Rowenna (31) is due in a few weeks and is happy that she can stop working soon. Not because she finds her work so difficult, but because she is much more chaotic than before and forgets many more things.
“It’s terrible. I sometimes don’t remember the names of colleagues I often work with, I forget dates and I often can’t think of the most normal words anymore. It drives me crazy. A friend who already has children recognizes this and says that she (her children are 3 and 5) still suffers from it. From a so-called ‘mombrain’. Is this a fable or does it really exist? And if so, will this go away? I think it is now already frustrating.”
Mombrain or pregnancy dementia, as it is often called, is certainly not a myth, says obstetrician Selina Damen. “In fact, it has been scientifically proven that during pregnancy other areas of the brain – those in which emotions are central – become active and other areas become less active, which affects your memory.”
Hormoon progesteron
According to Damen, this is partly the result of the fact that your body produces a large amount of the hormone progesterone during pregnancy. This hormone ensures, among other things, that your intestines work slower and that your pelvis softens (in preparation of the body for childbirth). But also that the brain areas that are important for your emotions become more active and other brain areas become less active, which means you can remember things less quickly and concentrate less well. “What Rowenna experiences is very easy to explain. It is simply part of pregnancy, bonding with your child and preparing for motherhood.”
Is it true that your brain even shrinks during pregnancy? “That of course sounds very intense,” says Damen. “I don’t dare say that so emphatically, but what does happen has to do with the substance choline. If you are not pregnant, you get enough of this substance. During pregnancy you also use choline for the development of your child. , which means that he or she takes some of this substance and there is a little less available to you.”
“Choline is important for the growth and development of your child’s brain, but because you get less, it has consequences for your memory and concentration.”
But what about after the birth? How is it possible that Rowenna’s girlfriend is also forgetful? According to Damen, the hormone balance of a new mother is still different than before pregnancy. Moreover, the baby is priority number one and your own affairs are pushed to the background.
“And don’t discount the effects of sleep deprivation that pregnant and new mothers undoubtedly experience. If you don’t get enough sleep, it’s difficult to regulate your emotions properly, you’re more irritable and you can also forget things more quickly. Forgetfulness is therefore an indirect consequence of too little sleep. That is also the reason why men can also suffer from this.”
To-do lists
Damen also has a tip for dealing better with a mombrain. “Make a to-do list well before you go to bed. So that you don’t start thinking about it in bed, which makes you sleep even worse. Also try to admit to it: it is simply true that your brain works differently than you are pregnant and a new mother. That’s just the way it is. It also has a great purpose: your child.”
Rubriek: Asking for a friend
In this weekly column Asking for a friend we submit reader questions about health to one of our experts. Do you also have a pressing health question for a GP, midwife, dietitian, psychologist or other health expert? Then email it to [email protected] and who knows, you might see the answer appear here soon.
2023-10-02 10:10:37
#Pregnant #Rowenna #forgetful
