Attention shifts more quickly now
Awareness is widening to people, objects and sounds
By The Millie's Team · Parenting Notes
Around week twenty-four, you may notice your baby moving their attention quickly between faces, toys and sounds. The world feels bigger to them than it did even a few weeks ago.
What is happening
Your baby's brain is processing more information at once. They can take in a face, hear a sound and notice a movement almost together. Their gaze may dart around as they choose what to focus on, which is a sign of growing awareness, not distraction.
Is this normal
Yes. Wider attention is a healthy step at this age. It can sometimes make feeds choppier and play sessions shorter, but it also means your baby is taking in more of the world around them.
What you may notice
- Quickly looking from one person or object to another
- Pausing feeds to look around
- Following a moving object with the eyes
- Reacting to several things in the room at once
What helps right now
- Feeding in calmer spaces when possible
- Keeping play sessions short and varied
- Giving moments of quiet between busy periods
- Letting your baby choose what to look at
What to expect next
Over the next few weeks, attention will keep widening but also start to deepen. Your baby will spend longer studying things that really interest them, and that focused attention is the start of more involved play.