👀Don’t make eye contact👀
I’ll never forget being at a party with other mums when my youngest was almost 4 months old. It was a late party and my baby was tired. I’d put him in his pram and he’d fallen asleep alongside the other babies also asleep in their pram.
But then, in typical fashion, my baby woke up.
I will never forget the advice given to me at that moment by another mum…’do not look at him. Do not give him eye contact’. Why? She actually didn’t tell me why but being a first time mum I took on this ‘advice’, avoided eye contact and tried shushing and rocking frantically. It was almost 7 years ago now and I can’t remember what happened next but I always remember that piece of ‘advice’.
Was that the advice given so that he wasn’t stimulated? Or so that he would not realise I’m there and go back to sleep?
Looking back, he was almost 4 months old for goodness sake, only a baby!! 😩Makes me feel guilty that pressure from another mum made me feel this way.
7 years down the line I am empowering parents to always respond to their baby. In fact, eye contact can massively help babies to settle!!! Yes, it can stimulate them as well but when they know you are there, that they are safe and that it’s ok to go back to sleep, they (should) drift back off happily.
Even now, me and my 16 month old have some strong eye contact connections whilst winding down for bed. It’s one of my most favourite times of the day ❤️
Bottom line of this post – never avoid eye contact with your little one, especially if they’re upset ❤️
