Day 207: One thing I learned today…
Listening to Dr. Jolene Brighten on Bulletproof Radio with Dave Asprey she mention the brain changing in size during pregnancy. She states the brain shrinks during the third trimester and doesn’t return back to its previous size until around 6 months postpartum. So why do we rush women to get back to work after the 6 week check up? She states this is a natural way for the mother to hyper focus on the baby during this time rather than multitasking.
According to a research article, a woman’s brain shrinks during pregnancy. Areas of grey matter reduce which are tied to social cognition.
Just because the brain gets smaller does not mean this is all bad. The brain actually becomes more efficient. Researchers also found that with the loss of grey matter, there was an increased feeling of attachment to their infants. It is suggested that the brain is preparing to better interpret newborns’ body language, including various cries and coos. In addition, this may allow for the mother to detect threats.
Source:
Bulletproof Radio: WOMEN’S HEALTH: How to Get the Right Care – A Top 10 Episode with Dr. Jolene Brighten
Hoekzema E, Barba-Müller E, Pozzobon C, Picado M, Lucco F, García-García D, Soliva JC, Tobeña A, Desco M, Crone EA, Ballesteros A, Carmona S, Vilarroya O. Pregnancy leads to long-lasting changes in human brain structure. Nat Neurosci. 2017 Feb;20(2):287-296. doi: 10.1038/nn.4458. Epub 2016 Dec 19. PMID: 27991897.
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