Is it normal for my baby to ignore me?
Yes. It’s common for babies and toddlers to ignore a parent occasionally. As a newborn, your baby quickly learns to recognize your face, and by the time he’s 6 to 8 weeks old will flash that gummy smile when you smile at him, says pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, editor of The Wonder Years: Helping Your Baby and Young Child Successfully Negotiate the Major Developmental Milestones. But don’t expect him to perform these tricks all the time.
“There should be social interaction by 2 to 3 months, but it’s not going to last all day long,” says Altmann. “Your baby is going to get tired of socializing, and at some point in the day will want to be mellow and left alone – and that’s okay.”
If your baby signals he’s had enough, it’s important to let him have some downtime. Don’t take it personally – other parents sometimes get the cold shoulder from their baby too.
That said, if your baby never smiles or doesn’t ever want to make eye contact, alert his doctor. (In addition to smiling back at you by 2 to 3 months, your baby should respond to his name by 7 months, babble by 6 to 9 months, and point to out-of-reach objects by 12 to 14 months.)
If you’re worried about your baby’s social interactions, autism may be a concern. Autism usually isn’t diagnosed before 15 to 18 months, but parents may spot developmental delays earlier.
