
‘Bridesmaid-dress gate’ refers to the now-famous argument between Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle prior to her wedding to Prince Harry.
In his bombshell memoir, Spare, the Prince joined in on the fight, saying that Kate grew irritated after Meghan stated she must have ‘baby brain’.
‘You talked about my hormones,’ Kate was claimed to be ‘offended’ by the statement. We’re not close enough for you to discuss my hormones!’
While the world will never know what happened between the two, the expression “baby brain” is frequently bandied around – but is it genuinely a thing? What does it all mean?
What is baby brain?
According to the Mayo Clinic, ‘baby brain’, also known as ‘pregnancy brain’, refers to ‘memory problems, poor concentration or absent-mindedness’ that is reported by women during their pregnancy and in the early stages of motherhood.
But ‘baby brain’ is not actually a scientific term. Dr Amit Shah, a gynaecologist and the co-founder of the Harley Street clinic, Fertility Plus, said: ‘Often, the described symptoms can only be felt or perceived by women and people close to them.
‘However, baby brain may also be associated with, and a byproduct, of being a busy mum with a toddler or an infant, who is overworked and anxious – or at times even depressed due to post-natal depression.’

The symptoms can be triggered by a change in hormones, sleep deprivation as well as stress or anxiety.
And it’s pretty common. A recent review of 20 studies assessing more than 700 pregnant and 500 not pregnant women concluded that general cognitive functioning, memory and executive functioning were significantly poorer in pregnant women.
‘This demonstrates that ‘baby brain’ is something many pregnant women will come across during pregnancy.
When does ‘baby brain’ start?
Health and wellness expert, Tyler Woodard, of Eden’s Gate, told Metro.co.uk: ‘Baby brain is usually something that pregnant women discover early on in their pregnancy, and continues to progress throughout pregnancy and sometimes further.’
It can begin as early as the first trimester, because this is when the body will experience a major surge in hormones, Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist from Chemist Click online pharmacy, tells Metro.co.uk.
It’s also common post-pregnancy when women experience a sudden drop in both oestrogen and progesterone, which explains changes in mood, but these are known to level out in the coming months.
So why exactly does this happen?
Medical research has found a link between hormonal fluctuations and cognitive skills.
‘Pregnancy is commonly known for creating and tampering with a women’s hormones,’ explains Tyler.
‘Pregnancy hormones can change the way a woman thinks, from small day-to-day activities, to forgetfulness and mind fog.
‘Researchers have discovered that due to a spike in these hormones, your body can react with these symptoms, as it tries to adapt to these new hormones.’
According to a study published in Nature Neuroscience on ‘baby brain’ in pregnant women, substantial psychological changes occur in a woman during pregnancy, impacting parts of the brain that help with social skills, such as day-to-day activities to remember.
According to Healthline, the researchers discovered that when a woman has ‘baby brain,’ her grey matter (the area of the brain that executes tasks) and the hippocampus decrease (the region associated with memory).
Are there any positives?
Yes, if you’re pregnant – don’t panic.
‘It seems that changes to the brain play a positive role in building relationships and kindness towards their new-born, forming attachment and family bond,’ says Tyler.
The study that found women’s grey matter shrinkage also found that they developed stronger ties to their infants.
However, no scientific evidence exists to explain why any of this occurs during pregnancy.
Is it a cause for concern?
According to Dr. Amit, “new mothers can be certain that the combination of overwhelming changes that occur in body and mind will eventually settle down.”
However, if your symptoms are interfering with your daily life, Abbas advises speaking with a medical practitioner about specific symptoms and treatment choices.
‘Baby brain is a term that not everyone will like, as it can be perceived as having negative connotations towards pregnancy, and how this can affect a woman’s brain.
‘However, research has shown that ‘baby brain’ can be a positive sign towards a woman mentally preparing themselves for motherhood, and therefore leading to caring and nurturing their baby.’