It has long been hailed as curse of pregnant women and new mothers.

But so-called 'baby brain' is a nothing but a myth, researchers have claimed.

In fact, having a baby can actually improve a woman's employability and performance - and new mothers are more productive than before they gave birth.

This is because post-natal brains are re-wired to think more strategically and deal with stress, New Scientist reports.

Specifically, it appears that having a child can improve brain function, resulting in increased emotional resilience - turning timid women into dominant forces within the workplace.  

Over the course of pregnancy a mother's brain goes through incredible changes, the magazine reports.

While this includes shrinking during the later months, scientists have now established that that the brain is actually bigger and more productive after a woman becomes a mother. 

In the first four months after childbirth, the areas in the brain that play a role in reasoning, judgement and empathy actually expand - meaning the mother becomes more emotionally resilient.

On top of this, there is a reduction in the mother's capacity for the 'flight or fight' response, making her stressed.

This means that not only can she cope with the demands of the new baby - it is also a crucial trait in dealing with workplace stress. 

Research scientist Kelly Lambert told the magazine: 'Being able to be more efficient in your decision-making, being emotionally resilient, maybe being able to engage in different strategies to solve a problem...that sounds like a wonderful executive or manager to me.'

Coping with a new baby - as well as handling regular life as efficiently as before - means that mothers must become instantly better at strategic planning and multi-tasking.

Sally Adee, features editor at New Scientist said: 'Starting in early pregnancy I became increasingly nervous about what would happen to my brain after having kids.

'Would I stop caring about my job - or worse, keep caring but no longer be capable of doing it?

'After returning from maternity leave, I began to notice unexpected changes - where I used to be a fairly anxious person, after having my twins, it was much harder to rattle me.

'My to-do list also seemed to evaporate more readily. 

'When I started looking into the science behind all this, I found researchers had uncovered some really surprising changes that maternity causes in the brain.' 

Research published last year also debunked the phenomenon of 'baby brain' while a woman is pregnant - despite 80 per cent of pregnant women saying they suffer memory lapses.

While those who are pregnant may believe their memory is worse than usual, a study has found that they perform just as well as other women in mental tests.

And it doesn't just apply to memory. Other key skills, including attention span and spatial awareness, are equally unaffected by pregnancy.

The researchers, from Brigham Young University, said there is a 'stereotype that your brain is going to turn to mush' when pregnant and that women should resist it.