Eye Contact During Breastfeeding; A Magical Moment

Breastfeeding means much more than just feeding your child to grow up healthy.  It also creates a bond with your child. During this nurturing and loving act, you exchange scent, touch, emotion and eye contact with your baby. Basically, eye contact while breastfeeding is a different kind of nutrition.

We are talking about eye contact during breastfeeding, but that does not mean that bottle feeding should be ruled out. Even then you have contact with the baby in your arms. You can still soothe him with a low voice. Your baby’s eyes will align with your face.

Believe it or not, few moments are more important to a child’s development than those in the arms of the mother or father.

There are even several studies that prove this. Children begin the process of learning how to communicate thanks to that interaction with their mother during breastfeeding. 

Their brain starts processing sounds, gestures, tones and individual words. Little by little, this eventually forms the basis of a language.

During this process, feelings of pleasure and well-being are fundamental. When you breastfeed your child, babies are happy and relaxed. As a result, they are more receptive to learning and connecting with their environment. 

These physical and emotional sensations promote the growth of neural networks. Until one day the moment comes when your baby can look you straight in the eye.

We will now tell you a little more about this amazing process of eye contact during breastfeeding.

The first eye contact while breastfeeding with your baby in your arms

As it is said, there is little more beautiful in life than a mother feeding her baby. But there are many things about breastfeeding that we are not necessarily aware of during this stage.

A refined biological mechanism

We know that pregnancy is a chaotic whirlwind of hormones. They activate vital processes that allow you to bond with your baby even after they are born.

Oxytocin, for example, is stimulated when the baby sucks at the breast. This hormone works in our brains to stimulate the production of milk. It also strengthens the deep emotional bond with your child.

Something you may not know is that for the first few months of life, a baby has a very limited field of vision. They can only distinguish objects that are no further than 50 centimeters away from them.

This is due to a very simple fact. The only thing the baby needs to focus on during this phase is his mother’s breast or bottle.
During the first weeks of his life, your child is therefore guided by only one of his senses: smell. So don’t worry if you can’t make eye contact with your baby at first. It’s just not time for that yet.

The magical moment of eye contact after about four months

Every child develops at his own pace. But  by the age of four months, it’s normal for a baby’s eyes to have developed to the point where they can focus and sense depth. There are two essential processes that keep a baby focused on what is most important to him: you.

These long-lasting moments you share with your child while you are breastfeeding are unforgettable. These times of subtle intimacy will gradually broaden your baby’s horizons until his eyes can find you. Around this age, your child will also start playing with your hair and clothes.

Every child has its own way of feeding.  Some are calm, others are scared. This behavior will change and get better every week. Your child is growing up before your eyes and that’s good.

Your baby is looking for something more than just eye contact while breastfeeding

When your baby returns your gaze, talk to him. 

When you talk, your baby may respond with a smile. Later, it could be a whistle, a giggle, or a gesture of curiosity. Or perhaps it is an incentive to ensure that you continue to communicate.

Remember that a baby’s eyes are like doors. We have to learn how to open them. Behind this lies a whole world, which you can stimulate every day through the magical bond with your child.

No matter what everyone says, nutrition and care are not the only things that are important during the first months of your baby’s life. During this period, your baby opens up to life. With every gesture, every touch and every word, you enlighten his mind. With your eyes you guide him to find their way in this world.