Why The Smell Of A Newborn Baby Makes You Wish To Eat Them!

“The smell of a newborn baby makes you eat them? Oops!” Hey, don’t worry, you are not wild!

Have you ever sniffed a newborn baby and wondered why the heck they always smell so “delicious” even though they always poop, eat, and at times, even do not brush their teeth? Well, find the reason behind why it happens here!

1.    One theory is that the smell of a newborn baby only remains for about 6-weeks because of the baby’s metabolism. That “delicious” smell comes from chemicals discharged from the newborn’s sweat glands.

2.    The smell starts to change as they start eating and drinking by themselves rather than getting their nourishment by the umbilical cord.

3.    Another more widely accepted theory is that the smell of a newborn baby comes from the Vernix Caseosa. It is the whitish cheese-like substance covering the skin of a newly born baby just after birth.

4.    Vernix Caseosa is mainly washed off after the bath, but the fragrance may continue to stay on the baby’s hair & skin. That is why the smell of a newborn baby is short-lived and lasts only a few weeks.

5.    A 2013 Study showed that the smell of a newborn baby triggers women’s dopamine pathways in the brain area connected with rewards. It is the same pathway, stimulated by the smell/craving of delicious food or even drugs!

6.    Some believe that whiffing your baby and memory have strong connections (like, maybe, the past can be an asset).

7.    Whatever the reasons might be, all theories believed that high dopamine levels help mothers to better bond with the child.

8.     The smell of a newborn baby is a powerful identifying marker. In one old study, Trusted Source 1987, 90% of women were able to identify their newborn babies by their smell.

9.    The love of the mother is unconditional. A 2006 study observed that moms do not mind the smell of their baby poop. Also, even after newborn scent will ultimately fade away, moms will continue to love their kid’s smell long into toddlerhood and ahead.

So now, when you ever sniff a newborn baby, you’ll be sure you are not wild. You will know the reason that it is Vernix Caseosa that makes the baby smell so good! Instead, feel good about yourself.