Your baby hasn’t been on this planet for very long, but already they’re your absolute world! You’d recognise those tiny feet, chubby fingers, beautiful eyes and cute, button nose anywhere. But as you look into that gorgeous little face of theirs one morning, you’re met with a blank, confused expression, and this leaves you wondering, does my baby recognise me?

When does my baby first recognise me?

If you’re worried that your baby doesn't seem to recognise you, we’re here to tell you that they knew you from the sound of your voice, even before they were born! They’ll learn to recognise your face in those first few months, but take solace in the fact that they know your voice and have an immediate preference for it.

So, they know your voice even before they’re born, but when will they recognise your face?

When and how does my baby recognise my face?

Let’s break down exactly when and how your baby starts to learn and memorise your face during their very first year, beginning with months 1 to 4!

Months 1 to 4. In their first 4 months, you’ll see that your little one pays a great deal of attention to faces. During this period, they’ll soon learn to spot yours and that of your partner (if you have one), or any family members who are in the home at least three times a week. While they will recognise that someone feeding or holding them isn’t their primary caregiver, if their needs are being met, they won’t necessarily show any concern if you aren’t around.

Months 5 to 8. Over the next four months, they'll start to differentiate between the people they see regularly and know, and the people they don't – strangers, in other words. So you can expect stranger anxiety to set in towards the end of this period. They’ll also begin to understand permanence, learning that things don’t immediately disappear when they’re out of sight, which incidentally results in their missing you when you’re away.

Months 9 to 12. Once your baby nears their first birthday, their recognition of you and any close family they see regularly should be consistent. If you feel that your baby does not yet recognise you at this time, speak to your GP, health visitor, or paediatrician. During the final 4 months of the first year you’ll also see your baby start to recognise objects and favourite toys, which means not only will they miss you, they’ll miss certain toys too. The separation anxiety babies feel from their parents may continue all the way up until the age of 3, when they will finally begin to understand that you will always be back after a certain period of time has passed.

Does my baby recognise me?

Unii’s Baby Development Journey shares whether your baby recognises you.