What can my baby see?

We used to think that newborns could see very little in the first months of life. However, new research has shown that babies can actually see more than we once thought. It is now presumed that newborns are able to see at least the big "E" on a vision chart held 9-12 inches from their face. This distance may not be coincidental, since most infants are held about 9-12 inches from their parents while being fed!

Researchers have also determined that newborns have a preference for human faces. There seems to be a portion of the brain that is well developed in babies that is dedicated to allowing for facial recognition. (Studies show that babies are even attracted to sketches of human faces!) This mechanism probably helps develop bonding between the child and his/her parents. Our nursing necklaces not only aid in focusing on the necklace but also on the human face. The MOTHER.

Unfortunately, a newborn's vision is not clear because his/her eye muscles are weak and uncoordinated. So, even though the vision may be advanced enough to recognize shapes and contrasts, the uncoordinated eye muscles make it difficult to focus. The resulting vision is blurry and fuzzy. Most parents are familiar with the cross-eyed look of a newborn.

Initially, infants see best while looking out of the corner of their eyes and like objects of high contrast (like a black-and-white checkerboard). Around 2 to 3 months of age, infants are able to stare directly at something and by 3 months like to watch their hands. Around this time babies begin to visually follow objects (like toys and mobiles) once their eye muscles begin to move as a unit. It turns out that babies do not recognize different colours until after 3 months of age when the retina is able to process colour vision. Our nursing necklaces are fantastic colour contrasting elements to aiding your child's visual development!

Parenting hints: Newborn babies are fascinated by their parent's face so hold them about eight to 12 inches away..  Babies are also interested in black and white objects brought into their field of vision from the side. Around 3 months the baby begins to focus on objects farther away and follows objects for a short period of time. Between 4 and 6 months they will begin to enjoy colours and may even show a preference for certain shades.  By 6 months they can distinguish between objects and see clear across the room. By the end of the first year, a baby's vision is almost fully developed.