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I had the baby while at university, and it's true. While I was always brilliant in math and physics, I couldn't do simple things anymore. That was very frustrat

I had the baby while at university, and it's true. While I was always brilliant in math and physics, I couldn't do simple things anymore. That was very frustrating. Thanks god the physics professor was very forgiving as he noticed the change

kaybe 10y ago
Did it revert, and after what time if yes?
- Jill_the_Pill 10y ago
  For me, yes, but it took YEARS. My kids are now teenagers, and I feel sharper than ever, but those baby years were a blur.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
erroneousfunk 10y ago
It was probably more about sleep deprivation, chronic stress, and immediate reprioritization in your life, more than anything. It's hard to focus on learning new tasks when you're tired, and you're forced to confront a million new things at home. The study just said that, in small areas of the brain, gray matter was reduced, and they theorized that this specialization helped a new mother recognize her infant and its needs. Nothing to do with math and physics.
- kaitai 10y ago
  I don't know much about the reality of 'baby brain', but in the study under discussion the researchers tested cognitive skills like memory, verbal skills, and working memory, and there was no significant change over time. It looks like the after-pregnancy tests were given late enough that kids were probably sleeping through the night (or at least in 5-6 hr chunks).
- Frondo 10y ago
  From conversations I've had with several mothers, it's not just sleep deprivation, there's a fog that someone else here called "baby brain". This article suggests a physical reason why that is so, as well.
  - kaitai 10y ago
    I have to say I don't think the article supports that at all. The study looks at a 2-year stretch and the changes in all but the hippocampus are still there at 2 years. Even friends who have reported "baby brain" don't claim it lasts 2 years, and synaptic pruning is not correlated with feeling foggy in any other study (and there have been a bunch!).

kaybe 10y ago

Did it revert, and after what time if yes?

Jill_the_Pill 10y ago
For me, yes, but it took YEARS. My kids are now teenagers, and I feel sharper than ever, but those baby years were a blur.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

erroneousfunk 10y ago

It was probably more about sleep deprivation, chronic stress, and immediate reprioritization in your life, more than anything. It's hard to focus on learning new tasks when you're tired, and you're forced to confront a million new things at home. The study just said that, in small areas of the brain, gray matter was reduced, and they theorized that this specialization helped a new mother recognize her infant and its needs. Nothing to do with math and physics.

kaitai 10y ago
I don't know much about the reality of 'baby brain', but in the study under discussion the researchers tested cognitive skills like memory, verbal skills, and working memory, and there was no significant change over time. It looks like the after-pregnancy tests were given late enough that kids were probably sleeping through the night (or at least in 5-6 hr chunks).
Frondo 10y ago
From conversations I've had with several mothers, it's not just sleep deprivation, there's a fog that someone else here called "baby brain". This article suggests a physical reason why that is so, as well.
- kaitai 10y ago
  I have to say I don't think the article supports that at all. The study looks at a 2-year stretch and the changes in all but the hippocampus are still there at 2 years. Even friends who have reported "baby brain" don't claim it lasts 2 years, and synaptic pruning is not correlated with feeling foggy in any other study (and there have been a bunch!).