GUEST COLUMNIST
Jen Fuller, founder of Etta Loves, explains how by understanding babies’ developmental stages, we are able to most appropriately stimulate their vision.
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Above: Jen Fuller, founder, Etta Loves. ost parents are For example, did you know that aware that their babies can detect a strong red and can take questions that we don’t new baby’s vision green from birth, but the colours have the answer to – like our most isn’t very good. appear very muted and unsaturated recent study regarding infant colour Perhaps they know it’s blurry, compared to how we see them as perhaps they believe that they can adults? In addition, babies don’t have preference – and design research that provides new and previously only see in black and white (which 3D vision until around five months unknown answers to how babies’ is in fact a myth) but one thing is old. This is because the muscles see and what they like to look at. for certain - watching your baby that hold their eyes straight and In a nutshell the world around us grow and change in their first year enable a 3D image to be sent and is a truly magical experience. processed by our brains are immature offers a wonderful sensory experience for babies every day. What we do at When it comes to baby vision, at birth – which also explains why Etta Loves is take everything that there is so much going on in babies go cross-eyed on occasion. is known about baby vision and their eyes and brains that is both These facts, and many more like translate it into beautiful patterns interesting and useful to know as them, are what enable us to create placed on things parents and carers a parent. By understanding our our age-appropriate products from need anyway – playmats, muslins, babies’ developmental stages, we birth to 12 months and beyond. are able to most appropriately Because the area of infant vision is pram toys and more – that make your day that bit easier while baby stares stimulate their vision. so vast but also has many unknowns, contently and makes babies even My journey of discovery about I also wanted to see how we could more magical and mesmerising infant vision started the supporting their vision. moment my then four week What we do at Etta Loves is take while Our latest project with old daughter Etta locked everything that is known about Laura and the university eyes onto my monochrome to look at the dizzying jumper during a feed. It baby vision and translate it into was array of baby sensory videos sparked an idea that led me beautiful patterns placed on things on YouTube and work out to set up the first visually how we could make one far sensory baby company, parents and carers need anyway. better for infant vision, and Etta Loves, which takes the far more relaxing for parents too. science of how and what babies see put Etta Loves at the forefront of So, we have created the optimum to make baby essentials do more visual research and, in turn, use sensory animation for little ones, than just their primary purpose. new research to create even better for free, on YouTube. This clever With an idea in my head, and no products and patterns. I investigated animation is rooted in science and former knowledge about the science universities with specialist baby features patterns that research of vision, my first hire for Etta Loves vision divisions and far and away shows us babies love to look at, was our orthoptist Laura (aka an the most highly respected one was movement speed that babies can expert in infant vision). Laura works The Baby Lab at the University track and a connecting soundtrack in NHS hospital clinics, seeing infants of Sussex, which prompted me to to optimise their visual learning that are referred with suspected invest in funding our very own PhD through watching. It’s just one of visual problems, as well as lecturing student to drive the latest learning the many ways we are innovating on orthoptics. Laura was, and still is, into my brand. What’s fascinating to bring you and your little one critical to the business. From our very about working with the university the best possible experience for first patterns, to now - six years on is that not only can we test and their incredible eyes and brains. Laura provides us with the knowledge optimise our current prints, but we for accurate scales, spacing and shape preference that go into our Find Etta Loves sensory magic at www.ettaloves.com design brief. This ensures that Etta Loves sensory video https://www.youtube. every print we produce is perfectly com/watch?v=BNRcQLYYRsg&t=6s optimised to a babies’ visual ability.
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06/01/2023 15:06