THE GOOD ENOUGH MOTHER PODCAST

The Science of Baby Brain:

Social & Biological Influences on Mothers

November 7th, 2023

BABY BRAIN; MOTHERHOOD; PREGNANCY; MUMMY BRAIN; MOMMY BRAIN; MATERNAL BRAIN; NEUROSCIENCE; SOCIAL AND BIOLOGICAL; MOTHERHOOD RESEARCH

with neuroscientist and science communicator Dr. Sarah McKay

In this episode I speak with neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay about her latest book: Baby Brain - The surprising neuroscience of how pregnancy and motherhood sculpt our brains and change our minds (for the better). This conversation aims to debunk some of the myths about ‘baby brain’ that exist in our culture, and we discuss the discrepancies between what the research says about the maternal brain and our memory, with what mothers say about their memory and experience of ‘baby brain’. We talk about societal expectations and patriarchal influences on motherhood alongside the cognitive changes that occur for women when they become mothers, and this intersection between the ‘social’ and the ‘physiological’. The episode explores how pregnancy primes the brain for motherhood, the impact of thoughts on biological processes, the significance of brain-to-brain synchrony in mother-child interactions, and how motherhood contributes to resilience in the maternal brain. You’ll learn about the fascinating phenomenon of foetal cell transfer and its potential benefits for women who have experienced miscarriage. Dr. Sarah simplifies complex brain science and sheds light on the profound connection between baby brain, pregnancy, and motherhood.

Paper referred to in the episode: Pregnancy leads to long-lasting changes in human brain structure

  • “Maternal brain neuroscientists are calling for a reframing of baby brain conversations to include cognitive reorganisation, adaptation and as a time when the brain is efficient, flexible and primed to acquire experience- dependent skills and knowledge.”

    — Dr. Sarah McKay in conversation with Sophie Brock, Ep #104 The Good Enough Mother Podcast

  • “After a baby is born, the mother’s immune system sweeps into action and cleans her blood of the baby’s cells. But some cells persist and become entrenched in the mother’s organs, including in her brain.77 This phenomenon of foetal cell transfer is known as microchimerism, a word that derives from the Greek mythological term ‘chimera’, which describes a creature made from parts of different animals. Foetal cells have been found in almost every maternal organ examined – heart, lung, skin, breast and brain – and in most female animals including cows, mice and humans. Microchimerism may be in turn helpful and harmful to the mother (this is science in its infancy), but it’s been said there’s an ‘evolutionary tug of war’ between the biological demands of a mother and the infant she’s carrying.”

    — Dr. Sarah McKay in conversation with Sophie Brock, Ep #104 The Good Enough Mother Podcast

  • "And interestingly, the changes in the father's brains were experience dependent. So the more the fathers were engaged in parenting, the more their brains changed, they weren't primed by pregnancy, but they certainly can still learn and change by experience.So I think it's safe to say that all adults, or competent adults, you know, have the capacity to learn how to respond to babies."

    — Dr. Sarah McKay in conversation with Sophie Brock, Ep #104 The Good Enough Mother Podcast

Meet DR Sarah MCKAY

Dr. Sarah McKay, a neuroscientist and science communicator, simplifies brain science for health, well-being, performance, and creativity. Sarah completed her MSc and PhD in neuroscience at Oxford University. After relocating to Australia and completing five years of postdoctoral research on spinal cord injury, Sarah hung up her lab coat to establish Think Brain, which offers online professional development training in applied neuroscience and brain health.

In 2019, Sarah hosted an episode of ABC Catalyst exploring brain health, biohacking, and longevity. Sarah’s first book, The Women's Brain Book: The neuroscience of health, hormones, and happiness was published in 2018. And her second book Baby Brain: The surprising neuroscience of how pregnancy and motherhood sculpt our brains and change our minds (for the better), was published in 2023.

— Dr. Sarah McKay in conversation with Sophie Brock, Ep #104 The Good Enough Mother Podcast

"We can say we're not detecting broad scale cognitive decline, such as what we'd see if someone was experiencing dementia, or Alzheimer's disease, or even really extreme levels of stress. We're not seeing that at any point. But women are reporting that they are experiencing that. So we've got this real paradox here."

dr sarah’s BOOKS

Baby Brain: The surprising neuroscience of how pregnancy and motherhood sculpt our brains and change our minds (for the better)

The Women's Brain Book: The Neuroscience of Health Hormones and Happiness.

Listen on apple podcast.

connect with dr sarah

Website - drsarahmckay

Instagram - @drsarahmckay