Babies are born with all senses, but they vary in strength. Their sense of smell is one of the strongest, and will continue to get stronger for the first 8 years of their life. It's also an essential sense to help them feel comforted and promote the development of their other senses, especially taste and vision.
Researchers aren't entirely sure what causes that baby smell, though there are a few theories: Some speculate that it comes from their sweat glands, or that it's the lingering scent of vernix caseosa, the substance that covers babies when they're born and is washed off after birth.
The brain's olfactory (smell) center forms very early in fetal development. Studies have found that newborns have a keen sense of smell. Within the first few days they will show a preference for the smell of their own mother, especially to her breast milk.
Newborns outperform adults at a variety of smell tests. For example, newborns detect odor components in human sweat better than adults do. Other research has shown that babies recognize the smell of amniotic fluid and prefer to nurse from a breast that has been moistened with their own amniotic fluid.
Your baby is getting used to different smells but can still find strong aromas overpowering. A strong smell can even interfere with their sense of taste. Continue to avoid strong perfumes and heavily scented products that can cover up your natural smell.
Babytalk | A baby's bond with its mother may start with the sense of smell. One of my favorite things to do is show mothers how their baby can smell them from as far away as 1 to 2 feet.
“Avoid perfumes that contain parabens and phenol,” she adds, which can exacerbate respiratory symptoms. The bottom line of which all the experts can agree? Phthalates should be avoided in direct-contact baby products. (and during pregnancy — though there are some perfumes safe for pregnancy).
There's limited research on the subject, but many experts theorize that the "what" behind the newborn scent is the vernix caseosa.
A mother's scent can sometimes be so powerful that it's hard for her baby to share a room with her and might cause more frequent waking. A baby's sense of smell is vital to their survival, especially during the newborn months!
Although all the sensory systems start developing in utero; but the development of the sense of smell predominates in early fetal life. Babies recognize their mother's scent even before they are born. Your baby is biologically and genetically programmed to connect to you through your unique smell.
Smell. Studies have found that newborns have a strong sense of smell. Newborns prefer the smell of their own mother, especially her breastmilk.
If you're wondering which scents your baby might enjoy most besides the smell of its Mum and Dad, research has found that sweet-smelling scents like jasmine, vanilla, camomile, mandarin, light citrus, and lavender are most enjoyed by newborns.
Multiple studies have shown that newborns "recognize and prefer the smell of their own mother's body odor and breast milk, even within the first few days after birth," Madden says.
The sweet smell of babies
It's possible that all women are evolutionarily wired to respond favorably to “new baby smell.” A 2013 study found the reward centers of the brain lit up in a small group of new moms and women who had never given birth when they smelled pajamas that newborn infants had worn for two nights.
Right from birth, a baby can recognize their parent's voice and smell, says Dr. Laible. The next step is linking those sounds and smells with something they can see. That's why they'll start studying your face as if they're trying to memorize it.
Older research has described infant smiles during sleep as reflex-like. Studies suggest that smiles during active sleep are generated in the cerebral cortex, the outer part of the brain. Researchers believe spontaneous smiles that occur during sleep may help develop the muscles used to smile.
By incorporating a parent's scent, the baby feels as though you are there physically with them, even when you are not. A parent's scent alone has the ability to reduce cortisol levels in babies, in turn reducing stress and anxiety, helping to promote longer, more sound sleep (for both the baby and parent).
Suzy Giordano and Lisa Abidin, authors of The Baby Sleep Solution, added that if your baby calms down when you're the one holding him or her, they're more likely to fall asleep faster when they can smell you — even if you're not in the same room.
Your baby's sense of individuality will take years to develop. At around 6 or 7 months old, your baby begins to realize that they're separate from you and that you can leave them alone. This is when separation anxiety usually kicks in, and it can last well into the second year.
It's chemistry between mom and baby. “What we've shown for the first time is the odour of newborns – which is part of these signals – activates the neurological reward circuit in mothers. These circuits may especially be activated when you eat while being very hungry, but also in a craving addict receiving his drug.
You may still be wondering what actually causes the enticing scent that so strongly compels us to sniff a newborn's head. Here are what the specialists suggest: The scent comes from the amniotic fluid that the baby has been lying in whilst in the mother's womb.
New baby smell isn't an old wives' tale—it's a real thing that's been scientifically studied. While researchers don't know exactly where it comes from, they suspect it exists to strengthen the relationship between parent and baby from the moment the baby is born.
Our advice is, don't use highly perfumed or fragranced skin products in the early days of your baby's life. Not only will it bother baby, but you want to keep your chest area completely natural-smelling so that your baby doesn't confuse your scent.
Your baby's sense of smell will continue to develop until he is around eight years old .
Your baby's sense of smell is very sensitive, so they can get overwhelmed by strong aromas— particularly anything artificially flavored or scented. They may have a negative reaction to: Perfumes and other fragrant oils found in candles or scent diffusers.