How to Encourage Eye Contact in Newborns

It's a moment parents imagine during pregnancy: the first time you look deep into your newborn baby's eyes and he gazes back. While you might picture this magical moment happening in the delivery room, newborns often don't maintain eye contact that early. Most babies start to maintain eye contact at around 6 to 8 weeks of age, but some don't give you the big gaze until closer to 3 months. You can encourage eye contact by reading your baby's cues and watching for opportunities to interact.

Instructions

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      Look right at your baby. Studies such as one conducted by the University of Oregon and published in the July 2002 issue of "PNAS," the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that babies prefer looking at faces that look at them directly. Because newborns see black and white best, he might look at your hairline and the contrast between that and your skin. Babies also like shiny objects that present a contrast and move; eyes, with their contrast of dark pupils and white, meet that description, psychologist Dr. Jean Mercer notes on her website, Childmyths.com. A newborn's eyes cross when he tries to focus, so he can't hold your gaze for more than a few seconds.

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      Read your baby's cues. Your baby can become overstimulated and overwhelmed by attention -- even yours. If he fusses, looks over your shoulder, arches his back, frowns or turns his head away completely, he's not up for intense contact right now. Even hiccups can be an indication that he's not in the mood for eye contact at that exact moment, according to Zero to Three, the website for the National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families.

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      Maintain eye contact for short periods. Even if your baby gazes back at you intently, he might not be willing to keep contact for as long as you'd like. Give him frequent chances to gaze at you for short periods rather than expecting long love sessions.

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      Talk softly when you look at him, without other distractions. Use your "baby talk" voice; a higher-pitched, repetitive, slower rhythm that babies turn their heads toward more frequently than adult speech. Chucking him under the chin, poking at him to get his attention or otherwise stimulating him won't get him to look at you and often has the exact opposite effect.

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      Seek medical evaluation if your baby isn't holding your gaze by the age of 3 months. Babies with vision problems or psychosocial developmental issues such as autism might have trouble maintaining eye contact after this age. On the other hand, many blind babies do appear to look into your eyes, because they follow your voice -- and some autistic children have displayed normal eye contact as infants.

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