Why do babies stare at me too much?

Who’s lookin’ at you? Your kid! Have you noticed that your little one will often fix their gaze on something for a stretch of time? Staring is a pretty common baby behavior…and here’s why!

Why Babies Stare

Babies stare to get to know you…and the world around them!

Babies are born with 20/200 vision—they focus really well on objects within 8 to 12 inches (which is exactly how far away your face is during feedings!). Beyond that, things get pretty blurry. Babies are fascinated by the movements of your eyes and lips and the amazing coincidence that when you move your mouth, sounds tumble out!

And they stare at the world as they try to make out all of the new and exciting sights around them. Your infant’s early days mark a burst of brain development—growing by about 1% every day in the first 3 months of life! So, it’s safe to say that studying their surroundings is one way that babies begin to learn about the world.

Babies stare when they’re tired.

Babies tend to stare when they’re getting sleepy. They need to close their eyes, but they cannot quite give up looking at the exciting show all around them.

Babies stare because they’re learning to communicate.

Babies aren’t quite able to smile and socially interact when they pop out. The dance of “back and forth” usually takes a couple of months to really get rolling. So, during the early months, they are taking it all in—staring—much more than having a conversation with you.

Babies stare because you’re interesting to look at!

Wondering why your baby is staring at you? Babies are naturally drawn to faces (especially their primary caregiver’s) and might be drawn to interesting features, like glasses or a bushy beard. Babies also stare when something is “off.” For example, if you put your glasses on upside down, your 2-month-old may stare at you quizzically, trying to figure out what is different. (Much the way we look at a friend and notice that “something is different”…like a new haircut.)

Babies stare when something has caught their eye.

At first, babies are particularly interested in high-contrast images. That’s why your lovebug might fix their peepers on a black-and-white striped blouse…or on your eyes, where the white touches the darker iris. This is why parents are advised to use high-contrast black-and-white cards to capture their baby’s attention. (Babies are attracted to bright red, too—so don’t be surprised if you see them ogling a shiny red toy.) 

Around 3 months, your baby’s vision has gotten better, but they’re still not great at shifting their focus from one object to another, which is why they may lock their peepers on one thing at a time. However, around this age they are increasingly interested in moving objects. So, they may set their gaze on objects in motion, like the whirling ceiling fan, a curtain flapping in the breeze, or the dog scratching with its hind legs.

When to Worry About Your Baby Staring

While staring is mostly normal baby behavior, over 4 months this staring period usually ends. If you notice your child is staring into the cold for 20 to 30 seconds—especially if you cannot get their attention by speaking to them or waving in front of their face—ask your doctor if it might be a sign of a mild baby seizure.

About Dr. Harvey Karp

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

View more posts tagged, behavior & development

Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Connect with us at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

Many new parents begin to notice their infant staring at particular people randomly, which may lead them to think, “why do babies stare?” Although this staring behavior can be concerning, it is not worrisome.

Most babies stare at people out of curiosity as they get to know them. Sometimes, they may be attracted to a person’s eyeglasses or bushy beard and stare at them out of curiosity. In addition, some babies may stare at objects, ceilings, and walls, indicating that their vision is developing on the right track.

Read on to understand why babies stare so intently and when you should be concerned about it.

Understanding A Baby’s Vision

In order to know why babies stare, we first need to understand their vision (1) (2). Below are some salient points about a baby’s developing eyes and vision.

• Newborns are quite sensitive to light at birth. Their pupils become very small when exposed to bright light.

• Objects located to the baby’s side are more easily visible to them through their peripheral or side vision. However, they cannot see far away things clearly as their central vision is still developing.

• For the first 2 months babies’ eyes may appear crossed or may seem to wander to the sides. It is usually normal but if one of the eyes is constantly turned inward or outward (towards the nose or away from the nose respectively) consult a pediatrician.

• By three months of age a baby can best focus on objects that are eight to 12 inches away. They can look into their mom’s or dad’s eyes if they are close to them. Anything farther than that would be out of focus and blurred.

• At around five months a baby develops the ability to see how far an object is from them (depth perception). They get better at reaching out to objects then. They may have colour vision but it is still developing.

Thus, babies are more attracted to human faces, followed by bright colors, images with contrasting colors or patterns, and moving objects..

Related: 7 Useful Tips To Take Care Of Your Two Month Old Baby

Why Do Babies Stare?

After understanding a baby’s vision, it is evident that babies stare at objects and people as they find them interesting. A baby’s vision is not fully developed, and they are mostly attracted to light, moving objects, such as ceiling fans, and objects with contrasting colors (3).

By the age of six to eight weeks, as their vision is better developed than before, they would often focus on human faces. It eventually causes a change in preference from staring at inanimate objects to staring at faces.

Related: 10 Causes Why A Baby Gasps For Air And How To Help Them

What Do Babies Stare At?

Babies usually stare at the following things.

• Ceiling fans and moving objects: Sensory experiences, such as looking at moving objects and high contrast pictures, stimulate babies’ rapidly developing brains. Ceiling fans often cause intense stimulation and catch their brain’s attention. If your baby is staring at a ceiling fan or any other moving object, fret not as it is part of their visual development.

• Attractive faces: Research notes that human infants tend to stare at attractive faces even when they are a few days old (4). Infants who are three to four months of age prefer staring at the attractive face when shown images of attractive and less attractive faces. The perception of attractiveness may vary among babies. An attractive face is usually the one with some striking feature that holds the baby’s attention.

• Different features: A unique feature of an object or a face is likely to keep the baby interested and make them stare at it. Interesting and unique features may include colorful hair, long beard, eyeglasses, moving parts of a machine, lights of a vehicle, and different textures.

• Contrasting things: It could be two contrasting colors or contrasting outlines, such as the surface of a wall meeting the edge of a table. Babies tend to find it interesting and stare at it for longer.

• At nothing: Sometimes, babies appear to stare at empty space, and it is nothing to worry about. Since their vision system is still developing, they may randomly look at places beyond the range of their vision. If they are staring at nothing, it indicates they are exercising their eyes and vision to see things clearly eventually.

If your baby is staring at none of the above-listed things, don’t worry. As each month passes, they should be able to focus on an object, track a moving object, reach for an object, and even recognize and recall things (1).

Related: Do All Babies Have Blue Eyes When They Are Born?

When To Worry About A Baby’s Staring Habit?

If a baby is staring for prolonged periods especially if he/she is either poorly responsive to distraction measures or is irritable during that time it is advisable to consult a pediatrician as it could be a type of seizure. If possible a video clip of the episode should be recorded for the doctor to review.

The habit of staring is usually quite common up to the age of four months. If it persists beyond four months, you may consult a pediatrician or a pediatric ophthalmologist.

Some other signs to look out for are (5) (6):

• Baby’s eyes appear crossed or seem to wander randomly.

• The pupils appear white or have a cloudy appearance.

• The baby does not pay attention to faces by two months of age.

• The baby does not track moving objects by four months of age.

The habit of staring among newborns and babies below four months of age is common and is usually not a cause of concern but if at any time it worries a caregiver for any reason, medical consultation should be sought. Parents can help the baby exercise their vision by giving them bright and high-contrast toys. As the baby grows older, their vision and cognitive functions become better, and they grow more adept at using their eyes for recognition and recall of information.

Subscribe

Infographic: What Are The Reasons For Blank Staring In Babies?

Babies stare for various reasons ranging from curiosity to watching something to neurodevelopmental conditions. Unfavorable causes may not permanently affect the vision if identified and treated on time. Some issues may interfere with vision and often require therapies to improve sight or quality of life. Go through the infographic to know the reasons for blank staring in babies.

References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.