First Glimpse: Understanding Your Newborn's Vision

Did you know that when your baby is born, they'll only be able to see about 8 to 12 inches? Beyond that, everything will appear blurry. That's about the same distance as from your breast to your face.

Being able to see only such a short distance is Mother Nature's way of setting your baby up for breastfeeding and bonding success. Your baby will be able to feed at the breast with a clear view of your face without being distracted by what's going on beyond that. Isn't that so cool?

As the weeks and months go by after birth, your baby's vision will continue to develop. Initially, they will start distinguishing high-contrast colors, primarily black and white, which are easier for their still-developing eyes to see. Over time, they'll begin to recognize faces and start differentiating more colors and details. By around three months, they should begin to track moving objects with their eyes.

Here are a few tips to help stimulate your baby’s visual development once they arrive:
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• Frequent face time: Spend plenty of time face-to-face with your baby. This is really all they need at the beginning. Your face is their favorite thing to look at. You can even try sticking your tongue out a few times and see if your baby will mimic it.
• Use high-contrast toys and books: Black and white patterns or simple bold graphics make it easier for babies to focus, supporting visual development. They don't need these at the beginning but at around eleven weeks old when they start to see the color red, they enjoy looking at these contrasts.
• Change your baby’s scenery: Even within your home, letting your baby experience different views can help stimulate their visual and cognitive growth. Babies love being shown around their home and really enjoy looking at moving things like ceiling fans and trees.

I find it pretty cool that even simple daily interactions can have a profound impact on your baby’s growth. Spending time face-to-face, introducing visually stimulating patterns, and varying their environment are all great ways to support their vision and overall development and you both get to have fun together too!