Does perfume confuse newborns? Mums share their thoughts

There's a lot of little bits of information you need to pick up when you become a first-time parent.

It's a whole new world and even though you might think you have gotten to grips with it, there will always be something that will make you go 'huh, never thought of that'. Whether you read baby book upon baby book before your little arrival came into the world - or you read none at all - it's safe to say you will never know absolutely everything. Ever. Even when they're 20-years-old you'll be learning something new. However, a question was posed on Mumsnet asking if a new mother should wear perfume or if it will confuse her baby. She wrote:

"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."

Many mums replied to the thread and said they thought it was best to leave the perfume so your baby can get used to your natural scent. One said:

"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."

While another wrote:

"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."

Did you hold off on using perfume after your little one was born?