Congratulations on having a baby! It’s the most wonderful time of your life. You mothers have a huge impact on the lives of your children throughout. In fact, you have a strong physical, emotional and developmental impact on your children even before they are born, while being in your womb.
Want to consult a Pediatric doctor? Book Online Consultation with the best Pediatrician in India
Although all the sensory systems start developing in utero; but the development of the sense of smell predominates in early fetal life. Babies recognize their mother's scent even before they are born. Your baby is biologically and genetically programmed to connect to you through your unique smell. The process of development of olfactory cells (cells responsible for the sense of smell) begins as soon as the first trimester of pregnancy. The fetus breathes and swallows the amniotic fluid in utero. The ongoing development of the fetus helps him/her in recognizing the unique smell of his / her mother.
Book an online appointment with Dr. Sudhanshu Grover for Pediatric related issues
The odour of their mothers’ amniotic fluid is the first smell babies are exposed to. The same sense of smell also helps the baby to recognize his / her mother after birth. A newborn baby’s vision at birth is not so well developed as the sense of smell. This strong and unique sense of smell (learnt in utero by the baby) helps your little one to recognize your presence even from a distance after birth. Your baby is able to differentiate the smell of your breast milk from the breast milk produced by other mothers as well as from any other type of milk.
Do you want to know the "Estimated date of when your baby is due?" Check out Cloudnine's Pregnancy Due Date Calculator now!
This smell helps the baby to recognize you and leads your baby to snuggle on your chest for comfort and sense of security. This also helps in initial bond formation between you and your baby, which goes a long way in the baby’s life. It not only helps in emotional attachment but also contributes to the baby’s overall development. Even if you are not able to breastfeed, your baby will know your smell and the smell of your skin and will immediately recognize you when you come close to your little one. The facial recognition comes much later.
Do you want to know the "Estimated date of when your baby is due?" Check out Cloudnine's Pregnancy Due Date Calculator now!
Babies’ sense of hearing develops significantly by 2nd trimester of pregnancy. With each passing week, the sensitivity of the fetus to external sounds improves markedly. By the third trimester, they may even respond to certain sounds and noises in utero. Although many external sounds get muffled in utero, the baby is still able to hear the mother’s voice apart from other sounds like those of flow of blood through umbilical blood vessels, maternal heartbeat etc.
Also, the fetus may be able to hear other external sounds coming from the maternal environment. Although there are reports that the baby in utero may be able to hear and recognize the father’s voice too, the scientific literature supporting this is scarce.
Don’t miss Vaccination Schedule for your Baby, Book Home Vaccination Online.
Cloudnine will come to your doorstep to provide your babies with crucial vaccinations
However, the baby in utero is able to differentiate the mother’s voice from other sounds. In fact, the babies do react to these sounds by changes in their heart rate. Hence, even before babies are born, they hear your voice and start recognizing it. The very first time you hold them, they recognize you by how you sound.
Watch Video on Newborn Essentials:
The development of these sensory powers when the baby is inside your womb, apart from multiple other developmental changes in both you and your baby, goes a long way in establishing a life-long bond between you and your baby.
Must Read: When does your baby develop fingerprints in your womb?
Bond with your baby bump?
Not able to bond with your little one?
Want to consult the best gynecologists in India? Please find the links below.
Want to consult the best Maternity Packages in India? Please find the links below.
Yes, babies grow inside the womb, hearing their mother’s voice every single day. After birth, the mother’s voice can sound different outside from inside. Babies can still recognise the voice, over all other sounds and voices in the room. Within 2 months, they may even turn towards the voice or smile when they hear their mother’s voice.
If the baby has frequently heard the father’s voice in the womb, they can recognise it as early as 2 weeks post-birth. Babies who are familiar with their father’s voice can easily distinguish it from other male voices within 2 weeks after birth or even earlier.
A baby can recognise their mother’s voice even before birth. After birth, you will notice your baby will smile and turn when they hear your voice. As they grow, they will start responding with sounds when they hear their mother’s voice.
Yes, babies will recognise their mother. They will use their memory of the mother’s voice they heard from inside the womb, the mother’s smell, and the sounds they hear from her soon after birth. They can also recognise the unique scent of their mother’s breastmilk.
Best Gynecologists in Bellandur Best Gynecologists in Electronic City Best Gynecologists in HRBR LayoutBest Gynecologists in Jayanagar Best Gynecologists in Kanakapura RoadBest Gynecologists in Malleswaram Best Gynecologists in Nagarbhavi Best Gynecologists in Old Airport RoadBest Gynecologists in Sahakarnagar Best Gynecologists in Sarjapur RoadBest Gynecologists in ThanisandraBest Gynecologists in Varthur RoadBest Gynecologists in Whitefield Best Gynecologists in Industrial Area Phase IIBest Gynecologists in OMRBest Gynecologists in T NagarBest Gynecologists in New Industrial TownBest Gynecologists in IndirapuramBest Gynecologists in Golf Course RoadBest Gynecologists in Sector 14Best Gynecologists in Sector 47Best Gynecologists in Banjara HillsBest Gynecologists in GachibowliBest Gynecologists in Hitech CityBest Gynecologists in KompallyBest Gynecologists in Gomti NagarBest Gynecologists in MaladBest Gynecologists in NerulBest Gynecologists in VashiBest Gynecologists in Kailash ColonyBest Gynecologists in PatparganjBest Gynecologists in Punjabi BaghBest Gynecologists in VikaspuriBest Gynecologists in Gaur CityBest Gynecologists in Pari ChowkBest Gynecologists in Sector 51Best Gynecologists in Sector 5 Swastik ViharBest Gynecologists in Kalyani NagarBest Gynecologists in SB RoadBest Gynecologists in Pimple SaudagarBest Pediatricians in BellandurBest Pediatricians in Electronic CityBest Pediatricians in HRBR LayoutBest Pediatricians in JayanagarBest Pediatricians in Kanakapura RoadBest Pediatricians in MalleswaramBest Pediatricians in NagarbhaviBest Pediatricians in Old Airport RoadBest Pediatricians in SahakarnagarBest Pediatricians in Sarjapur RoadBest Pediatricians in ThanisandraBest Pediatricians in Varthur RoadBest Pediatricians in WhitefieldBest Pediatricians in Industrial Area Phase IIBest Pediatricians in OMRBest Pediatricians in T NagarBest Pediatricians in New Industrial TownshipBest Pediatricians in IndirapuramBest Pediatricians in Golf Course RoadBest Pediatricians in Sector 14Best Pediatricians in Sector 47Best Pediatricians in Hitech CityBest Pediatricians in Banjara HillsBest Pediatricians in GachibowliBest Pediatricians in KompallyBest Pediatricians in Gomti NagarBest Pediatricians in MaladBest Pediatricians in NerulBest Pediatricians in VashiBest Pediatricians in Kailash ColonyBest Pediatricians in PatparganjBest Pediatricians in Punjabi BaghBest Pediatricians in VikaspuriBest Pediatricians in Gaur CityBest Pediatricians in Pari ChowkBest Pediatricians in Sector 51Best Pediatricians in Sector 5 Swastik ViharBest Pediatricians in Kalyani NagarBest Pediatricians in SB RoadBest Pediatricians in Pimple Saudagar
