*Attached video: Local mom’s instinct saves baby’s life after rare heart defect diagnosis
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Have you ever noticed that your mom always seems to know when something is wrong? Some people call it mother’s intuition.
In honor of Mother’s Day, Cleveland Clinic Psychologist Dr. Susan Albers tells us just how real mother’s intuition actually is.
“A mother’s instinct is a very real phenomenon,” Dr. Albers said. “It is described as a gut level of awareness of what is happening with your child, whether it is what they need, what they are feeling, or if they are in danger based on no information or explanation.”
Dr. Albers said neurobiology and learned history both play a role in mother’s intuition.
When a mother spends time with her child, oxytocin is released in the brain, bonding the mother and child together, according to Dr. Albers. This also strengthens their connection and the mother’s ability to decipher what the child may think, feel or need.
According to Dr. Albers, mothers also spend thousands of hours with their child and start to pick up on patterns. So, when their child’s behavior changes, they can tell.
“The good news is that you are not just born with intuition; it can be built. You can strengthen your mother’s intuition by spending time with your child, being truly present and attuned instead of distracted,” Dr. Albers said. “Also, listening to your gut and reflecting on how that matches up with the reality of the situation. By tuning in, asking yourself, pausing and reflecting, this can help you to boost and raise your mother’s intuition over time.”
Dr. Albers said it’s important to know the difference between mother’s intuition and anxiety.
According to Dr. Albers, intuition is more of a calm inner voice that nudges you that something doesn’t seem quite right, while anxiety can feel loud and chaotic, kind of like an alarm system going off.