New Moms Should Shower For The Sake Of Their Baby

Your first months as a new mom are an incredible mixture of elation and sheer disgust. I remember looking at my reflection in the mirror after one particularly long night of endless nursing, and thinking, "Is this just the way I look now?" After days of not showering, forgetting to pull down my shirt after a barrage of breastfeeding all-nighters, perfecting the art of the three day mom bun, and forgetting that deodorant existed, I began to ask myself "can my baby tell if I haven't showered? Because I don't think I can trust my sense of smell, sight, or much else right now." (The "mombie" phase is real, people.)

If you're another member of the mombie society and are honestly worried about not offending your baby's sense of smell, you might need to learn to set your worries aside, because, yes, your baby can smell you. According to Parents, a baby's sense of smell starts to develop long before they're born. From the time you're six months pregnant till your kiddo is about 8 years old, they'll have a better sense of smell than you do, in fact.

The article also stated that babies can identify their mothers by their breast milk's unique scent (note: not their unique body odor.) They can even recognize the smell of the soap, shampoos, and lotions you use (or don't use.) Even if you think your scent could use improving, chances are that your baby more than likely is simply comforted by it.

Many moms swear by using a piece of their clothing as a "soother" for their baby for when they're not nursing or while baby sleeps. Their sense of smell, according to Parenting is the most developed of the five senses for the first few months, which means that they'll be comforted through your smell just as easily as from you holding them.

Instead of worrying about offending your baby's refined olfactory senses, focus your energy on bonding with your little one, and then, if you have time, taking a well-deserved shower.