Why Do People like the Smell of Babies?

Updated on February 27, 2012
S.T. asks from Kingwood, TX
30 answers

I mean, why do people say, "Oh, I love that baby smell?" to me babies smell like poop, or a bit cheesy, especially in that groove under their chubby little necks, where the puke and milk congregrates!

I get it when they just come out of the bath, and they smell like whatever you bathed them with and baby powder, but that is not the baby smelling, it is baby powder...

Am I alone here?

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C.S.

answers from Kansas City on

It's fine that you don't like the way they smell, but I love the way newborn babies smell. It's not the powders or lotions or whatever either. They have a very distinct smell for several months. Perhaps it's the vernix or something. They smell fresh and new and wonderful. Also, I never allowed my babies to have that yucky collection of milk and stuff. I always cleaned their faces and necks after a feeding and I removed the dirty bib. =o)

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J.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

Oh I even like the smell of MY OWN newborn with a poopy diaper - if it's a BF baby anyway... it's the hormones I think... I laughed when I told my best friend I even liked the super stinky newborn baby gas they get the first day at the hospital. Now that is something ONLY a new mom could like.

Hehe.

8 moms found this helpful

K.L.

answers from Sacramento on

The top of a newborn baby's head when you kiss it is the best :) It's a sweet new smell only found on new babies. I get it when people say they love the smell of a newborn...

7 moms found this helpful

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C.P.

answers from Columbia on

Correction: People love the smell of CLEAN babies. ;-)

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

Sorry, but I'm on the "smells delicious" bandwagon too! I love that baby smell. It is sweet and cozy and makes me ache to cuddle one just thinking about it!

6 moms found this helpful

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

Newborns up to a certain age have a wonderful smell. I hated it when it went away with my babies.
Only a dirty baby would smell bad. Not his/her fault! Clean has no smell.

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J.V.

answers from Chicago on

Babys actually play chemical warfare with us. They give off signals that attract us to them, so we take care of them --as opposed to deciding they are just a smelly pain in the ***.

5 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

The top of their heads smell like sugar cookies or fresh baked bread.!

I had a baby yesterday, his smell is intoxicating.....fresh baked baby

To add.... Not a bit of formula in him, all b milk. It does make a difference - and it's not lotions,poop or powder, it's in their pores and nothing beats it ! Their breath is pretty darn awesome too.

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K.P.

answers from Seattle on

I LOVE the way babies smell! I agree with Cupcake here, they smell new and innocent and just sweet. Well most babies. And I can honestly say that my baby never smelled gross like spoiled milk etc. Always clean. Probably because I wiped them down after eating or drinking milk because they dribble and who wants dried milk on their face? And because I bathe my child every day and also wipe and powder them after every diaper change, and every clothes change too.

We like to be fresh and clean, why wouldn't they?

5 moms found this helpful

R.D.

answers from Richmond on

Oh but babies are *delicious*, it's like that new puppy smell :)

4 moms found this helpful

N.A.

answers from Chicago on

What babies are ya smelling? I DO love that "baby smell". I never smelled a baby that had a poopy smell only because the parents changed them immediately, and baby poop doesnt really have that bad of a smell (newborn ones!). There was only one time I was sort'a sad/disgusted when I held someone's baby, yes she had a very sour smell but it's not the babys fault! Although, thats all I smelled on my shoulder! lol...But reguardless, babies are just to darn cute to resist in not holding....

3 moms found this helpful

I.X.

answers from Los Angeles on

There is a smell. It might be soap, but its a smell and its gooooood!!!!!! I'm always smelling my baby and I love it. Sometimes she smells like poop, In which case I don't breathe her in. The smell is around their neck and head. Even when the soap smell wears off, there is something there. Its like your clothes have a smell, Its your scent, but with a baby its sweat. My baby is in my lap right now and I'm smelling her right now. Mhhhhhh, Ahhhhh. I've always had a very acute sense of smell. I think some of us are more in tune to this sense than others.

