What, how and since when do you see the newborn?

What the newborn sees

The sight of the newborn develops during the first eight months of life. Eyes form very early in pregnancy, but from the beginning of the second month to the seventh month they are protected by tightly closed lids. But what does the newborn see?

In this article

• What do you see in the baby bump
• What does a newborn see after birth
• What do you see in the first weeks of life
• What do you see in the first two months
• What do you see in the third month
• What do you see from six months upwards

What does the fetus see in the belly

From the 28th week of pregnancy, the fetus opens its eyes and begins to distinguish light from dark. When light passes through the abdominal wall, it is perceived by the baby as a reddish or purple tint. This could be a reason why many babies prefer red colored toys.

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What and how the newborn sees

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Can newborns already see from birth? And when do they start to distinguish the features of mom and dad? Do they recognize colors? Find out what and how children see from birth to first ...

What does the newborn see after birth

When do they start seeing babies? The answer is: immediately. Babies already see us when they are born. After birth, the newborn vaguely perceives the world. He sees immediately, but in an undefined way. The eyes after birth are swollen due to the pressure created by childbirth. The swelling disappears after a few hours.

The first weeks of life

In the first weeks of life, sight is not yet fully formed. The newborn is short-sighted: he can clearly see what is 20-25 cm away from his face. And slowly, as the days go by, he gets better. As in the mother's belly, the baby perceives the difference between light and dark: he notices when there is a light source or when a light bulb goes out. Strong shapes and colors also arouse his interest, even if he can't clearly define the details yet.

The little one is particularly interested in faces. A few hours after birth, the newborn is able to observe the mother's eyes. He still can't concentrate properly and focuses his attention on the faces of mom and dad for only a few seconds. He focuses on: hair, nose, but also on moving parts like eyes and mouth. And so he begins to learn to distinguish faces from each other.

The sight of the newborn in the first two months

Anything between 20 and 25 cm arouses his interest. Contact with the mother is very important for the baby during this period. Immediately after birth, the little one learns to exercise the eye muscles to fix what interests him. He also follows moving objects with his eyes. This happens if the object moves at a distance of 20 - 25 cm. For example, the colored bees mounted on top of his bed or the rattles. Or mom's face while she is breastfeeding.

Eye contact with parents is important and strengthens bond and trust. And she keeps away everything that is not essential, focusing the child's attention on what she really matters: her mother's face, her calm, her milk, her affection.

Read also: How to clean the eyes of the newborn

From the third month: everything more defined

Binocular vision develops from the ninth week of life: the information provided by both eyes merges into a single image and therefore the child can now also see objects up to eight meters away. And he tries with his little hands to grab everything that comes within range. However, the faces are still of great interest: the little one begins to study the various facial expressions and to imitate those of his parents. The child begins to communicate through his eyes: he looks at his parents and then moves his gaze on the object he would like to have, as if to say: "I want it mom, but I can't take it by myself".

From the fourth month on, he begins to perceive colors perfectly.

Read also: How to interact with a newborn

Six months and up

The perception of depth is even more delineated. At the park, the child distinguishes a bird on a branch or a dog in the meadow. The little one shows more and more interest in his surroundings and discovers more and more details.

Read also: How do you pick up a newborn?

Questions and answers

When did you start seeing a newborn?

The newborn is short-sighted at birth: he can clearly see what is 20-25 cm away from his face.

When do babies start smiling?

Babies start smiling at two months of age.

When does a newborn's eye color become permanent?

At birth, babies' eyes are gray or blue because there is little melatonin. Only on the first birthday can one really understand the color of the child's eyes.

TAG:

• eyes
• colors
• newborn 0-3 months