What impact does bf have on mental capacities?

[liquoriceandtomatoes]

I'm still bf my ds at almost 18mnths. But I've always felt mentally a bit slower whilst pregnant up to present day. Not sure whether I'm imagining it and this is just the state of my mind ie just not as quick thinking as I used to be (maybe). Or whether bf is having an impact?

There's not a huge amount of research into this interesting question...but what there is does suggest very strongly that breastfeeding has an effect on lowering stress, and enables the mother to respond more quickly and intuitively to her baby's needs. This might mean she does not respond quite as quickly to other stimuli, but that does not show up in the studies. Some of the studies and speculations are here:

www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly/News-and-Research/Research/Miscellaneous-illnesses/Breastfeeding-brain-activation-to-own-infant-cry-and-maternal-sensitivity/

www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=15581

maternaljourney.co.nz/latest-articles/milk-matters-breastfeeding-babies-and-brains.html

www.scribd.com/doc/50983882/The-Maternal-Brain

I feel a bit like this too but have just put it down to my brain being very occupied with DS, so less room for other things, and also tiredness. I don't feel like bf is the cause but you never know

I feel a bit like this occasionally too, I put it down to not getting a full night's sleep (which is nowt to do with BF and everything to do with having 2 small children!).

I am finding that I have cat-like reflexes now, I feel a bit like Spiderman some days

Thanks for the links Tiktok.