“My Brain Is A Different Brain”: A Phenomenological Exploration of Mothers’ Lived Experiences of Cognitive Change During Matrescence

Neuroscientific research has shown that structural and functional adaptations occur in the maternal brain during matrescence: a neurodevelopmental period in which neural refinement within and between brain regions is thought to prepare mothers to acquire the skills required for caregiving. Nevertheless, societal stereotypes frame pregnancy and postpartum as a period of cognitive decline. Whilst objective evidence of impairment is mixed, subjective reports of cognitive decline persist. This study therefore qualitatively explored maternal cognitive changes through the lens of matrescence as an adaptive developmental process, without a deficit-focus. Eight mothers took part in one-to-one audio recorded semi-structured online interviews, in the United Kingdom, during December 2024. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to examine participants’ lived experiences, resulting in three overarching themes (1) the overloaded brain (2) thinking beyond the self (3) solidarity. The findings highlight that maternal cognition cannot be fully understood through objective measures alone. Societal expectations and the availability of meaningful support inform how mothers makes sense of their experiences, making cognitive changes inseparable from their social context.