The bodily transitions you experience as a mother include profound changes to your brain.
We’re close to seeing science that discovers more about women’s bodies than we’ve ever known. Advances have a lot to do with women neuroscientists.
The Brain Science of Pregnancy & Postpartum
During pregnancy, a dramatic increase in the hormones estrogen and progesterone (among others) prepare the mother’s body for giving birth. Back in 2016, a study from a research team in Barcelona showed that from pregnancy to postpartum, a mother’s brain experienced significant changes in gray matter in brain regions associated with social cognition and theory of mind, which activated when the mothers looked at photos of their children. These changes were still present 2-6 years after giving birth. Key takeaway: Mothers’ brains become adaptable during pregnancy, showing a plasticity that only compares to the changes seen during puberty, perhaps in preparation for empathizing and bonding with the new baby.
In January 2024, another published study focused on the specific changes in mothers’ brains, showing that gray matter decreases during pregnancy and childbirth, but mostly returns in postpartum. This change impacted a brain circuit called the default mode network, which activates when a person is not doing a specific task, and is linked to self-reflection, internal narrative, and a “sense of self” in addition to how we interact with others. Key takeaway: Over the course of a pregnancy and postpartum, a mother’s brain experiences significant ‘synaptic pruning’ that prepares them for childbirth as well as caring for and sustaining another human’s life.
Experiencing “Mom Brain”
“Mom brain” (or occasionally “pregnancy brain”) is a phrase used to describe forgetfulness, brain fog, or difficulty concentrating that some women experience more noticeably during pregnancy and postpartum. In her mythbusting book Mother Brain, Chelsea Conaboy summarizes a variety of studies, including a 2021 Oslo and Oxford analysis showing that women with children had patterns of white matter associated with “younger” brains than their actual age.
Other key takeaways from Mother Brain’s meta-analysis:
Mothers (and fathers too!) experience brain changes that result in becoming more vigilant, attentive, and protective of their child.
Effects of pregnancy on working memory tasks are negligible in the research that exists, with no evidence that a delay in recall persists past 12 weeks postpartum. Conaboy notes that no memory studies are able to control for sleep deprivation.
The brain circuitry for social processing, or a person’s ability to read social and emotional cues from other people and respond to them appropriately, are strengthened in parenthood.
There is no dedicated circuit in the brain to parenting, separate from the rest of the brain; the changes a mother experiences in new skills and capacity to care is the same one used in other realms.
Conaboy has a lot more to say about adaptations of the brain for new mothers, as well as fathers. She weaves together studies into a compelling narrative that argues that “Mom Brain” is in fact, a superpower.
“Baby Blues” and Postpartum Depression
With such dramatic brain changes occurring as a result of hormonal fluctuations, scientists have questioned to what extent it makes mothers susceptible to mental health conditions. One of my absolute favorite authors on all things matresence is Emily Oster. In her book Cribsheet, she draws the distinction between “the baby blues” and true postpartum mental health conditions that arise in this period or even later.
The “Baby Blues” is a term referring to the emotional sensitivity that many women experience in the first days and weeks after the baby arrives, inextricably linked to the rollercoaster hormone ride that occurs in the body post-birthing. You get through it after a few weeks.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is experienced by an estimated 10-15% of women who give birth, sometimes even during pregnancy. Diagnosis typically occurs within the first four months. You’ll probably be asked to take a Postnatal Survey a few times during check-ups; it’s a good idea to discuss ways to address low scores with a doctor.
Not all postpartum mental health issues manifest as depression, though — postpartum anxiety is also common, though it is sometimes hard to know what is “normal” parental worry, intrustive thoughts, and obsessive worry. Oster says, if anxiety is interfering with your ability to enjoy time with your new baby, or if you cannot sleep (and you’re already sleep deprived!), definitely discuss interventions with a healthcare professional.
People with a prior history of mental health troubles may be more likely to experience PPD. Other risk factors are external, such as lack of social support, those experiencing difficult life events concurrently, and whether the baby itself has health or sleep issues. As a result, interventions such as self-care (exercise, massage, mindfulness, etc.), mom groups, sleep training or other nighttime support, and having a therapist on hand are a good first line of defense.
From New Mom to Working Mom
Armed with all of this information, it should come as no surprise that whenever it must happen, going back into the workplace is another huge transition. You’ve created a new human whose life you must sustain, and in the process you’ve created a new you. Now you must go about reconciling your professional identity prior to giving birth with who you are becoming now.
Science says this is an incredible opportunity to redefine a number of things about yourself — your brain’s default mode circuit is being reinvented for the first time since puberty. For those of us with complex childhood experiences, this is a time to “reparent” yourself and become the mother you needed; a do-over, so to speak.
And why not take the time to look deeply at your strengths and career aspirations, and decide what is important to you now? Take a look at Momboarding’s downloads for toolkits, suggested surveys, and exercises that you can use in this wonderfully rich time of self-discovery.