to dislike "baby brain" as an excuse

[MmeLindt]

for forgetfulness.

I had my DC in Germany and there is no such thing as "baby brain" there. No one uses the term and if you forget something, you have forgotten it. It is not due to your pregnancy.

When I was pregnant with my first, I drove at night with no headlights on several times, never done that before or since (even in subsequent pregnancies). I just seemed to lose that automatic reflex of putting them on when I got in the car at night). It always took me ages to clock it too, even when other cars were flashing me. 😬

It has always been used in Germany, the term is "Stilldemenz" ("Stillen" = breastfeeding, "demenz" = demetia).

Babybrain, as the English term, has caught on recently but it is a very well-known and widely used phrase.

There is some evidence to show that memory is indeed impaired in pregnant women and these effects carry into after giving birth, e.g. www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13803390701612209 Same with intelligence, attention span, etc. - essentially, babies drain you in more than one way.

I think it’s a useful shorthand rather than a medical diagnosis.

I’m sure I’ve got COVID brain, for instance.

I think it's a great expression...except i get it when not pregnant too!

@LouiseAnders

Hi everyone, these posts caught my eye because I am very interested in the topic of 'Baby Brain' or 'Brain Fog' from a research perspective. This means in reality I am interested in trying to understand what it is and what causes it and why many women report changes in their thinking and memory during pregnancy or after giving birth.

If anybody is interested in sharing their experiences under the mumsnet research area I am advertising for research participants on this topic. Just click on the link below to access the research area and information about this study.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/surveys_students_non_profits_and_start_ups/4051349-A-touch-of-Brain-Fog

Thanks everyone,
Louise

Reported. Don’t drag up threads from NINE YEARS AGO.