According to the idea of ​​nature, from the moment of birth, the baby communicates with the world only through crying. Sometimes this leads to despair of young parents. But everything has its time, and the baby needs to grow up to demonstrate positive emotions.

All the difficulties of the postpartum period and the mother's fatigue lose their significance when the baby smiles at her. Therefore, all parents are interested in the question “What time does the baby begin to smile?”

At what age do children start smiling

The expression of positive emotions is an indicator of the normal development of the crumbs. It often happens that a newborn smiles very soon after birth. He does this both in a dream and in moments of wakefulness, but such a first smile of a newborn is physiological, unconscious and is not associated with joyful emotions. It appears because the baby is comfortable. Often it can be observed on the face of the crumbs when he bathes or immediately after feeding.

At what age a child smiles consciously depends on the subtleties of his individual development. Only when the baby begins to hold his gaze and highlight his mother's face among other objects, then the smile on his face will become a sign of joy.

In most cases, the first smile in a child appears at the age of 7-8 weeks. Usually it is a smile in response to the appearance of the mother. The baby begins to smile at the speech of an adult, briskly waving his arms and legs, focuses his eyes on a loved one for a long time. This means that the baby already distinguishes his native face among others, he began to definitely recognize his mother. In the second month of life, babies begin to smile and coo, communicating with the outside world.

It is well known that the more active and longer the parents communicate with the baby, the faster the baby will learn to demonstrate joyful emotions. It has been noted that even babies who do not have the opportunity to see or hear break into a smile, feeling gentle touches or hearing the gentle voice of their parents. And kids, who are given little time, noticeably lag behind in mental development.

Sometimes it happens that a newborn, even among affectionate and sociable parents, smiles little or does not show joyful emotions at all. There is no need to panic, as all children develop at their own pace and their character is different. If by 2 months the child does not please his mother with his smile, you can teach him to smile.

To provoke a reciprocal smile in the crumbs, you need to choose the time when the child is balanced and content. You need to take the baby in your arms, gently stroke, smiling affectionately, talk to him. Almost certainly, the baby will want to be like a native person, he will repeat his mother's (father's) facial expressions and blossom in a reciprocal smile. So that the baby does not stop smiling, you need to continuously give him your joy. Demonstration of maternal joy makes the child understand that the world safe and kind.

When the baby has mastered the smile, he begins to greet the most beloved and close ones in this way - mom and dad, and later everyone else. By 4-5 months, the baby begins to smile and laugh. It happens that the baby, hearing his laughter, is first scared. Then he realizes that he himself generates these sounds and begins to "train". At the same time, it seems to an outside observer that the baby is laughing for no reason.

How is the psychological development of the baby going on?

Over time, the baby learns to maintain eye contact with other people, to respond to unusual sounds and gentle strokes, that is, external factors cause the child’s smile. Therefore, it is necessary to talk with the baby often, turn on classical music, you can hang the mobile with sound and colorful toys.

Gradually, the baby begins not only to smile at people, but also to “walk” in response to affectionate speech. If an adult actively shows his emotions from communicating with a baby, the baby will increase the cooing.

The child can actively move the handles, start smiling and cooing even before the adult starts talking to him. In this case, the revival of the baby is a call for communication.

It is worth showing a little patience, and your beloved child will shine for his mother with his trusting smile and delight him with a burst of laughter.

The smile of a baby is the happiness of every loving parent. When a child begins to smile, the difficulties that were before are instantly forgotten. Constant lack of sleep, fatigue and other hardships of parental life fade into the background. Is your baby smiling at you? If the answer is yes, the article will help you figure out how meaningful this smile is. If not, you will learn why this is so and when to start worrying.

What do the very first smiles of newborns mean?

The first smile of a child is the result of a reflex. It has nothing to do with positive emotions. This is a small facial spasm, the nature of which scientists have not yet figured out.

Previously, it was believed that the reason was that the baby had gas, but this is not so. The baby smiles when it is comfortable for him. This smile does not play any social role. It appears during feeding or sleep.

At what age does a baby begin to smile and laugh consciously?

