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When Do Babies Start to Smile? Essential Milestones and Growth

Atualizado: 12 de ago. de 2024

That smile cross the bassinet is a magical milestone . When your baby catches your eye for the first time, it's not just a fleeting moment but the spark that ignites a lifelong bond and aids development of our baby's brain.


Let's look into this and find out when do babies start to smile


Think of that first shared gaze as the beginning of an important journey for the baby. Science backs this up! Research shows that when our eyes meet, our brain waves actually start to mirror each other. That gaze stimulates your baby in profound ways: their brain is learning about facial expressions and emotions.


How can you nurture this? Keep it simple and just "be" with your baby. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲. Remember, even 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘆𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻-𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮𝘀.


Right from the get-go, newborns search for faces. Within the first 7 hours, those tiny eyes can lock onto you! By 6-10 weeks, those brief flickers turn into intentional stares, your baby is starting to recognize you as their safe haven and there is a hi they show it with a smile. Around 3 months, the chase is on! Your little explorer starts tracking your movements. Peek-a-boo, anyone? These interactive games not only entertain, but also develop their visual tracking skills. Fast forward to 9-11 months, and infants follow your gaze showing they understand the power of vision!


Remember, every baby develops at their own pace. Don't stress if their timeline doesn't exactly match the calendar. But if you have concerns, always reach out to your pediatrician. Those first few months might be blurry, but bright colors and high-contrast patterns lay the foundation for future object recognition. And by 3-4 months, their world explodes with vibrant hues! They'll reach for toys, and freely share their adorable smile.


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