Eye contact and smiling at 2 months

Stephanie - posted on 02/16/2009

My baby was due Dec 17th as well and I went 3 weeks early too!! I notice she's about 2 weeks delayed , I try not to read too much it just gets you nutso!! Good luck glad everything turned around!!

Jennifer - posted on 02/11/2009

Thanks everyone for your replies. My baby is now 11 1/2 weeks old and he has been making great steady eye contact and smiling now for the past two weeks. I guess babies just develop at their own pace. :)

Colleen - posted on 01/25/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

Eye contact and smiling at 2 months

Hello all November 2008 Moms,
I wanted to gage how much eye contact and how much smiling is expected at this age. My baby will be 2 months old on Thursday but was born 3 1/2 weeks early (was not due till Dec 17th). He doesn't really look me in the eye much at all (doesn't really look at faces, more at lights and the surroundings) and smiles sometimes but I am not sure if it is reciprocal. I think I am a little paranoid as autism runs in my husband's family and I am a Speech Language Pathologist and have worked alot with kids with autism. Should I be concerned or could his fleeting eye contact and inconsistent smiling be related to the fact that he was early and just needs more time? Your thoughts and comments on when your baby looked at you consistently and smiled are appreciated.

Hello there,

I was induced three weeks early with my son because I was put on a blood thinner

Anyway, at two months I was also reading about eye contact, but my son just wouldn't

look at me.  He didn't even want to focus on other toys etc. in front of him.  He always seemed

interested in looking opposite.  Well, now he's almost three months and he just started to

look straight at me and smile about two weeks ago.  He still won't look at me if I'm holding

him.  He's interested in looking past me or off to something else.  But when he's on  his

back to change him, then he will definitly lock eyes with me.  The Dr. did not notice anything

unusual and said that she did notice good eye contact with him.  I think he just took a bit

longer since he was early.  So hang in there.  He will probably soon lock eyes with you and

then you'll know he's connected.

Kelly - posted on 01/25/2009

My son is 2 months as of Jan. 24th. He has very good eye contact and smile a lot! he was almost 2 weeks early. I think its just different with every child and they all me milestones at different times.

Cheryl - posted on 01/25/2009

Hey Jennifer, i personally don't think you have anything to worry about my daughter Libby is nearly 11 weeks old and sometimes she still will not hold eye contact with us but put her under her playgym with the lights on and she stares and smiles look a goodun. All babies are different and develop at different paces. My son was so much more forward than my daughter but i try to remember that every baby is different and don't be worried by statistics saying what baby should be doing at a certain age. Just enjoy your little one while he is small because they grow very fast! If this is a real big concern for you then why not have a word with a health professional and see what they say. Good luck, cheryl xx

Krista - posted on 01/25/2009

Hi Jennifer!

I won't say that you shouldn't worry, cause I do that myself as well... My boy (born 11/25) was having same problems just about a week ago. He was staring off in to space and when I put my face in front of him, he turned away to keep staring at whatever interests him, lights etc. He didn's smile at all, nor made any noises. I was so sure, that something was wrong - autism or something else - but you know situation changed so fast. One day I got the first smile and he made eye contact with me, next day he started to make noises. I am not worried any more, every day is better allthought there are still bad days or moments where I cant't get any contact with him.

Wish you and your baby all the best! (Sorry about my english, haven't used it in ages...)

Betsy - posted on 01/24/2009

Every baby develops differently - do not worry.  One thing that someone told me that you have to rememeber is that babies imitate.  If you dont smile at him, he won't smile at you.  So, with Hailey, I would smile (huge smiles) EVERY time I looked at her when she was a newborn.  She had her first real smile around 4 weeks and the smiles have increased.  But, I do notice that when I am tired or really busy and I don't take the time to smile at her a lot, the smiles from her dissapear.  =(  Smile a lot at your baby, and he will smile back!!!

Mandy - posted on 01/23/2009

Hi Jennifer,

I wouldn't worry as of yet.  I have read the book "what to expect the first year" from cover to cover and it says that all babies develop at different rates and not to get too concerned with comparing.  It also said that premature babies will take longer as they will be starting behind with having less developing time in the womb but as the months stretch out they will catch up.

Melissa - posted on 01/23/2009

My babies were born at 35 wks 4 days(twins) They just started to smile in the past couple of days. They are 8.5 weeks old(born 11-24) I think you should give it a few more weeks before getting nervous

Abbey - posted on 01/23/2009

My son is starting to make more eye contact at 2 and a half months. I was starting to worry around the 2 month mark also, but he makes a good bit now. I would always worry when he was staring off in to space and I would put my face in front of him and he would turn away to keep staring at whatever interests him. But lights are something they love too. I wouldn't worry unless your baby is still not making eye contact 2-3 weeks from now.

Carolyn - posted on 01/23/2009

Hi Jennifer, I'm an OT so I am always a little paranoid about autism as well. My son is 8 weeks and was born on time. His smiles are inconsistent, too and he tends to do these little half smiles that are not quite as engaging as what my daughter was doing at his age. He does give great prolonged eye contact, but he really just started that within the last week or so.

Ally - posted on 01/22/2009

My daughter is 11wks, and she holds eye contact with me and smiles all day long. But since your son was 3 1/2 wks early I wouldn't worry about it too much, he's just alittle behind. He'll catch up. But if you have any questions about it, just call your doctor. But i'm sure he's fine! :)

Heather - posted on 01/22/2009

your baby is fine............... but its only normal to worry. try not to compare your babys development to others. they are all different and there will be things that your baby will do sooner than others and vice versa. you have nothing to be concerned about

Maggie - posted on 01/22/2009

My daughter was born on Nov. 13 (she was 4 weeks early). Becky likes to stare at me and my husband (when he is home she only has eyes for him LOL). In the last couple of weeks we have been able to hold her attention for longer and longer periods of time (she really likes it when we sing nursery rhymes to her - her favorite right now is If YOu Are Happy And You Know It). She can't stop smiling when we are doing that one.



I agree with Trina that each child develops at a different pace. You can't compare one child to another. Perhaps your little man just isn't ready. But if you are concerned then talk to you doctor. He/she will be able to put your mind at rest.

Jen - posted on 01/22/2009

my son was born nov 18 - eye contact is sporadic, some times he seems to be looking at me, other times hes more interested in other stuff...he seems to be response & sporadic smiling, but this just started within the last week....

Kendra - posted on 01/22/2009

My son was born Nov 23.,......so he's 8 weeks old... he smiles often and has eye contact with me at times......not always though.....I'm sure that will change as he gets older.
He's making lots of noises and his arms and legs are moving like crazy like he's trying to do karate. LOL
Hope all is well. and Congratulations

Trina - posted on 01/21/2009

Hi Jennifer,

I think if you're having a concern I would get into contact with the doctor, I don't know how being a premature baby effects regular development. All I can say is my two month old is able to hold contact for a good long while, and tends to coo and smile quite a bit. I work with children (ECE) and the milstones for development range by a couple of months. Your little one just might not be ready yet.

Pat - posted on 01/21/2009

My daughter turned 2 mths this past Monday and she has yet to hold eye contact with me. She loves to look around and every once in a while she will look at me but it's not for a long time. As for smiling she smiles randomly and all I do is smile back I read that babies like to see their parents smile it says to them I see you smiling hehe I think kids just develop at their own pace. Try not to worry so much and just enjoy the time you have b/c I know for me the last 2 mths went by so fast and the next 18 yrs will be here before I know it :)