By Paula McLaren BA (Hons) Early Years Development & Learning •
Updated: 04/05/23 •
So, why do babies stare?
- What is it about a ceiling fan that is so amazing?
- I mean, is my neighbour’s face really that interesting?
- And are my lights really the most fascinating thing in the room?
Yes… babies stare a lot. Sometimes at you, sometimes at others and sometimes at nothing at all. But… why?
Why Do Babies Stare At You?
Your baby may be staring at you because they find you fascinating and beautiful. Infants and newborns are naturally attracted to faces as your facial features and expressions contain a wealth of communication information that is vital to your baby’s cognitive skills and emotional development.
What Does It Mean If A Baby Stares At You?
As well as being fascinating, there are many reasons why your baby stares at you:
1. You Are Fascinating
Babies love to stare, especially their primary caregivers. After all, they find faces and facial expressions fascinating and mesmerizing.
They are drawn to your eyes and are hard-wired to want to look longingly at their mother (this is also called the baby gaze). When your baby is staring at you and you are staring at them you are both bonding in a special and unique way.
2. Baby Likes The Sound Of Your Voice
Your baby will also be drawn to the sound of your voice even before their vision fully develops. And once their eyesight gets better, your baby will be fascinated by your conversation and the amazing coincidence that when you move your mouth, sounds tumble out towards them!
3. They Are Drawn To Your Features
As your baby adapts to the new life around them and their vision improves, they will be drawn to contrasting colours and sparkly objects.
So, if you are wearing bright or sparkly jewellery, have colorful hair or are wearing bright colors, for example, they will be drawn to them and stare intently (almost as if they’re engaged in a staring contest!)
4. You Are Wearing Glasses
Newborn babies will also be drawn to people that wear glasses or have distinctive features. It gives them a focal point and as they may not have seen people wearing them before… their brains are learning what they are which is an important part of infant development.
5. Baby Thinks You Are Attractive
A university study showed that babies often stare at people because they think they are attractive. So if you attract a baby’s awareness it may be because they think you are good to look at and have outstanding features.
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What You Need To Know About Baby’s Vision
Babies are born with a 20/200 vision. Meaning they can focus on objects within 8-12 inches of their eyes. Which is the average distance between the mother’s face and baby when being fed and the average distance family play and hold toys up to them.
Beyond those 12 inches, however, and everything is all a big blur in their eyes.
And much like cognitive and motor skills, baby’s visual abilities develop gradually over time as well.
Here are some other interesting facts about the milestone of baby’s vision:
- Babies find it hard to shift their focus from one object to another
- Newborns are very sensitive to light
- The objects at the baby’s side are easily visible thanks to their peripheral vision (side vision)
- For the first 2 months, baby may appear cross-eyed at times because their eyes tend to wander to their sides.
- Between 6 and 8 weeks, baby’s gaze is often paired with facial expressions like smiling especially when they recognize their parents or siblings.
- When baby is 5 months old, they begin to see objects farther from 12 inches. At this age, their color vision is also developing at a rapid rate too.
- And by 2 years old, their eye-hand coordination, color vision and depth perception are very well developed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Why Babies Stare
Looking for more information about why do babies stare? Find the answers to the most common question here.
Why Do Babies Stare At Ceiling Fans?
Put simply: babies are drawn to moving objects and a ceiling fan is a very obvious moving item when you spend most of your day on your back.
There is a fear that if your baby is staring at ceiling fans for extended periods of time it may be an indication of autism. However, the truth is…
If your baby is under 4 months of age, staring at a ceiling fan may just be part of their visual development as they find it visually stimulating. So there’s nothing to worry about.
NOTE: If your baby is older than that and staring for very long periods of time… or if you see signs that concern you… have a discussion with your paediatrician to put your mind at rest.
Why Do Babies Stare At Lights?
Babies love to look at high-contrast images, colours and patterns. Therefore, you might find your baby staring at lights, sparkly objects or newborn baby books.
Also, they may have never seen a light like that before. And when a baby sees something that they have never seen before they will naturally find it intriguing as they try to learn as much about it as they can.
Why Do Babies Stare At Corners And Open Space?
As newborns adjust to life around them outside the womb, what they are gradually able to see as they experience a burst of brain development (about 1% every day for the first 3 months!) is wondrous and new.
Mundane inanimate objects that we take for granted take on a whole new dimension for your little one. And for some babies, a corner (or a change in angle) provides enough wonder to stare at for hours.
Some newborns also need a bit of time to chill out and staring at a corner gives them the space to relax and zone out whilst their brain processes everything they’ve learnt that day.
PS: If you want to provide a safe place for your baby to chill out for a while, I highly recommend the SNOO crib as it will keep baby safe and calm whilst gently rocking your baby to sleep.
Its built-in swaddles, soothing noises and mesh walls make this crib an incredibly comfy and safe sleep environment for your baby giving you the peace of mind that they are always cosy and secure. And the gentle rocking and fuss-detection capabilities also ensure your baby is soothed at the first sign of restlessness!
When Should You Worry About Your Baby’s Staring Habit?
While staring is a normal newborn baby behaviour… Babies over 4 months old will usually stop staring.
If you notice your child is staring into the cold for 20 to 30 seconds over 5 months of age, (especially if you cannot get their attention by speaking to them or waving in front of their face) ask your doctor or a medical professional to if it might be a sign of an underlying health condition.
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