Pregnancy dementia: What is it?
Pregnancy dementia or breastfeeding dementia affects – as the name suggests – pregnant or breastfeeding women. In expectant mothers, poor concentration and memory usually become really noticeable towards the end of pregnancy. This is by no means a subjective feeling, as studies have shown, but a measurable phenomenon. Around 80 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women struggle with poor memory. However, the term dementia is completely misleading in this context. Unlike senile dementia, for example, no degenerative structural changes can be detected in the brains of affected women: No brain cells are lost in pregnancy dementia! On the contrary, studies have shown that the brain volume of mothers even increases significantly after birth.
What triggers pregnancy dementia?
In addition, the stress hormone cortisol can promote pregnancy dementia. If cortisol levels rise, forgetfulness increases. In particular, sleep problems, which many pregnant women have to deal with, especially towards the end of pregnancy, drive up cortisol levels. After birth, the baby then causes further sleep deprivation. However, breastfeeding seems to have a positive effect in this context: it lowers the cortisol level again.
In addition to sleep deprivation, other factors can impair memory performance, such as a problematic social environment, physical and emotional stress, and excessive demands as a mother.
How does pregnancy dementia manifest itself?
In addition to the forward-looking memory, i.e. planning and keeping appointments, some new mothers sometimes simply lack the right words. These word-finding problems can also be a sign of pregnancy dementia (breastfeeding dementia). In addition to the verbal memory, the working memory is also affected. Short-term memory, on the other hand, is less affected.
What helps with pregnancy dementia?
You are not completely at the mercy of your hormones and the resulting problems. With a few small behavioral changes, the symptoms of pregnancy dementia (breastfeeding dementia) can be alleviated somewhat:
- Avoid stress: Hand off household chores
- get enough sleep and rest (sleep when the baby sleeps)
- full and regular meals
- plenty of fluids
- breastfeeding (inhibits the release of cortisol)
Pregnancy dementia: When to see a doctor?
The fact that you are somewhat more forgetful and disorganized than usual towards the end of pregnancy and after the birth is completely normal at first. This will return to normal by the end of the breastfeeding period at the latest. However, if you not only notice the typical signs of pregnancy dementia, but are also extremely sad, depressed and listless, you should ask a doctor for advice. These could be signs of depression.
