Do you suffer from forgetfulness since you are pregnant?Do you have memory losses or problems concentrating since you were a mother that you did not have before? Do not worry! It has an explanation: you suffer from mumnesia: the amnesia of mothers.
It is one of those things that are not talked about and when it happens to oneself, she worries that we are the only ones. Well you can be calm, it is something of the most common. We are going to explain why it occurs and how to combat memory loss.
What is the mummy?
The mummy (also called gestational amnesia or lactational Alzheimer's) is nothing more than a sequel to pregnancy. It is a frequent memory loss suffered between a 50% and 80% of pregnant women from week 26 to and that can last until the first year of the baby's life. It mostly affects new mothers.
Why does it occur?
Scientifically the mummy it is explained by the great hormonal changes that the woman's body suffers since she is pregnant. the rise of hormones such as prolactin, estradiol, progesterone, cortisol, and oxytocin directly affect our attention and memory. That is why both are reduced.
The amygdala it is also affected during pregnancy, increasing your activity. The amygdala is part of a system in charge of managing emotional stimuli, in addition to being involved in memory consolidation.
In addition, our brain structure changes once we give birth to be more sensitive to the needs of the baby. For it the brain prioritizes everything related to the well-being, development and safety of the baby, leaving the other tasks in the background.
La lack of sleep and stress what it means to have a baby, they are also involved in these frequent forgetfulness. The brain does not rest enough which makes resources less.
For all these explanations it is more than normal that women in this stage have habitual memory losses. We have fewer resources available and those that do exist are baby-centered. The rest in our brain passes as non-urgent and is forgotten.
Tips for dealing with mummies
Sorry to say that there is no remedy to avoid mummy. The good news is that over time your hormones will regulate and everything will return to normal. On our side we can continue a series of tips to promote memory at this stage.
- Sleeping more. Sleep is one of the first affected by the arrival of a child. Although it may seem impossible, you should try to sleep as much as possible. For this, you can ask family or friends for help so that they allow you to rest. Not only will it improve your memory and performance, but it will also make you de-stress and more relaxed.
- Balance diet. Food is a main thing for memory. Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables, nuts, oily fish, and avocados. Folic acid can also help you with memory.
- Make exercise. In addition to releasing tension and stress by releasing endorphins, it is very beneficial for memory performance. Walking half an hour a day three times a week will significantly improve your memory. You can take walks with your baby and thus enjoy the fresh air and a good walk. It will also improve your mood and help you recover after delivery.
- Enjoy time for yourself. It may seem selfish or a bad mother, but it is not. Delegating to your partner, your mother, your mother-in-law or a nursery is good for both. You need to disconnect, relax, do things you like like reading or exercising. This way you will be in better conditions to take care of your child in full swing. You will both enjoy your time together and your time apart.
- Do not be sad. As we have already seen, it is something transitory. Everything will return to normal.
Why remember ... it is annoying to have these forgetfulness, but everything has its positive side. The one with funny stories you will have to tell!