At what age do you think others' babies really "recognize" you?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205767)
Walnut Creek, California
September 18, 2018 1:32pm CST
I found this old photo (it's about eight years old) from when I worked at the mother-and-child drug rehab in Oakland. The baby in the photo is 7-months-old. His mom came into the program pregnant, so he'd seen me almost every day of his life.
If you've been a mom, did you notice the age at which your babies truly preferred you to others, even if they weren't hungry? The "attachment literature" suggests that "true attachment" begins at 6- to 8-months, but I bet some moms will say it's earlier. The literature also suggests that and that some babies will avoid strangers, especially when they're about 10- to 14- months old.
In any case, you can tell that this little fella knew me, and was glad to see me, from the photo. Soon after it was taken, I started carrying him around more often and "naming" things with him. He'd also "power crawl" into my office, and we'd proceed to stack blocks and such like.
We were best buddies until his mom left the program, when he was about 18-month-old. I had always made funny faces at him when he was younger, and let him grab my finger and such, but I'd say he really recognized me, and sought me out (mostly visually, at first) when he was about 6-months-old, just as the literature suggests. But does "true attachment" start earlier if you're the baby's mom?
20 people like this
19 responses
@celticeagle (159058)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Sep 18
I think it is how much attention you give them. Then they remember you very well. 
1 person likes this
@just4him (306237)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
19 Sep 18
I'm sure my kids knew me from the moment they were born. I know with my youngest, his father wasn't around, and he didn't like being around any other man. I would show him his father's picture. When the Navy finally allowed us to be together, the first time my son saw him and heard his father's voice, he accepted him. No problem. So, I think it's a moment of birth thing.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205767)
• Walnut Creek, California
19 Sep 18
@everwonderwhy Can you elaborate? I'm lost in the terminology.
@everwonderwhy (6697)
•
18 Sep 18
@TheHorse I don't know about the olden days. But my recollection of each of my seven babies through cs basis was phenomenal. 
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215441)
• Chile
19 Sep 18
I am sure that babies feel safe in the arms of their mothers at a very early stage.
@LeaPea2417 (36442)
• Toccoa, Georgia
18 Sep 18
Both my sons as babies preferred me to others at around 6 months, but they recognized me from birth.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36442)
• Toccoa, Georgia
19 Sep 18
@TheHorse My first one especially would cry for me if I would leave him in the nursery at Church, he even cried when we visited my family and my Mom wanted to hold him. My younger one got insecure when he had to spend the night in the hospital due to a sickness and afterwards , about a month later, I took him to Wal Mart to have his picture taken, and he pitched a fit about having the photo taken by himself. When the photo girl took him to the photo platform he cried, she told me, has he been in the hospital recently? When I said yes, she said, "that is why he is scared, he thinks he is getting another shot in his arm", so luckily I had fixed up that day, because the only way he would have his picture taken was if I was in it with him
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
18 Sep 18
I have always heard that when the woman is pregnant the unborn already knows everyone voices and the child is calm to be around those people after the birth. BUT who am I ? I am not in a book.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26202)
• Singapore
19 Sep 18
This makes me share this touching video - siva
a baby keeps crying until he meets an uncle.
@thislittlepennyearns (58140)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
18 Sep 18
I think it depends on how often they see the person.
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (58140)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
19 Sep 18
@TheHorse because when I worked at the daycare I worked with the little ones. And i started watching a two month old, she recognized me.
@Friendlypink (3805)
•
19 Sep 18
at ten months my babbies already know who i am and they want to be always with me even if they will be carries and cared for by my parents or sibbling they are always looking for me.
@debjani1 (7207)
•
25 Sep 18
I think the attachment will start from 3 to 5 months between mom and kid.
@LadyDuck (458137)
• Switzerland
19 Sep 18
Young kids remember the face of the woman that they see every day. Have you seen the video of the 3 years old kid separated at the US borders from his parents? They reunited the family after 7 months, the kid did not recognize her mother, she cried, she did not want to go with her. Some kids of rich families who see their nannies more than their own mothers smile more to the nannies when they are 7 or 8 months old.
@arunima25 (85316)
• Bangalore, India
19 Sep 18
I think it starts very early. My daughters when they cried at young age of 2 months could only be comforted if I took them in my lap. My husband or in laws or my mom could not be much help. They perhaps knew my smell
They were outgoing and friendly babies and never clingy. They were comfortable with others but needed to come and check on me after every 15 minutes in kitchen or my room. Then they would go back to their playing on their own or with others without bothering. But if they could not find me, they used to get upset and cry. This was their routine till they were 2. They did not bother me when they started going to school at 3.
They were outgoing and friendly babies and never clingy. They were comfortable with others but needed to come and check on me after every 15 minutes in kitchen or my room. Then they would go back to their playing on their own or with others without bothering. But if they could not find me, they used to get upset and cry. This was their routine till they were 2. They did not bother me when they started going to school at 3.
