Bullish Abandoned baby: how to catch a reversal at the bottom of a downtrend
The bullish Abandoned baby is a three-candle reversal pattern that appears after a downtrend. A strong bearish candle is followed by a Doji that gaps below it, and then by a bullish candle that gaps above the Doji. The isolated Doji in the middle, "abandoned" by gaps on both sides, shows that selling momentum has stalled and buyers have taken over.
What does a bullish Abandoned baby look like?
The pattern forms over three consecutive candles:
- First candle: A long bearish (black or red) candle that continues the existing downtrend.
- Second candle: A Doji whose entire range, including its shadows, gaps below the low of the first candle.
- Third candle: A bullish (white or green) candle whose entire range gaps above the high of the Doji.
Because the shadows of the Doji do not overlap with the candles on either side, the Doji sits alone on the chart. This full gap is what separates the Abandoned baby from the more common Morning Doji star, where the shadows can overlap.
What does the pattern tell you?
The first candle shows that sellers are still in control. The gap down and the Doji that follows show indecision: prices opened lower, but neither side could push them further, and the session closed near where it opened. When the third candle opens above the Doji and closes higher, it shows that buyers have stepped in with enough force to leave the Doji stranded.
Taken together, the three candles describe a shift from pessimism to hesitation to buying pressure. Many traders read this as a sign that the downtrend may be ending.
How reliable is the bullish Abandoned baby?
The Abandoned baby is considered one of the stronger reversal signals among candlestick patterns, but it is also rare. Full gaps on both sides of the Doji are uncommon in markets that trade around the clock, such as crypto and forex, where one session's close is usually the next session's open. The pattern appears more often in stocks and futures, where overnight gaps are common.
Traders usually look for extra evidence before acting on the signal:
- Prior trend: The pattern only has meaning after a clear downtrend.
- Volume: Higher volume on the third candle suggests stronger buying.
- Confirmation: A further rise on the next candle, or a close above the first candle's midpoint, adds weight to the reversal.
- Context: A pattern that forms near a support level or in oversold conditions, for example on the RSI, carries more weight.
What are the limitations of the pattern?
Like any candlestick pattern, the bullish Abandoned baby describes what has happened, not what will happen. The downtrend can resume after the pattern completes, especially in a weak market. Because the pattern is rare, there is also a risk of reading too much into a near-match, such as a Doji with a small overlap that does not meet the definition. Traders often combine it with stop-loss levels, for example below the low of the Doji, to limit losses if the reversal fails.
How to find the bullish Abandoned baby on TradingView
TradingView can detect this pattern for you on any chart:
- Built-in indicator: Open Indicators and search for Abandoned baby (bullish). The indicator marks each occurrence on the chart.
- All candlestick patterns at once: Add the All candlestick patterns indicator to see every supported pattern on one chart and choose which ones to display in its settings.
- Trend filter: In the indicator settings, choose how the prior trend is detected (based on SMA 50, or SMA 50 and SMA 200), or turn trend detection off.
- Alerts: Create an alert on the indicator to get notified when a new pattern forms.
Understanding the bullish Abandoned baby
The bullish Abandoned baby is a three-candle pattern made up of a long bearish candle, a Doji that gaps below it, and a bullish candle that gaps above the Doji. It signals a possible reversal from a downtrend to an uptrend. The pattern is rare and considered relatively strong, but traders still confirm it with volume, the next candles, and other indicators before acting on it.