Keeping Your Baby Smiling

By the age of two months, a baby is fully equipped to smile. The facial muscles are flexible and he can respond to those around him with more than a fixed stare. This is why the second month is keenly awaited by parents. By bringing your face up close to that of your baby, looking directly in his eyes and talking, you can illicit that angelic, toothless smile. In fact, the whole body ‘smiles’, with limbs flailing and mouth gurgling and cooing.

One thing you should know is that your baby is smiling not in recognition of you, but in recognition of a human face. Babies naturally smile at faces, whether they are real or drawn. Most of the smiling happens between 2-5 months because after that their smile is dependant of the social surroundings. At that age, it doesn’t matter whether you smile or frown at your baby; it will smile back at you anyway.

With time, babies realize that familiar faces are rewarding. They recognize their loved ones by about 17 to 30 weeks. This is the time when you should show all your love, with the knowing that it will register in your baby. Keep cooing, smiling, making funny faces and singing – it will keep the little fellow smiling. If you stop doing so, he will slowly give up the smile. The immediate environment of the baby influences the smile too.

Studies show that if you acknowledge and encourage the baby’s smile, by nodding or grinning back, he will practise it more. The same result will occur if you discourage crying or fussy behavior with a straight, expressionless face. The infant will not clearly understand that you don’t want him to cry or fuss but he will recognize what behaviors are rewarded by you. This is a very important stage in life and will influence his social behaviour in adult life.

Smiling and crying are two of the most important means of baby communication. They give a clue to the baby’s overall well-being. Don’t try too hard to understand your baby because you may be disappointed. No matter how much you’d like to get through to your own flesh and blood, give him time and space to develop in his own unique way.

Be patient if your baby cries much more than he smiles. Every baby is a different individual and there is no set behavior. Don’t think that an unsmiling baby needs the mother any less than the smiling one and don’t compare with the smile potential of the baby next door. Instead, in those seemingly rare occasions when his eyes light up and his mouth reaches his cheeks, treasure the moment and smile back.