Mom Brain is Real.
Here’s How To Deal.
By Christine Kowaleski, DNP, NNP, FNP, MHNP-BC
For many new mothers, “mom brain” shows up in small, disorienting moments, like the ones Alice experienced after her daughter was born.
In the two weeks since giving birth, her longest stretch of sleep was about 2 hours. She felt increasingly frustrated with her inability to function as she had before pregnancy.
One day, as Alice prepared to leave the house for her daughter’s first pediatrician visit, she realized she could not remember where she placed her keys. On top of it, she was mad at herself for taking so long to pick clothing for herself and her baby. She wanted to look like a perfect mom, especially since the moms on social media seem to have it all together.
The search was on for the keys. After an hour of looking, she realized the keys were in her purse. As she locked up the house and headed down the stairs, she began crying. Her husband, looking perplexed, asked her: “Why are you crying?” Alice just cried harder.
What was happening? Was she going crazy? Was it sleep deprivation? Or was it Mommesia a.k.a. Mom Brain?
What is Mom Brain?
For years, pregnant and postpartum women felt like they were “losing it” with symptoms of forgetfulness, memory lapses, and overall difficulty concentrating. This leads to feelings of failure and frustration, particularly for women who have always had control of themselves, their lives, and their career.
Now, in 2026 we are beginning to understand the causes behind this mysterious mommesia, mom brain, pregnancy brain, or baby brain.
Does a pregnant woman’s brain really change? With recent studies, we can say “yes” with confidence. Studies using brain scans before, during, and after pregnancy show a 5% reduction in gray matter. The gray matter of the brain is responsible for processing emotions, decision-making, memory, and information processing. As the gray matter is decreasing, estrogen is increasing simultaneously. But this is not all. Other areas of the brain experience new growth. The amygdala, the area of the brain responsible for emotions such as fear and anxiety (often called the fight-or-flight center) enlarges. This helps the new mother be alert and protective of her newborn, but it may cause more intense anxiety.
Hormones impact brain functioning, and abrupt changes can cause issues with memory, attention, mood, and anxiety. Many women can attest to the effects of fluctuating hormones during their monthly menstrual cycles. For new mothers, these changes can be even more pronounced as they form new brain pathways and experience massive estrogen and progesterone drops after childbirth. This shift, combined with sleep deprivation, can intensify emotional changes and mood swings.
Returning to the story of Alice, we can see that she is suffering from sleep deprivation along with the restructuring of her brain and hormonal fluctuations. Her experience is common and will sound familiar to many moms.
Here are ways to ease the effects of “mom brain” and support your mental and emotional well-being.
How To Feel Better
Nutrition Tips
Cortisol is a stress hormone that affects the brain’s fight-or-flight center, which enlarges during pregnancy and postpartum. If cortisol levels are high, the mom is at risk for high anxiety.
Nutrition can regulate cortisol levels. High sugar foods can increase cortisol levels, so instead, aim for foods that are high in fiber, moderate in protein, and low on the glycemic index to stabilize blood sugar.
Sleep Strategies
Sleep is essential for hormone stabilization, but seeking support is challenging when trying to establish a breast milk supply. People need one block of four or five hours of sleep to feel rested, a feat that can seem impossible to a new mom. One stretch of four hours in a 24-hour period may be more realistic for some breastfeeding mothers.
Newborns need to eat every two or three hours, and those feedings can last 20–40 minutes, making it impossible to get a solid block of sleep. One option is pumping enough breast milk during the day to allow a partner to do one nighttime feeding using a slow flow nipple to mimic breastfeeding. (I say this risking a flood of emails from hard-core breast feeders). Pediatricians advise waiting up to four weeks before introducing a bottle to the breastfed baby. However, when considering the importance of sleep to emotional well-being, this option should be considered.
Easy Exercises
Regular exercise can help regulate mood, reduce stress, and support overall recovery. Gentle options like walking or chair yoga can be especially beneficial in the early postpartum period.
Stress Management Tools
Simple techniques like “box breathing” can help when you’re anxious or stressed. This calms your body by slowing your breath. You can inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, then hold again for four. Repeat this cycle several times, focusing on steady, even breaths. If you are starting to feel constantly overwhelmed, reach out to a therapist for other ways to recognize early signs of stress and prevent escalation.
Support Groups
Consider joining a support group through Crouse Family Support Program or Postpartum Support International at postpartum.net. Support groups are a crucial part of a treatment plan for new struggling moms. Social media is not your friend when you are newly postpartum, and it is hard to admit when you’re struggling. A support group normalizes your new mom feelings. And that’s ultimately our goal: to have a happy, healthy mom and baby.
Christine Kowaleski is a care provider at Crouse Health. She is certified in family, neonatal and psychiatric care and serves as the Chair of Postpartum Support International’s New York Chapter.