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This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

Conscious emotion is a matter of time and painstaking work of the body. Daily expressing our emotions in this way, we do not think about how many dozens of muscles are included in the work and brain impulses are made before the mouth stretches into a sincere smile. Such complex operations become within the power of the baby from 4 weeks after birth. Due to individual characteristics, this period can stretch up to 8 weeks, this is a variant of the norm.

Do not worry if the newborn is in no hurry to please his parents with a smile or rarely does it. Remember, among adults there are also people with different characters and temperaments. Perhaps your baby is growing up as a serious person and is not going to smile over trifles. Pay attention to your emotional background and to your spouse. An infant's sullenness may be a reflection of the example you set every day.

At the same time, the absence of a smile for more than 8 weeks indicates a violation of the mental and physical health of the child. It is associated not only with emotions, but also with the beginning of the development of speech. So that the baby does not remain gloomy, give him a lot of attention. Show bright pictures, tell stories, always be around. Non-verbal contact is important - the use of gestures and facial expressions.

The appearance of laughter is stimulated by a variety of toys - give preference to bright and noisy ones. Use colorful cards, saying what is shown on them. Starting from six months, teach your baby the sounds that animals make. He memorizes syllables well, and this contributes to development, including emotional. To make the baby laugh and smile, do it yourself.

What signs can be used to understand that a child is consciously smiling and laughing?

Defining a conscious smile is easy. This is not only a change in facial expression, but also additional emotions. Children begin to hoot affably, make sounds like laughter, joyfully dangle their limbs. The sign of the most positive emotions is when the child starts to laugh. To establish contact with those present, the baby looks into the eyes. In a comfortable environment, this means that laughter is fully conscious.

The role of the witness of the first manifestation of emotions goes to the mother. No wonder, because it is she who is the guarantor of comfort. Clinging to the mother, the newborn feels safe. Next to her, he stays the longest, recognizes her touch and voice. During the first 6 months, the baby will show miracles of sociability: smile, laugh, calmly lie in the arms of strangers. Over time, this passes, and until a conscious age, he trusts only his parents.

How to behave so that the baby smiles?

Pediatric scientists and child psychologists have tried to figure out the causes of children's smiles. They came to the conclusion that some actions of others can be an additional incentive to positive emotions. A specialist in communicative exchange between children and adults M.I. Lisina identified a number of actions that can make a child smile:

• The first action, paradoxical as it may seem, is the absence of any action. Children love to attract attention, so a sullen adult instantly becomes a "target". The baby actively "communicates" - smiles, laughs, gurgles. When a child begins to laugh out loud, it is possible that he is simply doing his best to make the sullen adult laugh back.
• The smile of an adult causes a mirror response. This is especially true for parents and other “own” adults. The kid already roughly understands who he needs to follow an example from, and is actively engaged in this. If the parents are constantly in his field of vision, talking calmly and smiling, the child also begins to actively show positive emotions.
• Conversations. Of course, the baby is still too small to understand the meaning of speech, but it reacts very well to intonation. It can even actively "respond" through grunting, humming and other sounds.
• Establish tactile contact. Touching and stroking soothes, allows you to feel comfortable and, of course, causes a smile.
• Use all suggested methods. Any task must be approached comprehensively. In order for the child to be comfortable, both tactile and verbal communications are important.

A smile in a baby, like in an adult, is a means of expressing positive emotions. A mother usually feels her child, and therefore making him smile is not a problem. One has only to listen to the sensations in order to understand what will bring the greatest pleasure. Perhaps the child lacks songs or laughter, or maybe he wants a light massage or swaying.

Smiling is the child's first conscious means of communication. So he finds out by what laws communication between people is built. Parents should talk more often and in every possible way attract the attention of the child. The better communication is built, the more sociable the baby will be in adulthood.

The ability to smile is more than a physiological response. This is a small brick with the help of which further communication with people will be built.

