If you’ve ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you went there, left your coffee in the microwave for the third time today, or called your child by the hamster’s name, welcome to the world of Mom Brain!? Yeah… that’s mom brain in action. It’s like your brain is running on low battery all the time with scattered thoughts, misplaced objects, and an attention span that vanishes in seconds. Some days, it feels like my mind is constantly buffering, struggling to load even the simplest tasks. And it’s not just about forgetfulness, it’s a mental exhaustion that makes motivation feel impossible. Most days, I feel stuck in a rut, unable to focus or even muster the energy to start something new. It’s been a really hard experience. It is real, and you’re not alone.
What Is Mom Brain?
Mom Brain doesn’t just make you forget where you put your keys—it can make it nearly impossible to focus on anything for long. Before becoming a mom, I had a decent memory. I could juggle work and social events and even remember where I put my keys. I was organized, on top of things, and rarely felt overwhelmed by simple tasks. But now? It feels like my brain is constantly playing a game of hide-and-seek with my thoughts, and I always seem to be on the losing end. My attention span feels like it’s shrinking daily, almost like I have ADD. I start one task, get distracted by another, and before I know it, I’ve forgotten what I was doing in the first place. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone! Mom Brain isn’t just an excuse for forgetting where you put your keys. It’s a very real phenomenon that affects countless moms, making us feel forgetful, foggy, and sometimes downright scattered. Between sleepless nights, constant multitasking, and the mental load of managing a household, our brains are in overdrive 24/7. Science even backs this up! Studies have shown that pregnancy and motherhood actually change the structure of a woman’s brain—especially in areas related to emotional regulation, memory, and empathy.
The Science Behind Mom Brain
During pregnancy, a mom’s brain literally changes to help her connect with and care for her baby. This rewiring is incredible—it boosts emotional connection and helps moms anticipate their baby’s needs. But here’s the catch: it also brings side effects like forgetfulness, brain fog, and a serious struggle to concentrate. Add in the sleepless nights and constant multitasking that come with motherhood, and suddenly remembering even the simplest things feels impossible. Ever walked into a room and had no clue why? Yep, like i have mentioned in the introduction, that’s an example of Mom Brain in action!
Hormones play a huge role in Mom Brain. Oxytocin, the so-called “love hormone,” helps moms bond with their babies and strengthens maternal instincts. But it also has a sneaky side effect—forgetfulness. Then there’s cortisol, the stress hormone, which spikes when we’re sleep-deprived and only adds to the brain fog. And let’s not forget the endless mental checklist running through our heads 24/7—appointments, meal plans, school drop-offs, grocery lists—it never stops. No wonder our brains feel like overloaded hard drives that need a serious reboot!
Real-Life Examples of Mom Brain
Let me take you through one of my most ridiculous Mom Brain moments.
One day, I was frantically searching for my phone, flipping couch cushions and digging through my bag, growing more frustrated by the second. After several minutes of sheer panic, I realized it was right under my nose the whole time! I had walked past it at least a dozen times without even noticing. And more times than I’d like to admit, it was actually in my hand the entire time! . Yep, true story.
It doesn’t stop there. Like the time I put my coffee in the microwave to reheat it. Only to forget about it entirely. Hours later, I found it stone-cold again and had to repeat the whole process. By the time I actually drank it, I had reheated it so many times, it tasted more like desperation than coffee. Tell me I’m not the only one who has done this!
Ever finally find a quiet moment to sit down, craft the perfect reply to a text, and feel relieved, maybe even a little accomplished that you finally got back to someone? Only to realize hours later that you never even hit send? The effort, the thought, the time… all wasted in the void of Mom Brain! It’s truly like an exhausting game of hide-and-seek with your mind!
If you’ve ever been through a moment like this, trust me, you’re not alone!
Mom Brain is like a built-in comedy show that we didn’t sign up for. Truly. Imagine with me, my real-life, laugh-out-loud moments that prove just how real it is:
- Frantically digging through your bag for your house key, shaking everything out in pure desperation only to realize it’s been in your hand the entire time. ( Then you still try to blame the bag for “hiding” it. )
- Mom Brain makes grocery shopping an extreme sport, too. I’ve gone to the grocery store with a mental list (mistake number one) and left with everything except the one thing I actually needed. 🛒
✔ Bought snacks, juices, and extra toothpaste.
❌ Forgot the milk—the ONLY reason I went to the store in the first place!
It doesn’t end there. Then you get all the way home and realize you left your umbrella at the service counter.
Wanna imagine another one with me?
- Grabbing the TV remote and furiously pressing buttons, wondering why your phone won’t unlock—only to have your toddler give you that look before giggling, “Mommy, that’s the remote!” The ultimate facepalm moment.
- Mom Brain doesn’t just mean forgetting things—it means putting them in completely illogical places.
✔ Remote control in the fridge.
✔ Diaper wipes in the pantry.
