Pregnancy leads to lasting structural changes in the brain, including shifts in grey matter and strengthened white matter.
Scientific studies indicate these changes represent an intentional 'fine-tuning' of the brain for motherhood, not damage.
Large-scale cognitive testing shows new parents do not suffer from actual declines in memory or processing speed.
The feeling of 'baby brain' is likely driven by chronic sleep deprivation and the heavy cognitive load of new parenthood.