Having a baby has a habit of turning your world on its head. While many of these changes are wonderful and life-affirming, there are also those that are a little harder to get to grips with, and baby brain is definitely one of them.
Occurring during pregnancy and early motherhood, baby brain doesn’t afflict every new mum, but those who do experience it typically report symptoms such as memory problems, poor concentration, and absentmindedness.
For ladies who are used to being on the ball, this can be difficult to come to terms with, but luckily, it doesn’t last for long and there are lots of simple ways to get on top of it in the short-term. Here are just a few of them.
Take notes to remind you of anything important
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Women who are suffering from baby brain often struggle to remember things, which is why it’s a good idea to create reminders. Whether it’s a prompt to pick up your dry cleaning or a shopping list for the next time you’re at the supermarket, make an effort to write down anything you might need to recall later on, ideally using the notes feature in your phone. This way you always have any information you need easily to hand.
Play simple games to sharpen up your mind
Forgetting can be really inconvenient, but one simple way to combat it is by playing games. Sudoku, word games, logic problems, and card play have all been shown to sharpen minds, meaning they can come in handy when baby brain strikes. If you want to make it a little more interesting, you could opt to play for money, with lots of sites offering bonuses for beginners. The Royal Panda casino bonus, for example, gives you $500 and 10 free spins to get you started.
Clench your fists
As strange as it sounds, clenching your fists could also be a good way to enhance your recall. Researchers suggest that balling up your right hand when you’re trying to commit something to memory can help you to more effectively retain information while making a fist of your left hand can improve your recollection when you need to access said information at a later date. While it might look a little odd if you give it a go in your local supermarket, it could nonetheless prove effective.
Sleep more
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We know – the very idea sounds laughable: sleep more when you’re heavily pregnant and/or have a newborn to look after! That being said, while the causes of baby brain remain a mystery, one theory suggests that it’s largely down to a lack of sleep in the late stages of pregnancy and immediately postpartum. This means that the best way to combat it is by getting some shuteye, so don’t be afraid to snatch a nap in the middle of the day or to ask close friends or family members to take a turn with the baby. A couple of hours sleep here and it is likely to make you feel far more functional.
When it comes to combatting baby brain, a little self-care goes a long way, as does following these four simple tricks. Give them a go today, and you’ll soon find that you’re far less frustrated and not nearly as forgetful!