Reasons for concern and medical attention

The absence of a smile in itself is not a reason to sound the alarm. Functional disorders are accompanied by several additional symptoms. You should consult a doctor if, in addition to a smile, there are the following symptoms:

• the baby is not able to hold his head, even when he had to learn this according to all existing standards;
• he is closed and does not make contact with anyone, including his parents;
• have difficulty focusing on one subject for a long time;
• at an older age, there is a tendency to tantrums, boycotts.

Do not rush to once again drive the child to the doctors. Perhaps your baby is special, he is thoughtful and does not want to smile in vain. If all other medical indicators are normal, most likely the problem is in the child's temperament. There is a time for everything, so do not try to cure something that does not require treatment. Much more effective is to let the baby know that he is safe and everyone loves him. Just give your child care and attention, and you will see that soon he will answer you with a smile.

Young mothers and fathers are often surprised that their baby is "invited" to an appointment with a neurologist. Like, the baby is healthy. However, this visit is important. Only a doctor can assess the state of the nervous system of a newborn, the specifics of his reactions to the outside world and see if there are developmental abnormalities.

Already smile?

Well, the first state institution for a new person - the maternity hospital - is behind. The child was brought home and they are bending over him in anticipation of a smile. Indeed, a few days after birth, the baby can move his lips a little. But infant smiles not because he saw or heard something funny. He's just warm, calm, comfortable. The same facial expressions can be seen during the baby's sleep, immediately after eating or when bathing.

But if he feels bad (wet, hungry), then crying is immediately heard. Mom eliminated the discomfort - and the corners of the mouth are stretched by themselves. Such a reaction is purely physiological: normal conditions cause this facial expression. With his contented appearance, the baby “reports” that he is well. This is the first step in turning a baby into a reasonable person.

You ask: "When does a child begin to smile consciously?" For this to happen, some time must pass. For any reaction is preceded by a difficult work of the brain. The baby must learn to recognize the emotions of mom or dad. Then comes the transmission of nerve impulses to a specific part of the brain. And then there is a smile. This miracle usually happens between four and eight weeks from the day your baby is born.

Everyone grows in their own way

Moms shouldn't panic if their baby "hasn't smiled yet." All children are different. And the development of the child is strictly individual. Everyone has a “plan” given to him from above for physical growth and the formation of mental abilities.

As a rule, by the middle of the first month of life, children begin, so to speak, quite “reasonably” to look around, turn their heads. They stop their eyes for longer and longer on those subjects that interested them. The first on this list, of course, are the faces of mom and dad, grandmother or nanny who cares for a newborn. And after 30-45 days from the date of the appearance of a new tenant in your apartment, you catch signs of joy on his face. This will be the answer to the question: “At what age does a child smile?”

True, not in all cases, but only when his mother sings to him, claps her hands, and speaks affectionately to him. It is at this time that the baby stretches his mouth quite justifiably. He also turns his head towards some source of sound, and if it is pleasant, he smiles.

It's good to sit on your hands

But now the second month of life is coming to an end. The movements of the baby are more and more diverse. He raises his arms, swings them, stretches. Shows interest in bright toys, looks at them for a long time, touches them.

A little more - and a boy or girl sitting in her mother's arms will begin to constantly look around. Where exactly? On those motionless objects that are far from them. This is due to the structural features of the visual apparatus. Then they will peer at close objects. And watching a running toy, they express clearly positive emotions. These are the circumstances when a child begins to smile consciously. At the same time, he tries to move, to babble something.

After what developmental stages does the moment come when children begin to smile? The baby does not maintain eye contact with adults for long. He became partial to bright rattles, reacts to different sounds and strokes of adults. All this makes him smile - as a sign of pleasure. And although the baby is still, of course, not able to listen to anything carefully, it is still useful at this time not only to talk to him, but also to turn on music (the same calm classics). Therefore, parents should hang a mobile with multi-colored shifters and a pleasant, quiet melody above the stroller or crib. This is not a tribute to fashion. Such things contribute to the fact that the development of the child will go right.

Through a smile we develop

It is impossible for a child under the age of one to explain to adults what he needs. We say this incessantly, bringing to the attention of the interlocutor our displeasure or joy. And babies have one way of communication - crying. As a signal for help. Causes: something hurts, cold, wants to eat or sleep, lies wet, does not want to be alone in the room. But even in cases where children begin to smile, this is also their “conversation” with us. All the components of the "animation complex" (waving arms and legs, smiling, babbling) are also forms of their communication, communication.

