Vision is one of the five senses exchanged early between newborns and mothers. This is one of the factors that plays a huge role in the development of the mother-child relationship. Vision is thought to exhibit some sensitivity to direction and distance compared to other senses. Some say the eyes speak better than the mouth, and here are some reasons why eye contact between mom and baby is important during breastfeeding.
Create a special sense of connection
When the newborn is picked up by the mother, the mother’s first reaction is to scoop him or her into her left breast. This allows the mother to look her child in the eyes face to face. When a mother is able to look her baby in the eye, there is a special sense of connection and deep emotion.
complete the mother-child relationship
Mothers first communicate with their newborns without speaking, but looking into each other’s eyes. When this happens, it completes the mother-infant interaction process. Nature needs something stronger to form this special bond between a mother and her baby, and it’s surprising that organic or physical interactions aren’t enough. Eye contact is like the missing piece in the puzzle, and it’s more powerful than anything else when it comes to making that connection.
What’s more, research shows that 90 percent of babies don’t look at their mother’s face, but they actually look into their mother’s eyes. As mentioned earlier, when mother and child look at each other for a period of time, they form a bond that is different from others.
Let the baby recognize his/her mother
Babies are information seekers from birth, especially when they can open their eyes. Although they are very curious about their new surroundings, they don’t pay attention to everything around them. Instead, they’re looking for a special body organ, the eye. Tests showed that babies were not interested in faces without eyes, but showed a strong interest in the opposite.
This happens because babies like things that move around, they are shiny and have more patterns than just a blank surface. Our eyes have this feature, and they are moist and reflect light. This naturally attracts your baby’s interest and attention.
Facilitate the breastfeeding process
When your baby starts feeding, he or she will naturally look her mother in the eye. When this happens, they don’t need to think about how to get the milk they need. If the baby’s body is in the correct position and eye contact is established, everything will fall into place.
communicate with mom
As the baby develops and develops better eye control, the mother can gain valuable information, such as how the baby is feeling at the moment and whether he or she wants to rest rather than continue breastfeeding.
Motherhood is truly a very special experience for new mothers. If you’re a mom-to-be, remember that eye contact during breastfeeding is important. While it’s natural to maintain eye contact while breastfeeding, remember that doing so only takes extra commitment!