Babies use smell to connect with their parents

© 2024 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved

Do babies recognize their mothers’ smell? Yes! In fact, body odor is one of the most powerful cues that newborns use to identify their mothers, and – as babies get older – the mere whiff of mother can make them feel safer, and more eager to socialize. When and how do these effects emerge, and how can we use olfactory cues to improve our lives?

The science of smell in newborns

Scientists think it begins during the last trimester of pregnancy: Babies begin to perceive odors, and they learn about the scent of their own, amniotic fluid.