If until the end of the 1st month the smile is only reflex, then the general one will appear after the fourth week of his life. It is accompanied by the sparkle of children's eyes. So the baby reacts to the appearance of adults next to him. And, finally, on the 2nd month, a specific smile is visible. The child completely distinguishes the faces of mom and dad and instantly “responds” to them, respectively.

Come to me!

The peanut lies quietly in his stroller or crib. And then suddenly he starts smiling for no apparent reason. Mothers usually ignore this. Well, don't cry! Why rush to him? Meanwhile, the moment when children begin to smile is very important. It means one thing: a son or daughter wants to attract the positive attention of adults, their love and care. And having received feedback”, Having achieved the desired, the baby begins to smile - more often and for a longer time.

Here is such a mimic movement - the main sign that the end of the "newborn" stage is coming, and the transition to the next segment begins - infancy. So for babies, a smile is almost the only means of social communication until the moment when they begin to talk a little.

It is generally accepted that the complex of necessary components, when children begin to smile, is formed from the 3rd week of a baby's life. And the greatest development is noted in 3-4 months. After that, the behavior of the newborn (you yourself will notice) changes to a more complex one. But if by 30-32 days of life the baby has not begun to blur in a smile, you should not panic. This does not mean that his growing up is going at random. All babies are completely different. Rarely does anyone grow according to the "official" schedule. And in infants, any manifestation of positive emotions indicates a normally progressive mental development.

Be more affectionate

True, there is one circumstance. Scientists have noticed that the lack of both emotional and bodily contact of the mother with the child is bad for him. Then the components of the “complex of revival” in the infant are less pronounced, and some, for example, joyful cooing, are not at all. You need to help your son or daughter. How? Very simple.

Take your baby more often in your arms, stroke, kiss, speak gently, sing songs. And most importantly, smile yourself. It's really a blessing to have such a wonderful baby!

The smile of a newborn during sleep is undoubtedly a sweet sight. Our ancestors believed that at this moment they dream of angels. AT modern world why babies smile in their sleep is speculated by the best minds in the medical community.

Most of them are inclined to believe that such a child's behavior can tell a lot about his well-being and psycho-emotional state.

Features of a child's sleep

Birth and acquaintance with unknown conditions is a very tiring task for any baby. This explains such a large duration of sleep in babies in the first months of life, compared with adults.

And in general, babies sleep in a completely different way than their parents. The phase of deep sleep in a child occurs in about half an hour. It does not last long, and after a while it is replaced by the stage of superficial sleep. Its duration is much longer, from which we can conclude that newborns do not sleep soundly most of the time. For this reason, their sleep can be considered very sensitive, and the babies themselves are extremely susceptible to external stimuli.

Often, during the superficial phase, young children show various emotions: they can cry, grunt, or, on the contrary, smile and even laugh.

Paying close attention to the behavior of the child in a dream, one can judge his physical and psychological state. For example, by crying, a baby is able to show that he is worried about intestinal colic, and constipation is often detected in a groaning child. In turn, a smile, according to most researchers, indicates a favorable emotional background and the absence of any disturbances in the work of the child's body.

Thus, for the most part, the shallow sleep of newborns, replete with various manifestations, has a protective function. It is thanks to such external signs that it is possible at an early stage to suspect the presence of any physiological or psycho-emotional problems in a child and, accordingly, to eliminate them.

Explanation of doctors about the smile of babies in a dream

Admiring how small children sleep, parents can forever. However, when they see that the baby smiles in a dream, moms and dads begin to think about the reasons for this phenomenon. For many, this is surprising, since it is widely believed that babies cannot dream of anything yet and, accordingly, evoke positive emotions too.

