New mums all over the world will be relieved to know that loss of memory on the arrival of the baby is in actual fact a medical condition. This condition has been dubbed as ‘mumnesia’.
Many new mothers usually notice small lapses of memory such as struggling with names, misplacing things or forgetting what they are looking for, following the delivery of the baby.
For years on end, women have been known to worry about this condition which they saw as a sign of weakness and a possible indication of an underlying problem. Many women must have even dispelled it as an old wives’ tale.
But, now neuroscientists and psychiatrists have confirmed that the phenomenon of “mumnesia” is based on medical fact.
According to experts, a combination of fatigue, hormonal changes and stress all contribute to this loss of memory. New mothers are also very dedicated to taking care of their new baby so much so that they may tend to exclude other things.
Also, women’s estrogen levels could play a part in memory loss. Levels of this hormone fall from extremely high in late pregnancy to virtually non-existent after childbirth. It’s a known fact that estrogen plays a key role in fertility, but with regards to mumnesia it also acts as a neurotransmitter, sending signals to the brain.
So, if you are a new mum and you seem to be forgetting the smallest of things, there is absolutely no reason to worry. It’s just a common case of “mumnesia”!