What does breastfeeding dementia actually mean?
Breastfeeding dementia refers to the condition of many expectant or new mothers, who are often very forgetful in the first period after the birth of the baby. What triggers breastfeeding dementia, you will learn in this article.
Breastfeeding dementia in pregnant women and mothers
Many pregnant women or new mothers notice a previously unknown forgetfulness in themselves during pregnancy or breastfeeding: the front door key can no longer be found, they return from shopping with only half of the things they actually need, names of acquaintances are suddenly erased from memory. In the vernacular, the small “memory dropouts” are referred to as breastfeeding dementia. However, the phenomenon has little to do with breastfeeding itself, but rather with the altered hormone balance and lack of sleep.
Hormone balance and breastfeeding dementia
After birth, the mother’s brain increasingly releases the hormone oxytocin, which is not only important for milk production, but also ensures that the mother concentrates fully on her child. Other, seemingly unimportant things therefore no longer seem so relevant to mothers of newborns and they often simply hide them.
By the way: The altered hormone balance is also responsible for the so-called nest instinct or the frequently observed urge to clean in new mothers. The strong desire to move the furniture again and again is therefore quite normal, as you want to make your home as beautiful as possible for your family. Let your partner participate in your feelings, worries and wishes and involve him in your planning. So he can understand better, for example, if he should put your armchair for breastfeeding or the baby bed again and again in a different place.
Lack of sleep and breastfeeding dementia
On the other hand, scientists in the sleep laboratory have shown that people whose deep sleep was interrupted several times during the night have increased concentration difficulties and memory problems. The supposed breastfeeding dementia is therefore often a consequence of lack of sleep and lack of recovery phases. The symptoms associated with breastfeeding dementia, such as forgetfulness and confusion, often resolve on their own as soon as your and your child’s sleep rhythm have adapted to each other.
Tip: If you sleep together with your child in a room, you do not have to walk far to breastfeed your child at night and can do this almost half-asleep. So your night’s sleep will not be affected too much.