In fact, a real dream is capable of making a newborn smile, but not only.

dreams

Scientists have long proven that children dream. Naturally, the main character for a child in his dreams is his mother. When a newborn smiles in a dream, it can be assumed that he sees his mother's face, hears her voice, her heartbeat, feels the warmth of her chest, or even smells her native smell. It is this object that evokes the most joyful emotions in the baby and is associated with food, coziness and comfort.

Over time, the baby's dreams will become more diverse due to the fact that every day he will learn more and more about the world around him. Thus, the number of dream objects will gradually increase. All this will no doubt be reflected on his face when he sleeps.

In the scientific community, there is also an opinion that the baby during sleep gets access to the information contained in the genes. Researchers suggest that in their dreams, babies are able to reproduce images from the life of their ancestors. Such gene memory actively stimulates the development of feelings and thinking.

Other reasons

The reason that children smile in their sleep may be quite natural physiological processes. So, pediatricians believe that a baby's smile means only a grimace. The muscles of the face of a newborn can spontaneously tighten and relax, which causes a kind of smile.

In addition, every day is rich for the newborn with new experiences and discoveries. These circumstances affect the mental state of the baby, increasing its excitability and activity. Such an emotional background, no doubt, will be reflected in the behavior of a sleeping child and his facial expressions. In order to reduce the likelihood of such manifestations, it is recommended to somewhat limit the amount of entertainment and new experiences in the life of a new person.

The fact that the baby laughs in a dream may indicate that there has been a change in sleep phases - from slow to fast. In addition to laughter, other manifestations can be observed: mumbling, grunting, erratic movements of the limbs, etc.

Optimal conditions for a healthy sleep of a child

In order to provide your beloved child with the most comfortable and healthy sleep and see only a smile on his face, it is important to create the necessary conditions for this:

• Try to make the most of the night time for relaxation. The orientation of small children in time is still undeveloped, therefore, to form a regimen, you do not need to be afraid to wake the baby during the day, and at night let him sleep enough.
• Create a favorable atmosphere for immersion in dreams. To do this, avoid any kind of activity before bedtime, give preference to the most calm activities.
• Put your baby to bed at about the same time every day so that his biological clock eventually begins to tell him when it's time to sleep.
• Do not forget about the temperature conditions in the children's room - the air should not be colder than 20 and warmer than 23 degrees. Also pay attention to the level of humidity in the room, it should not fall below 55%. This will help regular wet cleaning and the use of a humidifier.

The smile of a baby, without a doubt, causes tenderness in others. However, when emotions cease to seem so harmless and become too pronounced, parents begin to worry. And there are indeed reasons for concern.

anxiety symptoms

Sometimes in overly impressionable children, a slight smile develops into real laughter. Such excessive emotionality may indicate any disorders, primarily neurological.

It often happens that the psycho-emotional background of a newborn in a dream changes dramatically: at first he suddenly starts crying, and then laughing. At the same time, it is almost impossible to calm the baby, the baby does not react to anything. After a while, such manifestations disappear as quickly as they arose.

However, even if your child is behaving this way, you should not immediately rush to look for potential symptoms.

The fact that the baby begins to laugh or even laugh in a dream, but at the same time feels good, sleeps, eats and is not characterized by low activity, suggests that this is just his peculiarity and there is no reason to worry. In any case, to determine the exact cause, you should consult a doctor and undergo the necessary examinations.

Expert opinion

Among physicians, there is still no single point of view regarding the laughter of sleeping children. Below are the opinions of perhaps the two most popular Russian doctors on this matter - Evgeny Komarovsky and Elena Malysheva.

The famous doctor Komarovsky does not see anything terrible in the smile of a baby during sleep. Such facial expressions confirm that in their dreams the child remembers something that causes him positive emotions.

However, the smile that develops into laughter, according to the expert, is the result of non-compliance with the proper regimen in the child's life during the day and, in particular, before bedtime. The reason for such a reaction may be the so-called childhood stress caused by a variety of circumstances: going to visit, a sudden change of scenery, meeting new people, etc. Excessive emotionality in a baby during sleep can be caused by elementary watching TV in the evening.

Thus, any activity should be dosed and, if necessary, replaced by more relaxed activities.

