As you sit on the sofa, scrolling through the TV guide, you notice that you aren’t the only one looking at the big, bright screen. Your little one, who you thought was asleep, is staring with a rare concentration at the colourful images that flash by, almost as though mesmerised.

While most of the time you try not to expose them to screens, their sudden intrigue does get you thinking, why is it that screen time for babies is frowned upon? Might a bit of screen time actually be a good thing? It could give me a breather on a busy and tiring day?

Now that phones and other digital devices have become an integral part of most homes, the debate as to whether or not children should engage with screens is a hot topic among parents. And when it comes to babies, there are even more conflicting views, so it often becomes very difficult to navigate the waters and come to a happy conclusion.

Ultimately, we believe that it’s up to you and your family – and you alone – to decide whether screens become part of your children’s lives, but we want to make sure you have all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your baby.

To make your decision a little easier, we’ve put together a list of pros and cons to screen use for babies.

What are the potential benefits of screen time?

A short burst of screen time can be a good distraction that lets you have a much-needed breather.

Getting used to screens at a young age will help your child to feel competent in our digital world.

Babies and parents can engage in pleasurable exchanges whilst using screens, just as they would reading books and playing with fun toys.

If you have friends and family living far away, video calls can let your baby hear their voices and see their faces.

Your baby will very likely enjoy watching age-appropriate TV, giggling and smiling at funny stories and silly characters.

But what are the potential disadvantages of screen time for babies?

Why should I be cautious about letting my baby engage with screens?

Extended screen time has been linked to certain health risks, including obesity and insomnia, and problems with inattention and impulsivity.

Evidence suggests that children under the age of 1 won’t learn any conceptual or language skills via a screen; any and all linguistic and intellectual abilities are learnt through interaction with a live caregiver. This means that any time spent in front of the TV could have been spent interacting and playing, and learning whilst doing so.

Your child may see something scary or explicit.

Screens impede the release of melatonin (the body’s sleep hormone) towards bedtime.

Due to these disadvantages, the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) recommends that children under 2 years old should not engage with screens at all, the only exception being video chats with family and friends. Now, while their reasoning is sound, this suggestion is frankly unrealistic. With screens practically everywhere, it’s next to impossible to prevent them from entering your baby’s life in some form or another, and they really are excellent when you need a breather.

So how do you make a decision that takes the advantages and disadvantages into account?

How should I approach screen use in regards to my baby?

Your own parental values and common sense are the most reasonable guidelines for deciding how, when, and with whom your baby uses screens. When you come up with your approach, focus on screen context and content rather than screen time. Are they watching age-appropriate content? We don’t want them to see something that frightens them. Are they spending all of their time in front of the TV and not engaging in varied enough play? It’s critical for a baby’s learning to interact with others as much as possible because they’re simply too young to learn from screens. Are they watching with you and their siblings and bonding over the experience? Babies can become pretty transfixed by screens, so speak to them and think of fully engaging with the TV, not just watching it. In short, consider the hows, whens, and whos, and develop your own rules and approach to screens.

If your lifestyle doesn’t really require screens around the home, there’s no need to introduce them. In fact, it’s probably best not to. But once your child is older, you might well come up against demands for a TV or tablet, and by that time there will be other factors to consider that will inform your decision.

Having said this, there’s nothing wrong with putting the TV on for 20 minutes so you can have a rest. Sometimes babies are a lot to handle. Don’t feel guilty hitting the play button on their favourite show so that you can get yourself a snack or even just have a sit-down. Just make sure that the screen isn’t immediately turned on when your baby gets a little upset. You need to learn to respond to infant distress just as much as they need to learn that distracting themselves with screens when they feel bad isn’t the answer. And avoid always having the TV on in the background. Only turn it on to watch something specific.

If TV and screens are part of their life, review the media your child is watching and engaging with. Take some time to watch TV or play on a tablet with your kids so you can monitor the media they’re exposed to. We recommend turning parental controls on for all the devices they have access to.

Reflect on your own screen use and time. If you’re spending a huge part of your day on your phone or laptop, your baby – and soon-to-be toddler – will eventually seek to imitate you. So consider your own use of screens and how long you spend looking at them, and if these are the messages you want to send to your child.

Is screen time good or bad for my baby?

Is screen time good or bad for my baby? Unii’s Baby Development Journey has the answer.