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Babies use smell to connect with their parents

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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?

Newborn on lying mother's chest, nose close to her skin, a prime opportunity for the baby to learn to recognize his mother's smell
Newborn on lying mother's chest, nose close to her skin, a prime opportunity for the baby to learn to recognize his mother's smell

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.

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