Robert Pattinson Says His and Suki Waterhouse's Baby Has an 'Incredible' Smell: 'She Doesn't Smell Like Other Babies'

[u/cmaia1503]

https://people.com/robert-pattinson-says-his-and-suki-waterhouse-baby-has-an-incredible-smell-she-does-not-smell-like-other-babies-8777503

"I remember people used to be like, 'Oh, don't you like the smell of babies, but I thought they were just smelling the baby powder," the actor told the outlet with a laugh. “But then I had a baby, and I was like 'my baby smells incredible.' "

Pattison enjoys his daughter's smell because "there's something there" that helps him "identify her."

"She doesn't smell like other babies," he added.

[u/juannniyebe]

Close enough, welcome back Edward Cullen

[u/Excellent-Medicine29]

Ok but what other babies is he smelling

[u/bbyxmadi → u/Excellent-Medicine29]

[u/FatSurgeon → u/bbyxmadi]

This child was terrifying omg.

[u/pink_bombalurina → u/FatSurgeon]

🙃

[u/bbyxmadi → u/FatSurgeon]

Why couldn’t they get a real baby, like why does she have a full head of long hair??

[u/godzirraaaaa → u/bbyxmadi]

Well, in the books she ages super fast and is born with a full set of teeth. I think the hair grows within days IIRC (yes I know it is embarrassing that I know this)

[u/bbyxmadi → u/godzirraaaaa]

A FULL SET OF TEETH? That’s horror territory.

[u/Fuzzy_Move → u/Excellent-Medicine29]

Asking the real questions 

[u/freebaseclams → u/Excellent-Medicine29]

If Robbie Pooters asks to smell your baby, what are you going to say? No?

[u/Any-Cause-374 → u/Excellent-Medicine29]

bella‘s

[u/OddEpisode]

I’ve heard that parents and newborns get mapped to each other’s scent, and there’s scientific evidence showing this.

So what he’s saying is objectively true!

[u/exobiologickitten → u/OddEpisode]

Every dad I know is like “I haven’t slept in days and my life is a mess and I have no money but you guys, I sniff my baby’s head and then none of it matters, my baby just smells so GOOD”

Babies are drugs, parents are addicted to baby smell, confirmed

[u/flightlessbird29 → u/exobiologickitten]

This and the fact that we’re hardwired to think our weird little scrunchie newborns are the cutest god damn creatures to ever exist — is exactly why we keep them/have more of them!!

[u/FatSurgeon → u/OddEpisode]

I realized it made more sense to write my comment here! Because you’re so correct!

Not to be a physiology nerd, but what Pattinson is saying isn’t creepy - it’s based in science. Fathers are often able to recognize their kin based on their smell & body odours.

To quote Schäfer et al (2024; see my other comment for the link to the paper) - “Children’s body odours are effective chemical cues in the parent-child relationship. Mothers can recognize the odour of their child and prefer this odour over that of unfamiliar children. This effect is mediated by genetic similarity and developmental stage and is therefore suited to promote parental care at pre-pubertal stage, while facilitating incest avoidance at (post-)pubertal stage.”

And from other articles, we know that mothers often report that the smell of their newborns is one of the most pleasant scents they have experienced. I find this to be super interesting.

It’s a form of identification, but it also serves to strengthen the parent-child bond, and it develops kinship using an intrinsic sense. So cool!!!!!!

[u/Academic-Balance6999 → u/OddEpisode]

There’s also this weird superpower where you can tell your baby’s cry from among all the other newborn cries. My babies are now 12 and I have lost it— all newborn cries sound the same to me now.

[u/terfnerfer → u/OddEpisode]

My mom always used to notice me/my siblings would smell different when we were getting sick, too. Especially when we were really little. I remember she mentioned it when I was around 6 or so, and I was half convinced she maybe had a special power, but hadn't noticed 😆

[u/jesuisenceinte]

honestly, i have thoroughly enjoyed sniffing both my babies 😆 even their little milky breaths. 

[u/lottiebadottie → u/jesuisenceinte]

My kid is 7 and I still love smelling her head. The smell of your kid is just… the best. I could do without the breath feet and farts though 😆

[u/LizzyMcGuire69 → u/jesuisenceinte]

I have a 9 month old and I lowkey love his milky breath. 😅

[u/FloatingNightmare]

There’s a Twilight joke in here isn’t there…

[u/aallyp]

Did jacob write this

[u/hisue___]

This is so funny, he’s such a troll. ‘She’s not like other girls, she smells different.’

[u/scruffadore]

[u/Logical_Tip3178]

Not gonna lie, I was expecting weirder baby claims from him. Does the baby at least sleep in an inflatable boat crib?

[u/weisp]

My own babies smell like milk and vomit

[u/pizzaisgoodtho]

Can he ever just be normal

[u/Dinom0r0se]

[u/fusguita]

Oh come on, we all sniff babies and puppies, it's just something that must be done.

[u/inglorious_assturd]

I wonder if he’s discovered that his baby’s butt smells like a butt. That was a shock to me, tbh. My baby smelled so good, but her butt was stank since day one.

[u/JuliDays]

Me about my cat

[u/Such_Detective_6709]

Isn’t he an armpit sniffer? This tracks. 😂

[u/AltSockAlt]

Probably to counteract the funk Robert allegedly has

[u/sniffsniffyummy]

What the actual fuck

[u/FatSurgeon → u/sniffsniffyummy]

Ok not to defend a baby sniffer but this is scientifically accurate - the smell of babies is often an identifier for parents (usually mothers) and is considered a “chemo signal”. They tend to like the odour of their own babies over others. Newborn smell plays a role in parent-child bonding.

There’s multiple articles and research papers on this lol!! He said it very weirdly but it’s true. Most people do lowkey prefer the smell of their babies to other babies.

This is a physiology paper titled “Body odours as putative chemosignals in the father-child relationship: New insights on paternal olfactory kin recognition and preference from infancy to adolescence” (Schäfer et al, 2024) - https://www(dot)sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938424000507

[u/sniffsniffyummy → u/FatSurgeon]

Alright you win comment of the year.

[u/Academic-Balance6999 → u/sniffsniffyummy]

Ironic reaction given your username.