Newswire:

Today’s Fake Disease: Momnesia!

So, you’re a new mother. On a good night, you get 20 minutes of sleep. You haven’t had a warm meal in months. “Goo-goo” and “Ga-ga” have become standard pillars of your vernacular. And on top of it all, you find that you’re forgetting things. Like… a lot. Face the facts, big mama: You’ve got momnesia! [USA Today]

USA Today reports: While researchers say they can’t explain all the ways motherhood affects a woman’s memory, they agree there’s a pattern. Namely, one of loss.

And while many women may be nervous to discuss their memory-loss (okay, we can’t say “momnesia” any more), some researchers say it’s actually a good thing; sleep deprivation can, in fact, lead to mental workouts. “Once your mommy brain gets readjusted, you get more efficient, and you become smarter and learn things faster, but it won’t happen all at once,” one researcher said.

Meanwhile, mothers’ priorities often change dramatically while caring for a baby. They need to be “hyper vigilant” about their infants, who may develop symptoms of illness that are apparent only to those who have scrutinized their every coo and cry.

Finally, mom’s not the only one who’s going through ch-ch-ch-changes. Fathers don’t go through the same intense alterations, but research shows their hormones shift slightly as well. Expectant fathers produce more prolactin — a hormone that is associated with nurturing — in the weeks before birth. Their testosterone tends to dip, while estrogen levels rise during their first weeks of fatherhood.

So now we understand why mom forgot us at soccer practice all those times.

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