✔ Trying to unlock the front door… with the car key fob.
The scariest part? Sometimes I don’t even realize I did it until I find my missing item days later.
- Throwing a load of laundry into the washer, feeling accomplished, and walking away—only to realize hours later that you never actually pressed ‘start.’ (Then when frantically take everything out to only set a quick wash for that one uniform your daughter need to wear in couple of hours)
- Grabbing your toddler’s sippy cup instead of your coffee mug and confidently taking a big sip—only to be met with the horrifying realization that it’s his lukewarm orange juice.
- Calling each child by every other sibling’s name, including the pet hamsters’ name, before getting it right—cycling through their names like a broken record. Bonus points if your children just stare at you, looking back at each other, giggling, then back at you, waiting for you to sort out your own confusion.
We all have those moments that make us question our sanity. One minute, you’re confidently multitasking like a pro, and the next, you’re standing in the kitchen wondering why you opened the fridge. But hey, if Mom Brain has taught us anything, it’s that we can always laugh at ourselves—even if we’re laughing while drinking microwaved coffee for the third time.
At the end of the day, these little blunders are proof of just how much we juggle. So, if you’ve ever put the remote in the fridge or texted someone a perfect reply without hitting send, just know, you’re not alone. Now, let’s talk about how to actually survive this daily mental circus. The mental load of motherhood is real, and while it may make us forgetful, it also proves just how much love, care, and effort we put into our families. So, if you’ve ever laughed (or cried) at your own Mom Brain moment, know that you’re in good company. Now, let’s talk about how to cope with it!
How to Cope with Mom Brain
Mom Brain may be here to stay, but that doesn’t mean we’re doomed to wander the house looking for house keys that are already in our hands. Here are some ways to manage it and maybe, just maybe, we can reclaim a tiny bit of mental clarity.
- Get More Sleep (Or At Least Try!)
Let’s be honest, getting a full night’s sleep as a mom is about as realistic as drinking hot coffee in peace. With a mind constantly running through a million thoughts—meal plans, appointments, the mysterious whereabouts of that missing sock. It’s no wonder we feel exhausted. But even sneaking in a 10-minute nap while your kid watches Peppa and Hey Duggee for the hundredth time can work wonders. We just have to try and hope for the best! - Write Everything Down, I mean EVERYTHING (Because Your Brain Won’t Remember Anyway)
Grocery lists, appointments, that one thing you needed from the supermarket, WRITE it all down. Because let’s be real, trusting your memory at this point is like trusting a toddler with a secret. It’s bound to get lost, misunderstood, or repeated at the worst possible time. And let’s be honest, if our brains had a ‘low storage’ warning, it would be flashing 24/7! Bonus tip: Just don’t forget where you put the list… or, better yet, take a picture of it, because let’s be real, it’ll probably vanish back into that mysterious black hole of that huge black handbag or the car floor. - Stay Hydrated and Eat Brain-Boosting Foods
Dehydration makes brain fog worse, and let’s face it, coffee alone isn’t a hydration plan (though we wish it were). Try drinking actual water (shocking, I know), and snack on foods that fuel your brain, like nuts, avocados, and blueberries. Apparently, we need to eat like a squirrel to function properly. And if all else fails, at least chugging water will give you an excuse for those much-needed bathroom breaks away from the chaos. - Take Breaks (Even If It’s Just Hiding in the Bathroom for 5 Minutes)
Your brain needs downtime. Whether it’s a five-minute deep-breathing session in the pantry, a suspiciously long ‘bathroom break’ just to scroll your phone, or a solo Supermarket run disguised as “errands,” taking small breaks can help you reset. You have no idea how I overuse this tactic. Sometimes, I even take the long way home just to soak in a few extra minutes of peace. Bonus points if you come back from your ‘errands’ with four very very cute Christmas candles you absolutely didn’t need but somehow felt essential for your well-being. - Laugh About It
Instead of getting frustrated, embrace the chaos. Forgot where you put your keys? Found your coffee in the microwave… again? Mom Brain is a never-ending comedy show, and honestly, at this point, we should probably just start carrying a lost-and-found box for ourselves. Share your funniest Mom Brain moments with friends. Trust me, they have their own stories to tell!
You’re Not Losing Your Mind, You’re Just a Mom
Mom Brain might make you feel forgetful and scattered, but it’s just proof of how much you juggle every day. Your brain is working overtime to care for your little ones, and sometimes that means forgetting where you put your coffee (again). From one mom to another, we’ve all been there. So, the next time you walk into a room and can’t remember why, just smile, shake your head, and know that every mom out there gets it. You’re not alone in this mental fog. Somewhere, another mom across the world is standing in front of an open fridge, wondering what she’s looking for while holding the very thing she needs in her other hand.
What’s the most ridiculous thing your Mom Brain has ever made you do? Drop it in the comments—I need to know I’m not the only one!