Your baby might stare and smile because they are happy to see a familiar face, such as a parent or caregiver, or because they are trying to engage or communicate with someone. Babies might also stare and smile because they are mirroring someone who is smiling at them.
You're Beautiful
A study done by a group of university professors showed that babies often stare at people because they think they are attractive. In the study, babies were shown two pictures: one of a person considered beautiful and one of an individual who wasn't considered attractive.
Stark contrasts like light versus dark are easier for them to see. If there is a light or a fan on the ceiling, this may attract your baby's attention and garner a smile or reaction due to the different stimulation for them on the ceiling.
Rarely shares enjoyment with you
Babies readily share enjoyment with you by smiling or laughing and looking at you. Some children with autism smile to show they're happy but don't share their enjoyment. Others show little facial expression or have flat affect and rarely smile so you may not know when they're happy.
Impaired affective expression, including social smiling, is common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and may represent an early marker for ASD in their infant siblings (Sibs-ASD).
A baby's vision is good for recognition exercises. So, if you find babies staring at you, it means they recognize you. Babies naturally stare at people because they recognize them and are always around them. Babies also stare at you because they love you and want to be loved in return.
A further line of evidence relating to infants' facial representations is infants' preference for attractive faces. Infants 2 months of age and older will spend more time looking at attractive faces when these are shown paired with less attractive faces (Langlois et al., 1987; Samuels & Ewy, 1985).
These findings show that our preference for attractive people isn't something we develop overtime but is innate and hardwired from birth, which challenges the idea that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." So if you're one of those people babies tend to stare at, congrats! You're most likely a babe.
Alan Slater and his colleagues at the University of Exeter showed paired images of faces to babies as young a one day old and found that they spent more time fixated on the more attractive face. “Attractiveness is not in the eye of the beholder, it's innate to a newborn infant,” says Slater.
Since babies are often on their backs, fixing their eyes straight ahead to check out the fan, the ceiling texture, or some lights is all normal and completely fascinating to them. Many caregivers say that their baby loves ceiling fans.
there is an old saying that babies and animals can recognize good (loving) people. So it is instinctual on their part, they are sensing that you are a good person, and are coming to you for love, comfort, and security. Don't worry, it's a compliment. I have the same “problem” where animals and babies gravitate to me.
Most babies naturally prefer the parent who's their primary caregiver, the person they count on to meet their most basic and essential needs. This is especially true after 6 months when separation anxiety starts to set in.
Most anecdotal observations suggest that babies show a strong preference for friendly, smiling female faces. And scientific studies that track eye movements and other objective measures confirm this widespread belief, showing that babies do indeed show a strong preference for female faces when compared to male faces.
The period that a baby uses to select a primary attachment figure stretches from 2 to over 12 months, with most infants making up their minds in the period between 3 and 7 months. The baby will focus on the person who is most often there for them when needed and who most often gets it right.
Your newborn is already very much their own person. However, it will take some time before you start to see signs of their personality emerging. For the first few months after birth, the way your baby acts may be affected by temporary factors such as: your pregnancy hormones and how these impact on you.
Children are more likely to trust an adult with an attractive face compared to an unattractive one. This is the finding of research by Igor Bascandziev from Clark University and Harvard University that will be published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology.
If your baby is staring at you, it may be because they love you and recognize you as a primary source of comfort and safety. However, no matter your relationship with the baby, it's also possible that they're staring because they find something about you interesting.
Babies love eye contact and interaction with their caregivers. Grabbing your face may be a way for your baby to establish a connection with you and strengthen the bond between you two. Responding with a smile, gentle touch, or soothing words can further reinforce this connection.
Birth to 1 month: Newborns can only see about 8-12 inches away (just right for seeing mom or dad during feedings). Expect some brief eye contact. 1-3 months: Things get more fun now! Your little one starts following things with their eyes and making longer eye contact.
there is an old saying that babies and animals can recognize good (loving) people. So it is instinctual on their part, they are sensing that you are a good person, and are coming to you for love, comfort, and security. Don't worry, it's a compliment.
Even in older infants up to 1 year of age, smiles do not necessarily mean the infant is happy. Babies do not produce their first full smile until they are approximately 2 months old. This type of smile is called a social smile because the baby uses it to interact with their caregivers.
Signs at 2 months
According to the Autism Science Foundation, a person should talk with a doctor if a 2-month-old infant is not doing the following: responding to loud sounds. watching things as they move. smiling at others.
Sometimes, autistic children may even not like to be held, hugged, or touched by anyone and may be fussy or reactive when forced to do so.
Understanding newborn bonding behaviour
Your newborn baby uses body language to show you when they want to connect with you and strengthen the bond between you. For example, your baby might: smile at you or make eye contact. make little noises, like coos or laughs.