Feeling more forgetful than usual since your pregnancy began? Chances are, someone around you has referred to these memory problems as pregnancy brain. You may wonder if pregnancy brain is real, but we’re here to set the record straight.

What Is Pregnancy Brain?

Most women know that pregnancy will profoundly affect their bodies, but it can also affect their minds. If you start to notice that you’re forgetting appointments, losing your keys, or misplacing essential items, it could be a type of mental fog called “pregnancy brain.”

Many studies show that pregnancy impacts a woman’s cognition. Some researchers suggest that these changes are meant to help women prepare for the stress of taking care of their newborn. Although pregnancy brain can make you feel more forgetful, it also allows you to be more sensitive to your baby’s needs.

The onset of pregnancy brain varies from woman to woman, but you may begin to notice it as soon as the first trimester begins because this is when your body receives a surge of hormones. Many other women don’t experience pregnancy until the third trimester. Typically, the symptoms subside postpartum.

3 Holistic Ways to Mitigate Pregnancy Brain 

If you’re struggling with pregnancy brain, there are plenty of foods you can consume to improve brain function and reduce the effects of pregnancy brain. Just remember to speak with your healthcare provider before introducing any new supplements or foods into your diet during pregnancy.

Consume Omega-3 Fats

Omega-3 fats such as DHA and EPA are known to improve cognitive function for pregnant women. Seafood is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, including salmon, mackerel, and sardines. If you’re not fond of seafood, you can always consume more yogurt, milk, and eggs.

Make Sure You Get Enough Choline

Choline is a B vitamin that will help alleviate pregnancy brain symptoms while supporting your baby’s brain development. Choline is essential to the development of the hippocampus, which is the brain’s memory center. 

Additionally, choline also improves communication between neurons in the brain. Most pregnant women don’t consume enough choline, but you can increase your choline intake by eating lean beef and eggs.

Eat Plenty of Antioxidants

Consuming a diet rich in antioxidants is known to lower inflammation caused by oxidative stress, which enhances memory. If pregnancy brain is putting a damper on your memory, try consuming more foods and beverages with antioxidants. This includes fruits, leafy green vegetables, and teas.

Support Your Holistic Pregnancy Journey with 2Me

If you’re interested in working with a midwife that offers holistic pregnancy support, OB2Me is here to help. At OB2Me, we offer private in-home or in-office concierge midwifery care to support you with comfortable prenatal and postpartum care for you and your family. We are also available to help you throughout your labor and delivery at the hospital.

OB2Me provides multiple packages and services to fit your needs best and make your transition from pregnancy to motherhood as stress-free as possible. Contact our team today and see how working with a dedicated and passionate healthcare provider can make all the difference.

Carson

Carson Ragan, CNM is a Certified Nurse Midwife with more than 25 years of experience in Labor & Delivery, Neonatal ICU, and women’s healthcare. After becoming a mother at a young age and experiencing the birth of her premature second child, she was inspired to pursue nursing and ultimately midwifery.

She earned her nursing degree from Columbus State University and graduated as an RN in 1999. After years of experience as an L&D and NICU nurse, charge nurse, educator, and clinician, she earned her graduate degree from Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in 2010 and became a Certified Nurse Midwife.

Her personal experiences as both a mother and healthcare provider inspired her vision for a more personal, convenient approach to women’s healthcare. She created a concierge model designed to give women more time, individualized attention, and quality care in the comfort of their home or office.

Outside of work, Carson enjoys spending time with her husband and five children, volunteering with her daughter’s volleyball teams, traveling, and scuba diving.