Can My Newborn See Me?
Priceless photo courtesy of April Davidson Bly Photography
That cute bundle of joy you brought home seems to lock in your sight and have a staring contest of love with you each time they (briefly) focus in. What does the world look like to a newborn baby? Knowing where your new baby is in development can help you interact with them - and understand why they’re so tired from taking in new sights!
How much can your newborn really see?
When a baby is born, naturally their eye sight needs to develop over time. In utero they practiced opening their eyes, but could only distinguish warmth, cool, and light vs. dark. Once in the world, a newborn can see around eight to 11 inches from their face. This is why it appears they’re trying so intently to focus on you! Many things beyond that range are blurry. Your newborn is also transfixed by the patterns and shapes your face makes, and moving your mouth and making slow faces at them is fascinating!
From 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 weeks, your baby will be able to see a bit father and more clearly. This changing sensation is sometimes overwhelming to them as their whole world has opened up literally and figuratively.
Do they know it’s you?
Your baby has been listening to your voice in utero their whole gestation, so upon birth, both your voice and partner are familiar to them. They also know your smell, and associate mom with the smell of milk! Talk to your baby - it will help them immensely to adjust to their surroundings!
Can They See Colors?
Newborn eyesight is a bit more disjointed and dull, so patterns of black and white are more appealing and drastic to them and stand out more than the traditional ‘pastels’ that we think of when we think baby colors. You might notice baby is completely immersed in looking at a checker pattern or spirals. These ‘pop’ more to the eye and your baby practices focusing in and out with them! Many baby toys have black and white dots and patterns on them to engage your newborn.
The closer you are to baby, the better to see you with! Help them navigate their overwhelmingly large (and small!) world by giving them the best sight to see: you! Your postpartum doula and infant care specialist can help you interact with baby during each stage of their development. Ask us how!
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