as it may be, mommy brain is actually a symptom of matrescence, of its upheavals, and all the challenges it brings. And because every superpower implies some sacrifices, let's not forget the fatigue, and in some cases, maternal exhaustion, which intensifies confusion and the fog effect.
Still, like any symptom, brain fog has its soothing remedies. If you're feeling overwhelmed or not yourself since baby arrived, remember that it’s normal, and that a few simple actions can help make daily life easier.
5 ultra-useful tips for living with Mommy brain
If there are many causes for mommy brain, there are just as many ways to relieve it. By combining them, you can regain some balance—or at the very least, better understand what you're experiencing.
-
Create an even more structured routine than usual to help you stay organized and reduce forgetfulness. After the baby is born, focus your planning on your little one (how could you not?), and write down everything important in a planner. It may be tedious, but, at least for a while, you'll have a schedule you can rely on. At home, make lists!
-
Ask for outside help; it's another good idea for finding your bearings more easily. Ask your parents to spend a few weeks at your home or bring in a doula. These birth assistants are especially helpful for moms and babies.
-
Nutrition is another lever to help you regain your footing. Eat fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, or anchovies, rich in Omega-3 and DHA (the main fatty acid found in the brain's gray matter). Studies have shown that DHA helps preserve learning ability and memory.
-
As in every stage of pregnancy (and indeed life), rest heals many problems. While it may not be a cure-all, take time to relax, meditate, try sophrology, hypnosis, or self-hypnosis, and sleep as much as you want before birth—and as much as you can afterwards. Handing things over to your partner, your parents, and so on is also a good way to refocus and find your words again.
-
Exercise your brain; it's good at any age. If memory issues are getting to you (and if you can find the time), do crossword puzzles, arrow words, word searches, or Sudoku to give your gray matter a workout.
call-to-action-collections
