Why "mom brain" is actually good for our health (and the world)
How the brain changes during motherhood
A recent client call inspired me to write about how the brain changes after becoming a parent, and why that is a good thing. Dearest client, You know who you are!
You might have heard the terms “mom brain” or “baby brain” or “milk brain,” right? Maybe you’ve felt forgetful during early motherhood or have had trouble focusing on tasks at work post-maternity leave. Or maybe you’ve noticed that you don’t retain information during pregnancy like you once did. Anyone?
What if these brain changes are actually helpful? And, what if there were ways to celebrate and support the inevitable changes happening as a result of bringing life into the world?
Here, I’m going to talk primarily about brain changes postpartum as it’s just too much to share in one post if we discuss pregnancy, too.
What I’ll briefly say about pregnancy, though - nutrition is vital, particularly fatty acids, animal fat and proteins.
Towards the end of pregnancy, up to seven grams of fat pass across the placenta each day to feed the baby and build his/her brain. Where does that fat come from? The mother. Hence why the brain shrinks during pregnancy.
Protect your own brain by nourishing yourself well. I do not recommend plant based eating during preconception, pregnancy or the first years postpartum.
Science now shows us that motherhood (and parenthood - you too, fathers!) grows our brains.
Yes. You read the correctly.
A mother’s brain will increase in size after the birth of her baby, and grey matter on the brain will increase as well, signaling a period of massive learning.
This is significant because there are very few times in adulthood that grey matter will increase over a few months time.
Personally, I love that science is now showing the brain is plastic, something that the ancients knew and offered practices like meditation and self-study to support brain health and function.
The structural changes to the hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex, substantia nigra, amygdala, and parietal lobe assist mothers in becoming more attuned to the needs of caring for their babies, as well as becoming more sensitive to what is required to create and sustain thriving life.
Put another way, these structural changes encourage an intuitive mindset, rather than solely logical/rational ways of being and living.
These brain changes and hormonal shifts help mothers to be:
Uniquely wired for true multi-tasking
Sensitive to stimuli
Intuitive
Protective, and
Nurturing.
To me, this is a fitting time to write a post like this, because we’re just coming off of Navaratri, the nine nights of the Goddess.
Durga, amongst other Goddesses, is celebrated during Navaratri as the fierce, mother warrior.
She is beloved for slaying the demons that threatened the earth plane, while also being a loving, present and intuitive mother. She reminds me that as mothers, our softness is also our strength. Our softness and attunement to the health of all beings is what inspires our ferocity and protectiveness. Yes?
It’s what helps us to reprioritize and to allow for the necessary changes in our lives at home and in our careers in order to support thriving life for all beings.
That is, if we allow it. That is, if we can stop belittling ourselves for what our brains don’t do, and celebrating them for what they are doing.
I understand the challenges of this in our society, really, I do. I hope a post like this offers a chance to have the necessary conversations with our loved ones and colleagues about maternal health.
Personally, I had forgotten this truth of postpartum brain growth for a time, and began spiraling into imposter syndrome that I think is wildly common.
It can be so easy to swim in that sea of pick-up’s, drop-off’s, closet inventory, meal planning, meal making, calendar planning, budgeting, sickness, and so on that we forget we have real skills, desires, and interests within and outside of the home.
It can also be so easy to stay in careers or professional paths once becoming mothers because it’s what feels safe and known, even if our hearts are tugging at us for a change be it big or small.
And, not only that…so many of us get the message to “build our careers before motherhood.”
But, what happens when that career choice no longer fits? Or, when you just don’t…care as much anymore? Gasp.
What happens when you need to pivot to better serve yourself, your baby/babies, and your family?
What if you allowed the intuitive nature of motherhood to pull on you, to beckon you on a new path?
I have heard of so many women who have new skills and interests that only deepened with motherhood.
We just have to let go and trust.
I wonder how your changing brain could be an asset for you? For the world?
Because, I believe it can. We need mothers who have become more attuned, aware, intuitive, fierce and also kind to support each other and all the world’s children.
Where is your intuition pulling you? How can you listen?
Could you allow a change to come in, if needed? A new career path? A new business or freelance role? A blog? A creative pursuit? A tending to home and family life? A blend of the above?
Or could you give yourself grace as you return to known work postpartum? Could you lean into certain qualities of the postpartum brain that will certainly be useful, like an expansive awareness and an ability to multi-task with ease?
It’s all valuable. It’s all worthy. It’s all beautiful. It’s all needed.
With that, it’s important to continue to protect and nourish your health for optimum brain health. Nutrient rich food, the right movement, rest, sunlight - you know, the basics - go a long way.
And if you need support, please write to me and let’s schedule a time to chat for 75 minutes. Just hit reply to this email and we’ll make a date.
I’m not quite sure what to call these one on one sessions yet. If you’ve been here for awhile, you know that I had a longtime yoga and yoga therapy private practice, but this isn’t necessarily that. I’m not a coach, so it’s not that either. Hmmm…
Anyway in these sessions, we’ve discussed:
motherhood.
career.
yoga.
postpartum.
prenatal care.
nutrition.
health.
creativity.
business ideas.
sleep.
education.
healing.
some amalgamation of the above.
Sometimes we meditate or do yoga.
Sometimes we just chat with tea.
It’s never therapy in the clinical sense.
It’s always therapeutic in the “oh, someone finally understands me” sense.
Always, you get a follow-up message with ideas and resources.
It’s all about designing life that works for you and with your unique season, placing your health and well-being at the center (and with the framework of yoga and Ayurveda…at this point, I can’t not).
Sending so much love to you and your “mom brain” whether you are pregnant, freshly postpartum, or empty nesting. Sending love to all the papas, too. <3
Jai,
Leanne
P.S. If you’ve been a client of mine in the past (or present) and have a good idea about what to “call” our time together, I’m all eyes and ears. It’s my mom brain. I need to crowd source some creativity right now. <3
Beautifully written Leanne