Happy Wednesday,

And welcome to all of those who joined us yesterday - I’m thrilled to have you in our community and to continue learning from you. I’m also excited to announce that in the coming weeks, we’re going to be bringing experts in to share their advice on various topics ranging from performing baby CPR to best practices against the flu.

In order to serve you with the most relevant info, I’d love to know what questions are top of mind. Reply to this email and let us know!

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One Big Idea

The Myth and Reality of "Mommy Brain"

The term "mommy brain" has often been used to describe the perceived cognitive lapses that many new parents experience, such as forgetfulness or "brain fog." While these moments can sometimes be concerning, especially when trying to balance the demands of parenthood with other responsibilities, it's essential to understand that these moments are a natural part of the brain's adaptation to its new role.

When we become parents, the brain undergoes significant changes, not as a decline in function, but as a fine-tuning process. Just as the teenage brain evolves to adapt to adult life, the parental brain undergoes shifts to enhance cognitive skills, particularly in social cognition. These changes help parents become better at reading and responding to their baby's emotional cues. Interestingly, I’m not familiar with the phrase "daddy brain," which may reflect societal expectations and stereotypes about gender roles in caregiving (which is baloney). This absence underscores the need for recognizing and valuing the cognitive and emotional experiences of all caregivers, regardless of gender.

Takeaway:

• Reframe Your Perspective: Instead of seeing forgetfulness as a sign of cognitive decline, recognize it as a natural part of your brain's adaptation to its new caregiving role. Embrace the changes and trust that your brain is equipping you with the skills needed for parenthood

• Implement Practical Strategies: To manage the new busy day-to-day schedule, I found it helpful to make lists, and set reminders to remember tasks. My wife and I also made a game plan so that we could share responsibilities at night in order to ensure we each got decent sleep

• Seek Support: If you're feeling overwhelmed or notice symptoms of depression or anxiety, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional help. It's okay to ask for help, and doing so can make a significant difference in your well-being and your ability to care for your child.

Trending Stories & Insights

• In 1971, Congress passed the Comprehensive Child Development Act (CCDA), which would have laid the groundwork for a universal childcare system. Unfortunately, it was vetoed. With Pandemic era funding drying up, we need to consider solutions like this once again

• Gigi Hadid may be a supermodel, but when it comes to work/life balance, she’s just like the rest of us, attempting to balance her work with co-parenting her three-year-old daughter (even spending six-hour flight crocheting a unicorn for her)

• Unpredictable - the one word that this columnist uses to describe parenthood after writing 470 Parent Trip articles

Tip(s) of the Day

• Here are a 5 things a Harvard-trained pediatrician says she never does when her ‘own kids’ are sick

F**k it, here’s a dad joke

What do kids play when they have nothing else to do?

Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer!

Time(out) for Memes