One of the more enjoyable things about sleepless nights with a newborn is being greeted by your baby’s very first gummy grins, which can occur within the first few weeks. But, typically when babies are 2 months old, they begin to flash a different kind of smile. This interaction is deliberate, and all about responding to your presence as your baby learns how to communicate.
Here, learn more about when you can expect to see your baby’s first “real” smiles, what they mean and fun ways to encourage your happy baby to keep grinning.
When do babies start smiling?
Babies initially smile as a reflex, which usually happens while they sleep. Typically, babies start smiling socially, which some think of as “real” smiles, between 6 and 12 weeks of age. Seeing or hearing something they recognise or experiencing a pleasurable sensation may prompt a baby to smile. In turn, smiling at the people around them and receiving the familiar response of a smile back helps babies develop confidence in their ability to affect the world around them.
Understanding physical vs social developmental milestones in infants
Social milestones for babies are those associated with interactions and emotions, including behaviours such as smiling, laughing and mimicking facial expressions. Physical milestones, meanwhile, are behaviours developed when the baby’s body is strong or coordinated enough to achieve them, like sitting up, rolling over or starting to crawl.
Between 6 and 12 weeks, both physical and social milestones occur, and these help us understand why this is the time babies start to smile. This is when babies’ sight begins to sharpen, helping them recognise the faces of people around them. During this period, children are also learning how to respond to positive reinforcement and affectionate gestures from their parents. This helps babies develop positive associations with the act of smiling.
How do I encourage my baby to smile?
Parents and caregivers looking to foster their baby’s emotional and physical development can promote this by spending time and interacting with them. Activities like talking, singing and telling stories can instil a feeling of comfort in a child through a calming, engaged presence. Here are some tips for interacting with infants and ways to encourage smiling:
Smile at your baby
It’s a simple tip, but a useful one. Infants learn by mimicking and tend to begin by replicating common facial expressions they see on the people around them. Smiling at your baby — and smiling back when they learn how to smile, too — helps teach them the value of a smile.
React to what they are interested in
Finding out your baby’s likes and dislikes is all part of getting to know the person they are becoming. This includes things like different types of sounds, touches and facial expressions.
To encourage smiling, observe how your baby responds to stimuli around them. Watch where they tend to look and how they like to move in order to see where their interest naturally lies, then go from there to encourage smiles. For example, if your baby is tuned in to your voice, try playing with different ways of talking or singing to your baby. If they tend to stay focused on your face, try changing your facial expressions.
Put down the phone
Eye contact is the cornerstone of babies’ engagement with their parents and carers. You might be tempted to pick up your phone and record every moment of their development — but make sure you’re taking time to focus fully on interacting with your little one. Connection and communication pave the way for authentic social smiles.
When should I worry about my baby not smiling?
If an infant is not smiling by 12 weeks of age, you should share this concern with a health care professional, as it may indicate issues with sight or hearing.
Within this timeframe, however, it’s important to be aware that the exact timing for seeing your baby’s first smile varies from child to child, and that is perfectly normal. All babies develop in their own ways and can be earlier or later in reaching individual behavioural milestones.
Babies also have different ways of responding to their environment. The kinds of stimuli that might cause one baby to smile in happiness — a light tickle, funny face or silly singing voice — might prompt another baby to wiggle their little body in bliss.
What comes after smiling for babies?
Smiling advances into the development of more fun new social skills. Often, sounds are the next step. Your baby may begin cooing soon after they’ve reached that smiling milestone, while laughing typically begins at around 4 months.
The bottom line on smiling in newborns
A baby’s very first smile tends to be a reflex rather than a conscious behaviour, and occurs within the first few weeks. Between 6 and 12 weeks, babies begin smiling in response to something that makes them happy. These first “real” smiles are an important part of your baby’s social and emotional development. You might be asked if your baby is smiling at early check-ups as professionals check in on your baby’s development.
For both physical and social milestones of babies’ development, there is generally a pattern and an age range when they tend to happen. However, experts agree that the exact timing of your baby’s first smile can vary.
While it’s natural for parents and carers to be preoccupied with their child’s milestones and when they reach them, it’s important to remember that each child is their own person and their development will vary within the typical range.
