You might never have thought of yourself as forgetful, but then one day you find a pregnant you repetitively putting the butter away in the pantry instead of the fridge, and you don’t really know what to do about it.

Well, I am here to tell you that it’s all going to be okay.

In fact, foggy, absentminded and scatty brains have long been a phenomenon that has affected pregnant women, and is often referred to as “baby brain”. But while it was considered a myth by some, a new study has verified the notion that pregnancy really can mess with a mom’s cognitive function.

Australian researchers at Deakin University found that “memory recollection is significantly reduced in pregnant women in comparison to those who aren’t expecting,” explains Skin Online.

Thankfully, it’s not all negative.

Sure, you might forget where your car keys are rather often, or that the butter belongs in the fridge, but below you can find five of the positives one can look forward to:

1. Your brain becomes more compact

When pregnant, the female brain shows a reduction in grey matter, which means your neurons are merely moving closer together to become more organised in a way that makes your brain more efficient. It’s pretty much like cleaning up your MacBook so it can run faster.

2. You become more motivated

Sure, you might feel a little fatigued, but your brain is firing up: research performed by Yale University in America found that the mid-brains of new mothers enlarged in the areas linked to motivation and behaviour.

3. You multitask like a boss

Women are already better than men at juggling multiple tasks, but if you really want to get something done, give it to a busy mom. It has been proven that the pregnancy increases activity in women’s prefrontal cortex, the bit that’s responsible for multitasking. Level up.

4. You won’t forget a face

You might forget that the butter belongs in the fridge, but one thing you won’t forget is a face. Researchers have discovered that pregnant women are better at recognising faces, particularly those of men, than non-expectant females.

Why? They don’t really know but the most popular theory is that it’s got something to do with quickly spotting and avoiding any potential threats.

5. You feel the love

Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding all trigger the release of oxytocin, the ‘love and bonding hormone’ that helps you connect with your baby. Interestingly, it can also make you a lot more aggressive to anyone you think might harm your child.

If you’re sitting there reading this, and have realised that, even if not pregnant, you still have a loss of memory every now and then, there are other causes.

Namely:

• Medication
• Alcohol, Tobacco and drug use
• Sleep Deprivation
• Depression and stress
• Nutritional deficiency
• Head Injury
• Stroke

Some of the causes of memory loss can be treated by changing your lifestyle, but the most efficient way to ensure you’re doing the best you can is to head to one of two Brain Renewals, located in Morningside, Gauteng and Cape Quarter in the Western Cape.

There, a team of professionals will assess and provide you with reliable information – which can not only help you better understand yourself, but also assist in identifying other symptoms, train the brain for optimal performance and develop yourself.

In the mean time, if it is a case of baby brain, at least you know the chaos will only last around nine months.

Either way, a day of treatment couldn’t do you any harm. Go on, you deserve it, Mama Bear.

[source:skinonline]