We all know that becoming a mum makes us more efficient, organised and caring. We develop skills and a sense of motherly intuition that we never knew we had before.

 

But because society associates episodes of forgetfulness or absent-mindedness with being pregnant or breastfeeding, the misconception of “baby brain” and the belief that having a baby has a negative effect on your cognitive capabilities has perpetuated.

 

However, now a leading obstetrician wants to debunk the myth. In fact, he says having a baby could make you smarter.

 

Dr Tirum Gopal explains why the idea of mummy brain or baby brain has developed: "It has become so deeply entrenched in the psyche of pregnant ladies that whenever they have lapses in their memories, they immediately attribute it to the fact that they are pregnant," he said.

 

But everyone suffers from occasional forgetfulness, so don’t worry you aren’t alone.

 


Dr Gopal says there's no scientific evidence that women experience any loss of mental acuity during or after pregnancy. "In fact, it's the other way about. They have such a high surge of oestrogen and progesterone during the pregnancy that it sharpens their ability to think and clearly memorise," Gopal told ABC7 News.

 

A recent study in the Netherlands found that pregnant women's brains actually grow stronger, especially in areas linked to maternal bonding and memory.

"I think there's definitely a change, you're focused on other things," Gopal added.

However, there is one particular aspect of parenting that could contribute to forgetfulness and we’ve all suffered from it.

 

A lack of sleep has a negative impact on brain power. Studies have proved that sleep deprivation contributes to forgetfulness, reduced performance at tasks and slower reaction times.

 



"I think it has to do with sleep more than anything else," Gopal said. "There is so much change emotionally that occurs during pregnancy they have never experienced before and all of this accumulates into a befuddling environment."

 

Such an interesting revelation, what do you think mums? Do you think you have become smarter since having your little ones? Let us know.

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