Baby Brain. Ever heard of it? It’s a term often used to describe the way a postpartum mother feels – clumsy, forgetful, or emotional. Baby Brain is a real, physiological condition experienced by mothers following birth, and it’s actually not all that bad. Trust me. I was personally excited to learn more about this while studying under Julia Jones, the founder of Newborn Mothers Collective. I received my Postpartum Doula certification from her school based in Australia. She’s the one who first introduced me to ayurveda and the art of using nurturing foods to heal from birth and to thrive, not just survive, during the postpartum period.
I’ve personally experienced Baby Brain during all six of my postpartum periods. So, what exactly is Baby Brain and how does it affect us? Let me first explain a little bit about the science behind it and then I’ll translate it to simple language and experiences.
“There’s growing evidence that pregnancy and lactation are associated with a variety of alterations in neural plasticity, including adult neurogenesis, functional and structural synaptic plasticity, dendritic remodeling, and in different brain regions. All of the mentioned changes are not only believed to be a prerequisite for proper fetal and neonatal development, but moreover to be crucial to the physiological and mental health of the mother.”
~ Marian Diamond
Marian Diamond was a female scientist who studied brains. She was one of the few who actually had the privilege of studying Albert Einstein’s brain. Wow, what an honor! Marian also studied the changes that occur in a woman’s brain when she becomes a mother. She noted that motherhood made the cortex of the brain thicker. She studied how the biology of pregnancy enriched the brain, causing learning, change, growth, and an increase in the brain cortex. She discovered that these changes were evidence of a mother’s health and wellbeing, which directly affects the health and wellbeing of her baby.
Studies show the results of an MRI scan performed on mothers who have given birth. The results were remarkable! The scans actually showed a difference in a mother’s brain compared to a male or another female’s brain that hasn’t given birth. Mothers’ brains change with pregnancy. Amazing! The brain volume changes following the pregnancy for a period of up to two years postpartum. This change in volume makes a newborn mother happy and healthy, which in turn makes her baby happy and healthy. The MRI showed an increase in neuroplasticity, which is a physiological increase in learning. The MRI also showed an increased production and receptivity to oxytocin. Baby Brain gives a new mama two great gifts. The two biggest areas of change within the postpartum brain are in neuroplasticity and oxytocin.
The first postpartum gift is neuroplasticity. What does it mean to experience an increase in neuroplasticity? It means your brain is able to change and is open to learning. A newborn mother’s neuropathways increase to allow for more learning. Baby Brain makes learning easier. Baby Brain makes the newborn mother smarter! Neuroplasticity is the adaptive ability of the brain to form and reorganize in response to its environment. It’s about making changes to fit the new postpartum life and demands. Neuroplasticity exists at all times, but it’s increased during critical developmental stages, such as early childhood, adolescence, and matresence (the period of time following birth). This change in the brain allows for the new mother to adapt to her new life of newborn care. Her baby did not come with instructions. The new mother is constantly adapting, growing, thinking, problem solving, and learning about her baby. Her marvelous postpartum brain thrives in this new environment.
The second postpartum gift is oxytocin. What is oxytocin and why do we need it? Oxytocin is the love hormone and it rewires our brains to be more loving. It’s necessary for birth, love, connection, and that warm & fuzzy feeling we need in order to bond with our baby. It covers boredom and monotony with a love connection. Postpartum life is a series of repeated activities: feeding, sleeping, diapering, repeat. Oxytocin brings relaxation, peace and joy to the simple and mundane. It also brings a higher state of emotions, helping a newborn mother stay more in tune with her newborn baby’s cries and needs. She is more empathetic and able to reflect on matters from another’s perspective, from the perspective of her baby. Additionally, oxytocin improves digestion, balances the appetite, increases nutritional uptake, is a natural pain reliever, and it helps with wound healing. All of these benefits boost a postpartum mama. If you feel safe, oxytocin will make you feel more relaxed. It’s that mooshy, gooshy feeling. Oxytocin is not just for birth, it’s for life!
“During the period of nursing, many women experience a desire for a more peaceful life. Nursing mothers enjoy quiet and seclusion with the family. Most do not consider nursing and childcare boring and time consuming because they have less need for variety than usual. During my research, the nursing mothers who exhibited the greatest behavioral changes also had the highest levels of oxytocin in their blood.”
~ Kersten Uvnes Moherg
Journalist Katherine Ellison noted five positive attributes of a “Baby-Boosted Brain” as crucial components of motherhood: enhanced senses (Mom, does this milk smell bad?), more resiliency, efficiency of time (Have you seen how many loads of laundry a mother can fold in a one hour nap time?), increased ambition to make the world a better place, and a more tender emotional intelligence, specifically an increased receptivity to non-verbal cues necessary to newborn care.
Another pioneer in postpartum health is Ysha Oakes. She opened many eyes to ayurvedic postpartum care. Oakes taught women to prepare for their postpartum period in much the same way we prepare for birth. She brought awareness to postpartum as a period of preparation for long-term health and happiness in motherhood.
“After birth there’s a sacred window of time, a time for complete rejuvenation of a woman’s physical, mental, and spiritual health…a time for deep, extended bonding with her newborn. The first 42 days after birth set the stage for her next 42 years.”
~ Ysha Oakes
So, what can we do about all these changes? Once we recognize that Baby Brain is real we can begin to understand the changes and allow understanding to the new way our brains work. It’s like getting a new iPhone or computer. At first it can be frustrating because we don’t quite know exactly how everything works. Functions are done slightly differently. We learn to use our new device and often we realize it’s better than our older one. Our brain is much the same. Once we come to the understanding that our brains have changed, we can accept the change for the better. It’s like decluttering your brain, allowing the skills you’ll need to thrive during postpartum to take the forefront. Baby Brain is a lot of mixed emotions and feelings, mostly ones that leave a new mama feeling unfamiliar in her own mind and body. Her brain has changed significantly, just as much as her body has. Knowing these changes are real, biological changes can help her navigate through her postpartum period with grace and understanding.
“Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.”
~ Barbara Katz Rothman
- Baby Brain Boosters: oxytocin, prolactin, serotonin, intuition, peace, joy, love, permission, warmth, coziness, comfort food, touch, massage, skin-on-skin, exercise, sunshine, exercise, tea, baths, lovely & familiar smells, meditation
- Baby Brain Busters: cortisol, noradrenaline, adrenaline, testosterone, stress, hunger, crying baby, lack of sleep, cold, trauma, isolation, overwhelm, chaos, mess, overload, too many rules & regulations