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J.B.

answers from Boston on

Not to launch a BF versus FF debate, but the babies I baby sat who were FF smelled worse than the babies who were breastfed. The FF babies did tend to have that sour milk smell, and their diapers were gag-worthy. The BF babies had a sweeter smell. My own kids were bf'd and my kids didn't have any fat rolls (they were scrawny) so there was no place in which food and sweat and other things got stuck and stinky. I loved the way my babies smelled, and I didn't use scented baby bath or any lotions or powders or even scented laundry detergent, they just smelled like themselves.

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A.K.

answers from Phoenix on

I agree, babies generally stink.

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K.G.

answers from Fort Wayne on

to me its just that new car smell, lol. the detergent, the lotion its just such a nice smell. Its the new puppy smell I dont get why do people like the puppy breath it smells like piss to me.

2 moms found this helpful

M.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

clean babies yes, I doubt the posters here like the smell of a freshly soiled, puke monster....

I just love the smell of their breath and heads for about a month before the cradle cap sets in... yuck

2 moms found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

A baby's poop doesn't really start to stink until they go on formula, and/or start solids.
Clean babies smell GOOD and clean, and they don't need any powder or lotion to enhance it, it's natural :)

1 mom found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I don't know why they smell good... But they smell GOOD!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.G.

answers from Austin on

I'm with you, but I think people are looking for joy in life. A baby brings that joy if you can ignore the smells...

It's like people saying they "slept like a baby." What, up every few hours?

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C.B.

answers from Austin on

Clean babies are yummy. Of course, I love the smell of a tire store too. No accounting for taste!

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K.M.

answers from Chicago on

Nope, not alone here.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Babies use to smell like baby powder and scented lotion - I get liking that smell. Now babies smell like curdled milk - hard to love that.

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A.V.

answers from Houston on

lol, I am replying because it was funny.

Babies are born with a unique smell. Their soft skin tends to soak up powder and lotion that tend to stay with them.

I do agree that babies smell like the poop cheesy but thats the reason people keep their babies clean. I couldn't stand the smell so anytime my kids poop, puke or whatever, I'm giving them a wash off.

My babies were cleaned throughout the day just because, i like the way I kept my babies clean and fresh. Changed clothes at least 4 - 5 times.

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H.G.

answers from New York on

I don't get it either. My daughter was a puker - like a LOT. She was always cleaned and bathed and I guess I liked the lavender smelling stuff I used to bathe her in but a little while later, she didn't smell so good. I personally don't like that milky-cheesy-bready smell. Now, I DO like the feel of a baby's skin - so soft - but that's about it.

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B..

answers from Dallas on

Not alone. I don't get it. At all. I don't like the "newborn" smell. I don't like the way their head smells. I just don't like it, not sure why!! People think I'm crazy.

I do LOVE the warm and cuddly puppy smell. Babies...nah.

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J.T.

answers from College Station on

Humans are programmed to thing babies smell good, so they will work to keep them alive. Most people don't get their noses in the little cracks and crevices to notice the yucky odors.

O.S.

answers from Sacramento on

Fun question!!! I absolutely love the smell of babies!!! Ah I miss it. Even there stinky little toes :)

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S.E.

answers from New York on

i agree i dont think its actually the baby i think its the baby poweder/shampoo/ lotion or whatever it might be thats on them

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

No your not at all. I think the same thing about smelling like baby powder. I personally hate the way most baby lotions, powder and body wash smell. I use natural things with low sents - mostly.

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J.P.

answers from Houston on

May be their relationship to the smell:
My husband loves the smell of skunks.
Reminds him of a favorite story about his
grandfather. The smell takes him right
back there. Closest thing to Time Travel.
That baby smell takes me back to being
a young mother: the favorite time of my life.

Also, I have to add. All three of my boys grew
up with a dad that loved the smell of skunk,
so, they also like the smell. funny

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