Yes, babies can smell at birth. In fact, newborns possess a highly developed sense of smell, one of their strongest senses at birth. This olfactory ability plays a crucial role in their early development and bonding with their caregivers.
The Amazing Sense of Smell in Newborns
Several studies demonstrate the remarkable olfactory capabilities of newborns. For example, research shows that newborns can detect odor components in human sweat better than adults. This surpasses adult capabilities! Furthermore, babies recognize and prefer the smell of their own amniotic fluid, demonstrating a sophisticated ability to differentiate scents from a very young age. They even show a preference for nursing from a breast that has been moistened with their own amniotic fluid. ^1^3^5^7^9
- Superior Odor Detection: Newborns' olfactory systems are acutely sensitive, exceeding adult abilities in certain scent detection tasks.
- Amniotic Fluid Recognition: Babies demonstrate a preference for familiar scents, like that of their own amniotic fluid, indicating an early capacity for scent recognition.
- Mother's Scent: They can distinguish and prefer their mother's scent, particularly that of her breast milk, which plays a crucial role in bonding and feeding.
This well-developed sense of smell is not only impressive but also critically important for a newborn's survival and well-being, supporting breastfeeding and parental bonding.
[^1]: 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. (Lozier Institute, October 21, 2022)
