This is the reason why pregnancy brain is real and our minds are blown

It makes sense.

Almost every pregnant woman can relate to being a little more forgetful than usual over the course of nine months. Car keys can go missing, appointments can unintentionally be missed and you can lose your train of thought. Sound familiar, mums? Of course, everyone has heard of the term "pregnancy brain", but just like "eating for two", it's become a cliché that we didn't think held much truth. However, a recent study has suggested that there's a reason for this pregnancy side effect and it's supposedly because pregnant ladies brain's change to help them bond with their baby. The study, published in the Child Development, was conducted on 39 women aged between 22 and 39 in Toronto. The women were brought into a lab to have their brain activity monitored. This happened when they were in their third trimester of pregnancy and then again three-five months after giving birth. With this contrast, researchers were able to note changes in the women's cerebral cortexes. This is the part of the brain that plays a key role in information processing. From pregnancy to postpartum, not only did women in the study register more brain activity in their cerebral cortex in response to the images of infants, but women who showed more brain activity also reported having stronger bonds with their babies. David Haley, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, who led the study further explained the findings saying:

"[The study] support the idea that, in the brain, responses to infants' cues change over the course of pregnancy and early motherhood, with some mothers showing more marked changes than others. This variation in turn is associated with mothers' reports of their emotional bonds with their babies."

While further research is needed, it's a welcome explanation as to why we put cereal in the cupboard this morning...