Why doesn't a 2-month-old make eye contact?

Eye contact is expected in a 2-month-old, and typically at this age babies begin to briefly track faces, especially their parent's eyes. But every baby develops at their own pace. If there's no eye contact right now, there are several common, non-worrying reasons:

• Vision is still developing: A 2-month-old's vision is still poor; they see best at 20-30 cm distance and prefer high-contrast (black-and-white) faces and movement. Eye contact may last only seconds and be easy to miss.
• Sensory sensitivity: If the baby is overtired, hungry, or the room is too bright or noisy, he may look away to protect himself—this is a way of setting sensory boundaries.
• Temperament and individual difference: Some babies naturally have less intense eye contact; this isn't a problem, just personality.
• Timing: You may have missed a moment when he was in his alert-quiet window.

Something parents can try: Hold your face about 20-25 cm from the baby's face, slowly move side to side, speak in a soft tone. Even a few seconds of locked eyes shows development is on track.

When to see a doctor: If by the end of the 3rd month there's still no eye contact, no smiling, or no tracking—or if eye wandering/crossed eyes continue (mild crossing in the 2nd month is normal)—a pediatrician may recommend a vision or neurological evaluation. In general: if other developmental milestones (responding to sounds, lifting head, calming down) are progressing, delayed eye contact alone isn't cause for alarm.