Leaving your keys in the fridge, shoes in the oven and on the verge of forgetting your own name? You’ve got pregnancy brain! Find out more here…
What is Pregnancy Brain?
mamas-to-be often find themselves a little more forgetful than usual. Whether that’s forgetting to pick the dog up from the groomers, where they’re left their keys or some mama’s have even admitted to temporarily forgetting their name?! That hazy fog you might have found yourself in is completely normal and it often known as ‘pregnancy brain!’ So why do you get this forgetfulness? Well, hormones, a lack of sleep, baby zapping all your energy, the stress of thinking about introducing a new-born to your family are all reasons you may have a little bit of short tern memory loss. Research even shows that your brain itself really does change during pregnancy, increasing activity in the side associated with emotions, which in theory is to help you be more attuned neurologically to your newborns face to help you bond. Some research even shows that your brain cell volume DECREASES?!! during your third trimester! Don’t worry though mama, it returns to normal within the few months after delivery. Crazy, huh? At least you’ve got a reason for those slightly ditsy and sometimes weird things you’ve been doing recently. It’s pregnancy brain, ok?!
What Can I Do About It?
Ok, so now we know, this forgetfulness, the haze and the general ditziness can be explained away- you’re not losing the plot it’s just pregnancy brain, but what can you do about it?
- Get organised. Put important dates in your diary or on your phone calendar and schedule in reminders.
- Always put important things e.g. keys, phone, wallet in the same place so they’re easy to find
- Make to-do lists, tick things off when they’re done and keep it updated
- Eat omegas: find them in salmon, it’s full of DHA which helps with healthy brain function and development (for you and baby!)
- Be prepared to laugh at yourself. It is actually kinda funny you left your shoes in the fridge. Plus if you laugh at yourself it makes it a little easier when someone else inevitably starts giggling at your pregnancy brain induced ditziness.