From the onset of pregnancy, women are warned about physical, hormonal and even mental changes that come with motherhood. For years, it’s been believed that pregnancy brings about an actual decrease in brain function. We’ve all heard the stories of frazzled moms putting the milk in the coat closet and discovering their socks in the freezer. Lost keys, forgotten appointments, empty gas tanks and former conversationalists quoting Sesame Street and Raffi instead of the latest bestseller are just a few of the concerns and fears new moms face.
Author Katherine Ellison offers hope in her book, The Mommy Brain: How Motherhood Makes Us Smarter, where she states that the latest scientific research concludes motherhood actually increases intelligence for women! As managers of entire households where most family members are dependent on new moms to make and execute every decision that impacts them, moms truly are the ultimate CEOs.
If that’s true though, why do new moms often feel like absent-minded professors? And how do we prevent the frequent lament of motherhood that we’ve “lost our former selves” to bottles and blankets? Just as we must adjust with each new phase of life, be it preschool or puberty, so too moms must adjust to their new role and remember that the brain is the most important muscle to exercise!
Follow these Five Tips to Prevent “Mommy Brain:”
- Engage in adult conversation. Make a point to spend time with other adults on a regular basis. Schedule weekly dates with your spouse, join a moms’ group (see our list of Kansas City Parenting Groups to find one for you), participate in a book club at the local library or engage in online chats on Facebook or Mom Blogs (read the blogs on www.KCParent.com or check out www.CafeMom.com). Whether you’re talking about books, movies, your hobbies and interests or parenting your children (yes, it is still okay to talk about the kids), simply engaging with other adults will help to refuel your social tank and stimulate the brain!
- Practice healthy habits: Eat, sleep, exercise. Avoid the temptation to live on chicken nuggets and mac ‘n’ cheese. Take the children on outings where you can walk and enjoy fresh air. And do your very best to get a good night’s sleep every night, even if it means neglecting the laundry for a night.
- Learn new things. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed courses ranging from ethnic cooking to art history to culture and literature through the library, local hospitals and community education courses offered at local colleges. See our article on Community Education in Kansas City for great ideas.
- Make time for hobbies. Make it a priority to maintain or start a new hobby. Whether blogging, scrapbooking, gardening, crafting, cooking, Sudoku, photography or your own favorite skill, creative outlets provide great mental stimulation.
- Use routines. Your mind is full with details to track; simplify your life with routines when possible. Keep your keys, purse, planner, phone and other “daily use” items in the same spot at all times. You’re less likely to lose them if you always know where they are. Eat and sleep at the same time each day. If you need to make an early appointment in the morning, lay out clothes and prepare the night before. Stock the diaper bag each night. By keeping prepared and organized in simple things, you’ll be able to focus more clearly when details are demanding.
Do you remember growing up with the commercials that declared, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”? Follow these simple tips and make a point to forgive yourself when you find your toothbrush in your dresser. You may experience the occasional “absent-minded moment,” but you’re still the best CEO your family could ask for!
Kansas City mom Kristina Light is thankful for her friends who are there to help and laugh with her when she experiences Mommy Brain!