TV presenter Malysheva

According to Elena Malysheva, laughter in a dream can be a form of an epileptoid seizure. In his telecast, the doctor says that such manifestations are typical for children with a benign brain tumor, called in the medical community a hypothalamic hamartoma. Laughter is often accompanied by muscle twitching and eye rolling. Another sign of this disease is the depressive state of the child during wakefulness, low activity, lack of interest in anything.

To exclude or, conversely, confirm the presented diagnosis, it is enough to undergo an MRI of the brain. As treatment measures, treatment with hormonal drugs or surgery is used.

Sleeping newborns may smile for a variety of reasons. Pleasant dreams or ordinary contractions of the facial muscles can cause laughter in infants. At the same time, excessive excitement or more serious health problems can provoke such a reaction. In such a situation, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will help eliminate problems, if any, or reassure parents and give the necessary recommendations.

After giving birth, many young mothers face constant lack of sleep and chronic fatigue, but all the hardships fade when the baby begins to smile at her.

Baby's first smile

The appearance of the first smile in a baby can be observed within a couple of days after birth, but during this period of life it has a reflex nature and is unconscious. She has no social background and can say that nothing bothers the baby and he is doing well. In most cases, a smile appears in a dream, while bathing or after feeding.

It takes some time for a conscious smile to appear, since such a reaction is possible only if several dozen facial muscles are simultaneously involved. This requires a certain amount of brain activity. It should ensure the inclusion of emotions, the transmission of nerve impulses to a specific area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe hemisphere and the relaxation of the muscle fibers of the face. The baby begins to smile consciously at the age of 4-8 weeks.

What can make you smile

The appearance of a smile on the face of the baby can be observed at the end of the first and during the second month. This reaction of the infant in most cases is associated with the following circumstances:

• A pleasant and exciting action unfolds in front of him, for example, a loved one begins to clap his hands, sings a song or hums.
• The child reacts to the facial expressions of an adult, often the reaction is caused by pictures with an image showing large, pronounced eyes or other parts of the face.

The baby eventually acquires the skills to maintain eye contact with adults. He learns to respond to unusual sounds and touches, so the reaction in the form of a smile is increasingly becoming a response to the action of external factors. The kid cannot listen attentively, but affectionate conversations, the inclusion of calm music, and the installation of funny musical toys above the bed positively influence him.

Simultaneously with the appearance of a smile, the baby begins to actively swing his legs and arms, tries to “walk” when his mother or adult addresses him. Such manifestations are usually called a revival complex, in which the infant acquires the ability to fix pleasant events for him in the form of an image or sound, and in response to this, he shows a reaction. This can be expressed in different ways:

• Smile;
• joyful cries;
• Physical activity;
• Rapid breathing.

The completeness and strength of the child's reaction depends on the degree of emotionality of the adult, the more it is expressed, the stronger the child reacts. The revitalization effect often occurs before communication begins, so the child may begin to smile, make sounds and actively move even before the adult speaks to him. Such a reaction is a kind of call for the crumbs to start communicating, eventually pushing him to learn a different way of finding contacts with adults.

It is generally accepted that the revitalization complex is formed at 3 weeks of a baby's life, and the maximum development is observed by 3-4 months, and then the baby's behavior becomes unpredictable and more complex. Moreover, if a child does not smile by the age of 2 months, then this is not direct evidence of abnormal development, because children rarely grow up “according to the rules”. However, many scientists note that the lack of attention and physical contact negatively affects the development of the baby. In this case, some of the components of the recovery complex may be expressed weaker, and in some cases completely absent. Often, children with a lack of emotional contact do not know how to respond with joyful cooing.

People close to him can help the child discover a new way of contact with the world of adults in the form of a smile. To do this, just follow these simple steps every day:

• Take the child in your arms;
• Perform gentle strokes;
• Gently talk to the baby;
• Use poems, stories for communication;
• Turn on music more often;
• Smile and show emotion.

Such seemingly simple actions can quickly give results. In response to the efforts of a loving mother, the baby will one day open his eyes and send her a radiant smile, full of trust and genuine joy.

When does a baby start smiling? (video)