Seeing your new baby’s first gummy smile is such a joyous moment and one that all parents look forward to. When should you expect to see your baby’s first smile and is it possible to encourage your baby to start smiling sooner? Read on to find out more about this cute topic.
When Will My Baby Smile for the First Time?
This is a tricky question to answer because you might see what looks like a smile from your baby in the first couple of weeks after birth, however you’ll be advised that this is more than likely just gas and that your baby is unlikely to smile for real in those first few weeks.
Instead, you’ll probably have to wait until your baby is around 1 month old and beyond before you see them really smile for the first time. You’ll probably notice lots of little practice smiles before you see full-on grinning and delight from your baby.
Encouraging Your Baby to Smile
Unfortunately there’s no clever trick you can employ to trick your baby into smiling earlier than they otherwise would. But you certainly can try some of the things that tend to make babies smile such as interacting with them a lot, making sure they’re comfortable and happy and playing funny games with them. The more socializing you do with your baby, the better it is for them and the sooner they’ll smile.
Is a Lack of Smiling Something to be Concerned About?
If your baby doesn’t smile much even after the one month mark, is this something that you should be concerned about? In most cases, the answer to that question is no. Many babies simply smile a bit later than others and it takes different things to make them smile.
In some cases, a lack of smiling can be a sign of autism, but this is always accompanied by other symptoms too. So if the lack of smiling is the only issue you’ve noticed, there’s more than likely nothing to be concerned about.
Next Comes Baby’s First Laugh
The next thing to look forward to after you see your baby’s first smile, is their first laugh. This usually happens shortly after they begin to smile, so it’s a good idea to start practicing those tickles and getting to the things that make your baby happy.
These milestones come thick and fast, so it’s important to enjoy and appreciate them because in no time at all, you’ll be moving onto the next special moment.
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