There’s no denying that newborn babies have an irresistible charm that draws us towards them. From their chubby cheeks and tiny limbs to their innocent eyes, everything about them is adorable. But one thing that stands out is the sweet smell that newborns have. It’s a smell that triggers a memory so powerful that even years after, you can still recall it. So, what exactly causes this sweet smell that’s unique to newborns? Science has been trying to answer this question for years, and it seems like there might finally be an answer.
The Science Behind Newborn Smell
In 2013, a team of international researchers published a study in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, which included scientists from the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. The study aimed to understand the brain’s response to the smell of newborns. The researchers monitored the brain activity of 30 women, 15 of whom had recently given birth, and the other 15 had never given birth. Both groups of women were asked to smell clothes worn by infants who were only one or two days old, and they had never met the infants before.
The results of the study were astonishing but not surprising. Both groups of women demonstrated brain activity in the areas that light up when stimulated by reward-sharing behavior, similar to the brain’s response to a stimulus like tasty food or addictive substances. This means that a newborn’s smell could be addictive!
Newborns And The Sweet Smell
The results of the 2013 psychology study are fascinating and might help explain why we’re drawn to newborns. It could be nature’s way of ensuring that helpless newborns receive enough care and nurturing through the powerful mechanism of an attractive smell.
However, what causes newborns to smell the way they do is still unknown. Some doctors speculate that it could be due to a chemical present in their sweat glands, while others suggest it might be the vernix caseosa, which causes the lingering smell to remain on babies for days after it has been washed off. However, there is no scientific proof in this regard so far.
Scents And Sensibilities
Scents and the sense of smell can be quite powerful. They can trigger beautiful memories, like the smell of a baby or a partner’s favorite perfume. They can also act as a safeguard against harm, like the repulsive smell of rotten food, indicating that it’s not safe to consume. Scents can also become the bonding factor between a mother and her baby.
A study conducted in 2001 showed that infants can recognize their mother’s odor at a very early stage in their lives. Infants were kept on a warming bed to check their movements, and when a clean cotton pad was placed near the babies, they showed no inclination to move. However, when a cotton pad carrying their mother’s breast odor was placed close to their nose, most of the babies moved and tried to reach out to the pad containing the breast odor.
In a separate study, infants were assessed with regard to pain relief through smell. A group of 48 healthy infants was monitored during and after their routine heel sticks. The group of infants was divided into four groups named Own Mother’s Breast Milk Odor (Own MM), Formula Milk Odor (Formula M), Another Mother’s Breast Milk Odor (Other MM), and a control group. When they were in pain and distress after the heel sticks, each group was exposed to different smells according to their group. The final assessment results showed that the group exposed to their own mother’s breast milk showed significant pain relief!
As we learn more about the science behind the sweet smell of newborns, we are reminded of the beauty of nature and the incredible complexity of human biology. The mystery of the sweet smell of babies may never be fully explained, but that doesn’t detract from the joy and wonder that it brings to our lives.
