According to Science, You Are Not the Same Person After Giving Birth

Welcoming a newborn into the family is one of the most joyful moments for parents. And while new dads are faced with so many new responsibilities, moms face even more changes in their lives. In fact, women during and after childbirth change to the point that they are not the same person anymore.

Pregnancy and motherhood might change the structure of the female brain.

These changes make mothers more attentive to their babies and better at caring for them. According to new research, this is because of the drastic hormonal fluctuation that happens during pregnancy, birth, and lactation. This might remodel the female brain — producing structural changes in some regions and increasing the size of neurons in others.

You harbor cells from your child.

In 2015, it was found that while a woman is pregnant, cells (with a different genetic background) from the fetus enter and spread throughout the woman’s body. The research was done on samples of 26 women who had been pregnant with male babies, and the presence of Y chromosomes in all of them were detected. This is actually strong proof that you are literally not the same person after giving birth.

Reddit users shared how the mothers of their children changed after giving birth.

• As soon as we had our first, she was the happiest I have ever seen her. You could just see it in her eyes that she was doing what she had always wanted to do. Our relationship was great before our children, but now that we have 2, things honestly are even better. © t***muhgeee / Reddit
• The only significant difference I can really put a finger on is a huge reduction in her willingness to take risks. For example, pre-babies she was up for skydiving. Post babies, that’s an unnecessary risk, and the reward is not worth taking. © stockds / Reddit
• There was a period of time when my wife worked a job and fought to even get out of bed. When our daughter joined us, my wife lit up. She found a purpose and a reason to get up in the morning. She may have thought she would be a poor mother, but she’s been fantastic. I couldn’t be happier with her, more proud, and more in love. © lcpldaemon / Reddit
• Her entire personality changed. She became intensely materialistic and obsessed with shopping and owning things. © nigglereddit / Reddit
• The most prominent change in her personality was confidence and an increase in self-reliance. As she explained it, prior to the baby it was like she was the one in the household to be protected, and then the baby came, and she was like, “Get your stuff together girl, you’re a woman with a child.” Mother Bear Mode Level 9000. © ReverendDizzle / Reddit

What changes did you experience after giving birth?