First time mum - Advice on perfume with newborn?

[Jrking]

Hi all

I’m a first time mum to a 4 week old boy and wondered about two things. People have said to not use scented candles around a baby. I have one I’d like to light occasionally - not in the room he sleeps in but in living room. All my candles are soy wax. Is it really a no no?

Second thing is perfume. Do we need to avoid it for a while or not? There seem to be so many rules & I know it’s personal choice as there seem to be no definitive answers but I wanted to ask other mums opinions. Thanks 👍

[Jackshouse]

I did because your baby knows you mostly through your smell and smelling you keeps your baby calm.

[DamsonWhine]

I have never heard of either of those rules. I was a bit too knackered to faff with scented candles but I did wear perfume.

[Nothisispatrick]

The perfume thing is not to mask your smell as it’s one of the ways the baby gets to know you.

Also their little noses are so sensitive so I prefer to not have lots of artificial smells around DD at home.

[Nutkins24]

I’ve been wondering this. I’ve been wearing a little scent on my wrists. Baby is 8 weeks. Will prob hold off on the candles til Xmas and make sure baby is upstairs. I’ve heard really cheap chemically candles or ones that smoke can be bad and leave residue around a babies nostrils!

[SnuggyBuggy]

I've not heard that but I had cut some thyme from the garden and then picked up DD and she went absolutely apeshit. I guess smells are stronger to babies

[ZoeZebra1]

I never used scented candles with newborns as I read the chemicals released can harm their developing lungs. I don't know if this is proven but wouldn't want to risk it.
The perfume thing is because they are comforted by your scent and rely on it to get to know you in the early weeks.

[Rockbird]

I never use candles anyway but I did stop wearing perfume. Never read anything about it or was advised to but it just made sense to me not to mask my own charming smell or bombard their tiny nostrils are they spent so much time snuggled up to me. Sigh...

[Nicknamesalltaken]

I stopped wearing perfume, opting instead for the sour milk fragrance with musty body odour undertones.

But yes, artificial smells will mask and possibly irritate your new baby. I imagine their sense of smell is quite sensitive and they need to smell you (regardless of the milky-pukey aroma).

[E20mom]

I stopped wearing perfume too. Love your reply @Nicknamesalltaken 

[CherryPavlova]

I have always used the same scent - my children walk into a room, smell that particular scent and think of me. When I was very ill we put a bottle in each of their memory boxes (luckily they didn’t need to be given them thanks to the wonderful NHS). They had pillow cases or teddy sprayed with the scent when finding sleep difficult, pre exams or when away.
I chose specifically to wear scent and my children definitely still know me.

[InDubiousBattle]

I didn't avoid either candles or perfume, though I don't use candles much generally. I can't imagine a couple of dots of perfume on my wrists or neck made even the slightest bit of difference. If it will make you feel better then do it op.

[Scubalubs87]

I’ve not been wearing perfume as I can’t see how it would be pleasant for my little baby to have his face so close to a strong scent. Also, I didn’t want to mask my smell.

I was really upset after visiting my dad and bringing my baby home smelling of aftershave. The smell was so strong. It can’t have been pleasant for my son and the scent seemed to have covered my baby’s face/head. He went straight in the bath. I hated it.

[spiderlight]

We had a health visitor whose perfume arrived ten minutes before she did and lingered throughout the house for literally days after she'd left. I dreaded her coming and holding DS because of it, although she herself was lovely. DS was always grizzly when she was around.

[PazRaz10]

I don't know about candles as I don't use any - but I wouldn't have worried about my baby being around them in another house. Although having read some of the other comments here, I probably would have avoided!

I did avoid perfume for a while, especially whilst breast feeding as to avoid masking my own smell. I didn't use highly fragrance shower gel either.

To be honest, during and following pregnancy I hated strong smells anyway and even now, 3 years on my pre pregnancy perfumes just don't smell the same on me anymore.

[SooticaTheWitchesCat]

When my babies were 4 weeks old I didn't have had time or energy to think about candles or perfume

[LearningToDrive]

www.nhs.uk/news/cancer/candles-romance-and-cancer/

Information about candles. There's nothing definitive but I think there's no point in risking it with a newborn.

I used lavender when I was pregnant and I kept some sprigs around after as I felt it was quite calming for me and mild for baby.

I remember being warned against fragranced soaps because they mask your natural body odour that the baby will prefer. I definitely wouldn't use perfume.

[AllTakenSoRubbishUsername]

I thought this about perfume, especially if you're breastfeeding - so I didn't when they were tiny but when they stopped breastfeeding I used it again.

[HarrietM87]

My baby is 6 months old and haven’t worn any perfume since he was born - I think he is comforted by my smell (especially when he was younger) and I’m bf so don’t want him inhaling it when he’s so physically close a lot of the time.

Hadn’t heard that about candles. We don’t really use them but do have a diffuser thing in the lounge.

[rosydreams]

i tried perfume whilst breastfeeding my daughter she hated it,she refused to feed till i had a wash

[81Byerley]

When I was fostering newborns I always wore perfume, and when they went to their adoptive parents I gave them a tissue that I'd kept in my bra for a day. One parent told me that the baby calmed down when they held it near his face when cuddling him. Scent obviously does affect babies, but I can't see any problem with perfume, if you always use it, or candles in another room.

[Jrking]

Thanks everyone. What’s clear is that it’s very personal choice!

[TheBrilloPad]

I stopped wearing perfume (baby now 7 weeks), because I noticed such a difference in how calm she was when I held her without it. My two year old did say to me the other day though "mmmmm Mum you smell like custard" 😂 so it seems that milky/pukey smell is definitely one baby loves haha

[SheeshazAZ09]

Scented candles and perfumes contain known carcinogens, which is a good reason to avoid using them for your own sake as well as the DCs'.

[Aridane]

I stopped wearing perfume, opting instead for the sour milk fragrance with musty body odour undertones.

[BackInRed]

I'd steer clear of perfume too. Your baby likes the way you smell naturally. I cuddle with my daughter's comforter and freshly washed blankets, and sleeping bags so they smell like me. Sour milkiness and all.