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Original poster

Okay for new born to see himself in a mirror ?

52 replies

lozrobin · 01/05/2011 20:36

Apologies on putting two posts up in quick succession but seems great forum - have a 4 week old boy Robin and he has been given a few toys with mirrors on them, I remember hearing something ages ago that a baby shouldn't see themselves in a refelection until they are a certain age - is there anything in that or am I just not remembering something correctly ? If so what age is it ?

Many thanks,

Lawrence

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Wallace · 02/05/2011 20:46

NoTeaForMe - I think it is about 18 months that they realise the baby in the mirror is themselves. :)

LaToada · 02/05/2011 21:10

love this thread! I remember DH forever putting spots on DS1's face when he was a toddler then sticking him in front of the mirror to see if he would try to rub the spot off himself or the "other" baby in the mirror (this is a proper scientific self recognition test thingummy - can't remember the name for it). I

Yes yes elephants can do this too, they have self awareness and try to rub the spot off their real selves with their trunks. Elephants- better than babies any day

Hardandsleazy · 02/05/2011 21:13

this reminds me of the bloke in ante natal classes who asked when the baby would be able to open his eyes.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

0-3 months old Babies & sleep Families General parenting

SlightlyScrambled · 03/05/2011 08:25

Oh I think I'll have to do the spot on face science thingy today. Dd is 15 months now. She has stopped trying to lick the mirror for a while now so think she might be realising it's a relection.

Lynnette, there's a flaw in your theory: full lenght mirrors

seeker · 03/05/2011 08:31

the spot on the forehead thing is really intersting, though - if you have a baby, give it a try.
When dd was little we used to go to my mum's once a week, ans she had a full length mirror dd loved . So we used to put a little sticker on her forehead and wathc her. For ages she ignored it, then she used to reach forward and touch the spot on the baby in the mirror. Then, suddenly one week she touched the spot on her own forehead. Can't remember when - but obviously it was MILES before th books said she shout be able to .

Actually, I think it's supposed to be about 14 months?

Wallace · 03/05/2011 21:38

We should get mumsnet to do a mass test

Okonomiyaki · 03/05/2011 22:14

This thread is the best thing I've read all day, as good as the "odd things your parents believe" - apparently you mustn't make a baby look at you upside down or their eyes will roll right back into their heads :o

annawintour · 03/05/2011 22:24

I had a full length mirror which I hid away just before my baby was born... I thought I did it because I didn't want to remind myself that my pregnancy weight was not dropping and so I could scoff more cakes, but now I realise that it was my subconscious speaking and I was ensuring I did not give my little one a bad case of bad luck

Sidge · 03/05/2011 22:37

I thought you shouldn't put your child in front of the TV when it's got static/white noise?

Oh no hang on, that was just in case they contacted malevolent spirits from another world.

You're OK with mirrors.

ChateauRouge · 03/05/2011 22:40

I have heard something about this (not old wives tales type thing)- I think it is something to do with their self-awareness, and by them recognising themselves too early a part of learning in their brain shuts down. (cannot remember it properly I'm afraid)

pookamoo · 03/05/2011 22:45

I hope the poor OP has not been scared off by the rest of the thread!
He/she must have heard the same thing as Chateau or I had.

Babies love mirrors, and I am certain they will be fine playing with them.

whomovedmychocolate · 03/05/2011 22:49

Well I suspect both mine caught sight of themselves in the big theatre lights when they were unceremoniously evicted from me during caesarians so that's them buggered then

MrsHuwEdwards · 03/05/2011 23:17

When I was in hospital having just given birth, the midwife sent me for a shower with the warning "whatever you do, don't look down there with a mirror..." Hmmm.. does that help..? Didn't mention anything about the baby looking..

Clary · 03/05/2011 23:22

Anyone else thinking of Peepo "and a mother with a baby, just like him"?

We used to show DS1 the baby that looked so much like him - so sweet.

Loving MI's vampire theory

Congrats on yr new arrival OP!

annapolly · 03/05/2011 23:35

My HV put a mirror in front of my DS and put a biscuit over his head when he was about 7 months old.

Apparently the fact he reached for the biscuits means he is a genius.

It didn't do him any harm.

Okonomiyaki · 04/05/2011 08:38

Clary, what are the words to the "mother with a baby" game?

Jux · 04/05/2011 09:35

Don't worry about it, it's fine.

I remember my cousins's baby seeing himself in a mirror (OK he was about 6m old by then). The mirror was leaning against a wall resting on the floor; he approached in his walker thing and became instantly fascinated. He rubbed his head on it, poked it with his fingers and eventually spent about half an hour just kissing his reflection. It was hilarious and lovely.

ChateauRouge · 04/05/2011 10:21

Okonomiyaki- it's not a game... it's the book 'Peepo!' By Janet and Allan Ahlberg.

This verse is:
"Here's a little baby, 1, 2, 3
On his way to bed,
What does he see?
Peepo!

He sees the landing mirror with its rainbow rim
And a mummy with a baby just like him.
He sees the bedroom door and the cot made ready,
His Daddy kissing 'Goodnight', his ball and his teddy."

his father is dressed in military uniform, and going off.
some mners think back to war (it's set in 2nd WW btw) but I personally think he's an airraid warden off to night shift.

It's a lovely, charming book, great for little children who relate to it easily (it's about a day in the baby's life) but also for adults-the illustrations are gorgeous, and the story is autobiographical, and about A Hlberg's adopted family.

Wallace · 04/05/2011 12:33

I think oyu are right Chateau about Air Raid Warden

Cosmosis · 04/05/2011 13:08

I can clearly remember my cat working out that the cat in the mirror was him and not another cat that he went looking for behind the wardrobe door (mirrored doors).

I must try the spot test with DS (8m) who loves grinning at the baby and the mummy in the mirror.

I think the cat was about 6m. I wonder if that means the cat is more intelligent than DS

SoupDragon · 04/05/2011 13:09

Good lord no! don't do it! The mirror will steal his soul and swap it for a goblin one.

SoupDragon · 04/05/2011 13:10

But please, make a note of this in a baby book of some kind so you can look back in 5 years and giggle :)

TwoIfBySea · 04/05/2011 13:13

My dts used to love lying side by side, right from birth, watching each other. Probably same as if they'd been looking in a mirror as I don't know what awareness multiples have of not being on their own (plenty of kicking and punching each other in situ!)

I always thought they looked at each other with such fascination.

ChateauRouge · 04/05/2011 13:51

Soupy! tut tut- it's not mirrors that steal souls... it's cameras!

Jux · 04/05/2011 17:30

Some mirrors are secret replicators, so you need to be careful how often you look into them, unless you're after an army of clones. (They only come out at night though, and in my case, do all the cleaning.)

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