Baby Brain by Dr Sarah McKay

Baby brain, contrary to its reputation for forgetfulness and brain fog, includes beneficial changes to mothers' brains. In this fascinating book neuroscientist Dr Sarah McKay explores the science to show becoming a mother primes the brain to learn quickly, be empathetic, motivated, socially savvy, bond with baby and remember what's truly important.

If you think baby brain is bad for you, think again - because neuroscientist Dr Sarah McKay (author of The Women's Brain Book) has looked at studies and talked to experts from all over the world and the proof is in: giving birth is one of the best things to ever happen to a woman's brain.

Moreover, the positive effects of baby brain last well beyond the baby stage - even into old age, with elderly mothers' brains showing resilience to ageing. Plus, the benefits of baby brain show up for non-birth parents - even fatherhood has a profound effect on the hormones and brains of men.

This fascinating book weaves together baby brain research and interviews with neuroscientists and women's health specialists - many of whom are mothers - with personal experiences from parents concerning baby brain, nesting, maternal instinct, social support, anxiety and sleep. In each aspect the conclusion is clear: having a baby improves a mother's memory, and makes her smarter and more empathetic, intuitive and socially savvy.

Baby Brain contains the ultimate good-news story about mothers' brains, backed up by scientific research from leading experts and presented in highly readable bite-sized sections by one of Australia's leading science communicators.