Our preemie princess not focusing on faces

[WantsALittle1]

Our little girl is 40 weeks today (yay!) but was born at 31+3. As far as I understand, newborns should be able to focus pretty soon after birth as long as the object is held ~12 inches from their face.

I've noticed that our little girl does NOT focus on my face, and often looks away if I bring my face closer to hers. There are rare occasions when her eyes fall on me and rest during feedings, but about 90% of the time she focuses on light things, like windows and lamps. I know she can focus for long periods of time, but I just wonder why human faces aren't what she focuses on?

 

[chelseav1213]

I read in a book that some babies feel uncomfortable if you look at them in the eyes while feeding.. some babies enjoy it? Not sure if this is quite what your wondering but my baby likes to look at lights and windows as well but we do to the side feeding so he eats better & doesn't choke so hes facing the opposite way from me but he will turn his head nd focus on my face too every now & then.. not during feeds when I just hold him he stares forever at my face tho

 

[meant2bamummy]

Keep in mind that at even though she is 2 months old, because of her prematurity her developmental milestones are guaged as though she was just born, since you hit your 40 week mark today. So a baby that is just born does not really focus on faces. It will happen in time, I'm sure. My girls were born at 32+6 and where I am from, they have a program you are automatically enrolled in. They evaluate your prem every few months to make sure that they are developing as they should. My girls weren't seen until they were 3 months, and then were just evaluated to see if they were doing what a typical 1 monther should do. Do you have a similar program in your area? It helped me worry less, as the girls, so far, are right on track for their adjusted age!

 

[WantsALittle1]

Keep in mind that at even though she is 2 months old, because of her prematurity her developmental milestones are guaged as though she was just born, since you hit your 40 week mark today. So a baby that is just born does not really focus on faces. It will happen in time, I'm sure. My girls were born at 32+6 and where I am from, they have a program you are automatically enrolled in. They evaluate your prem every few months to make sure that they are developing as they should. My girls weren't seen until they were 3 months, and then were just evaluated to see if they were doing what a typical 1 monther should do. Do you have a similar program in your area? It helped me worry less, as the girls, so far, are right on track for their adjusted age!

Thank you, I will definitely look into this! I just figured that since she can focus on other things that she should be able to focus on faces, but I guess faces aren't as contrasty as light vs. dark...

 

[akblaze]

Scarlett was 5 weeks early and she is now just over 3 months (just over 2 months adjusted) and she doesn't focus on my face that well. She also won't focus on toys.. but the TV (we have a 55") she LOVES to stare at. I worry all the time about her milestones but I have to keep telling myself that she'll do it all in her own time.

 

[inperfected]

I was SO SO worried about this! Jesiah didn't look at my face til he was about 8 weeks old when he started smiling and it was so so precious when he finally started No problems with social interaction at all now.