BATON ROUGE — As we celebrate moms this weekend, there may be a scientific explanation for what is known as a mother's intuition.

It's a phenomenon described as an awareness in a mother's gut as to what their child is feeling, thinking, doing or sometimes when there's a danger. And it can happen even when there's no evidence of a problem.

"It's like an internal radar system that is tuned in specifically to your child,” psychologist Susan Albers with the Cleveland Clinic said.

Albers says it's not magic or a superpower. Instead, it's a bit of neurobiology and learning history due in part to pattern recognition.

She says spending time with your child releases a chemical that helps you feel bonded to others. It can strengthen the connection and help a mother interpret what a child is going through.

But she says sometimes intuition can be confused with anxiety.

"A simple way to tell the difference is that intuition is that clear, calm, internal voice in your head that gives you a little nudge. In contrast, anxiety is a loud, chaotic, and a little bit like a siren, urgency,” Albers said.

She adds that self-care, like exercise, managing stress and a healthy diet, can help that voice be stronger and clearer and says a mother's intuition isn't something people are born with. Instead, it's a bond that can be built and strengthened.

"You can do this by watching your child's behavior, listening to their tone, observing, spending time with them, and truly being present. Also listening to that gut and seeing how it correlates with the reality of the situation, matching those two up,” Alber said.