A newborn can recognize their mom’s face in the first weeks of life. Their vision is fuzzy, but babies are thrilled to meet the mothers who care for them. Gazes are often short, but eye contact is important to learning all about you.

Moms are curious about their newborns, too. Moms instinctively use eye contact to discover babies’ hunger and discomfort signals. Grins and grimaces help babies communicate and bond with moms.

Your baby is fascinated by your face. Hold babies 10-20 inches from your face, so baby can see you more clearly. Talking, singing and touching trigger eye contact. Nothing lights up a baby’s life like their mother’s smile.

Some experts warn against “brexting” — the word used to describe phone use while feeding babies. They worry the decreased interaction will affect baby’s connection with mom.

In a perfect world, moms would focus only on their babies while feeding, even after long days and sleepless nights. Real-world parents strive to find the balance between being great moms and connecting with the world. Moms know best how to walk the line between bonding with babies and linking with supportive friends.

Babies love their mom’s voice. They learn to speak by imitating the sounds they hear around them. Breastfeeding is a good time to sing songs and tell stories, even if babies cannot fully understand them. The more a mom talks, the more her baby learns.

To babies, your eyes show it all. Speak the language of love to your babies during breastfeeding and in the busy first months of life.