When do babies smile?
MAKING a baby smile can light up your day.
But when do they tend to start smiling and how can you encourage them?
When do babies smile?
A baby first smile tends to occur when they are around two months old.
They may show a smile before this but after this milestone they start with their social smiles.
Social smiles are when the baby grins on response to something happening, showing their true emotions.
This is showing their development and can be rewarding for a parent to see.
Smiling can be an important means of communication for babies and will add to cues that you will learn and recognise that your baby uses.
Like crying can be an indicator or hunger or discomfort, smiling can mean your baby is content or wants to play.
By about three or four months old, you may find that your baby starts to smile at the sound of your voice due to it being familiar.
They may also start to make conversation with you in the form of coos and babbles.
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Can new born babies smile?
The short answer is yes and no.
New born babies can smile but it tends to be a reflexive response to an internal physical feeling, such as gas or hunger.
This is compared to a social smile which communicates their emotions.
They may also be trying out new facial expressions that they've discovered they can do.
What should I do if my baby doesn't smile?
There is nothing to worry about if your baby doesn't start to smile straight away.
If your baby takes much more than two months to show a smile then try interacting with them especially to make them smile.
Try being 30cm away from their face and talking and smiling at them to see if you get a response.
Also, see how much they tend to engage with their surroundings.
If you start to become concerned about their lack of smiling, book an appointment with their doctor and have a chat about what may be causing it.