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A new baby comes with countless changes to your body, your lifestyle, your home decor, your sleep schedule, and even your brain function. If you’ve had a friend or family member go through pregnancy and postpartum, you’ve most likely heard of the term “Mom Brain”, a brain fog that can make you forgetful, irritable, and easily overwhelmed. As it turns out, Mom Brain is a real and well-documented phenomenon. Research shows that pregnancy and childbirth can temporarily change brain structure, particularly in areas related to memory, emotions, and social cognition. Dr. Ben Christiansen, Ogden Clinic's Clinical Neuropsychologist, shares insight into what’s actually happening in the brain during pregnancy and postpartum, and why it’s completely normal.
Is Mom Brain neurologically real?
The short answer: yes.
Mom Brain is caused by temporary changes in grey matter, the fatty part of the brain responsible for processing information, memory, and emotions. These changes are influenced by a combination of hormonal shifts, sleep deprivation, nutritional demands, and the physical stress of pregnancy and childbirth.
“Mom brain is very real; the best way to explain it is a weird brain fog that makes it very easy to forget things, have difficulty concentrating, and wondering who I chose to have a child with,” Says Dr. Ben. “There are real biological reasons for these changes. Social cognition improves, maternal bonding increases, and many women actually become better at multitasking.”
In most cases, grey matter levels begin returning to baseline around six to eight months postpartum, often once sleep becomes more consistent and nutrition improves.
Can you prepare for Mom Brain or mitigate the effects?
“I tell my patients that you can never get around the genetic experience of life, so while there are things you can do to help, Mom Brain is normal,” says Dr. Ben. He recommends prioritizing sleep whenever possible, eating nutrient-dense foods to replenish minerals lost during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and staying physically active both during pregnancy and postpartum. Cardiovascular exercise can improve blood flow, oxygenate the brain, and help remove neurotoxins. Weight training and stretching are also encouraged at any stage of life, as they’ve been shown to improve overall longevity in women.
The number one thing Dr. Ben emphasizes is the value of self-care post-partum: “You can’t milk a rock. If you don’t take care of yourself and your needs, you can’t effectively take care of your baby.”
How can your partner help?
Dads, it’s time for you to step up, majorly.
Dr. Ben recommends one thing for new dads, and it’s to have more grace and compassion for your partner after they give birth. Pregnancy and birth are life-altering experiences, and being present doesn’t always mean fully understanding the physical and emotional toll of growing and delivering a human being.
“You are part of the reason this baby is here; you can help your partner through postpartum.” Says Dr. Ben, “I hear all the time: ‘Well, I can’t breastfeed the baby, so I don’t need to wake up during the night. ‘Guess what? If mom is pumping, you can bottle feed the baby, change diapers, or burp the baby and let mom heal and get back to sleep.”
Another powerful way to help is to give your partner intentional breaks. Take the baby after work so she can shower, go for a walk, or simply feel like herself for a moment. Dr. Ben shares that when his wife gave birth, she felt pressure to “sleep when the baby slept,” but instead wanted to clean or cook. “I told her I’d handle those things so she could focus on sleeping and healing.”
Are Mom Brain and post-partum anxiety and depression related?
They can be.
From pre-pregnancy to postpartum, the body undergoes major hormonal shifts. These changes can leave the nervous system stuck in a constant fight-or-flight response. The body craves stability, something that’s in very short supply during this stage of life.
“Let’s face it, giving birth is traumatic, having a new person come into your life is traumatic, feelings like anxiety and depression are a natural reaction to that trauma,” says Dr. Ben. He strongly encourages moms to seek help if they need it. “It doesn’t make you a bad mom; it makes you human. And you don’t get bonus points for doing everything by yourself,” he adds.
What can you do with your baby to support brain recovery?
The good news: this is temporary. With time, proper nutrition, sleep, and support, brain function improves.
Staying socially connected is especially important. “This time of year can be really hard for new moms,” says Dr. Ben. “With illnesses going around, many parents isolate at home, but your newborn isn’t going to have a stimulating conversation with you.” Even virtual connections, like FaceTime or texting friends, can help stimulate brain function.
Keeping your brain active also matters. Simple activities like reading, doing crossword puzzles or Sudoku, or even reading your own books out loud to your baby can help. At this stage, your baby doesn’t care whether it’s a mystery novel or The Cat in the Hat; they just love hearing your voice and being close to you.
This stage of life can feel scary, overwhelming, and exhausting. But with time, and a few solid nights of sleep, your brain will bounce back, and your new little family will find its rhythm.
Dr. Ben Christiansen is a Clinical Neuropsychologist at Ogden Clinic’s Neurocare Center in Layton. Learn more or schedule a visit with Neurocare here.