Babysitting for some friends over the years I always run into the same problem. As soon as any of their children under two years of age realize that mom is gone, all hell breaks loose. They grow out of it at about three when they realize mom and dad will indeed return. I have often wondered what would happen at these times if I had an identical twin of mom. Looks the same, sounds the same, dresses the same, etc… but just isn’t mom. Would the baby/toddler figure it out and go back to crying? Or would they accept the doppleganger and we all go back to playing candyland in peace? Let’s say that for all practical purposes even an adult that knows the mom well would not be able to tell the twins apart.
I don’t have kids, but I’d be willing to bet the baby could tell. Smell and body language would most likely be different.
I’d have to guess yes, especially if Aunt Twin doesn’t have a little baby or see this little baby often. If horses and dogs can tell a confident handler from a tentative one, you bet your sweet bippy a baby can.
Actually, I freaked the heck out of my own son when I dyed my hair when he was a baby. I just changed to a slightly darker blonde which no adult even noticed was new, and he lost it - I couldn’t console him for over an hour. He’d just look at my hair and scream.
But I agree that the smell would be the giveaway. Babies recognize blankets that their moms have held (and vice-versa, actually). People who eat different meals, use different soaps and shampoos and different laundry detergents and live in different houses just aren’t going to smell the same, even if their genes are identical.
Yes, for all the reasons given above.