What does a baby’s smile mean to us?

Most of the gestures or sounds that a newborn makes are generally cute to us in and of themselves.. But there is one that stands out especially in this dimension of tenderness: the smile of a baby. The sensations produced by seeing such a small being burst into laughter have the power to awaken our most sentimental side, as well as a powerful contagious effect.

But what does a baby want to tell us when he smiles? Curiously, Depending on your age and the situation in which it occurs, you may be trying to convey one thing or another to us.. It is something similar to what happens with crying. They use it as a means, for lack of words, to communicate their intentions and needs.

Sometimes he cries to ask for food. Others because it has gases. Or because he wants his diaper changed, due to fever, sleepiness… Therefore, just as it is convenient to know the cause of crying, it is good to know what a baby’s smile means.

The first weeks is innate

According to numerous studies, During the first weeks of life, the smile is a reflex action. It arises innately, involuntarily and automatically, because it is something that people are genetically predetermined to do. The muscle responsible for outlining this gesture is the risorium, which is only present in human beings.

This means that The little boy smiles without anything that necessarily makes him laugh. It is enough for him to hear a pleasant sound, notice a small tickle or see his mother’s face. In many cases, a loving look alone is enough to make you crack a smile.

But as the child matures, it becomes a response to a specific stimulus. That is to say, It happens to have a very specific trigger and emerges as a way to express infinite emotional nuances.. Let’s see what causes a baby’s smile as the months go by.

At two months, a baby’s smile expresses well-being

Two or three months after birth, the smile begins to be an expression of well-being. He shows it when he feels satisfied and only when all his basic needs are covered. It is the purest sign of harmony and happiness. So, if your little one smiles, you can rest assured; because everything seems to be going well.

Furthermore, it is a flexible response, because it can be shown in multiple circumstances. For example, after breastfeeding, when you notice that your hunger is satisfied. Also after a hot shower, he feels clean and smells good. When he wakes up in the morning, if he has had a happy night’s rest or when his parents pick him up to play with him.

From the fourth, he is already aware

At 100 days of life and until approximately the sixth, the so-called “conscious smile” originates, which is already selective and anticipatory. That is, it is a response to an external stimulus that generates pleasure or recognition. Is a sign that you are getting used to a daily care routine.

Generators of this smile can be your mother’s voice, a song or a face that approaches you and smiles at you. It should be noted that at this age, the baby already knows how to distinguish between a familiar face and another that is strange. Thus, They are not so friendly with strangers and reserve their smile only for family members..

Suppose the baby likes something and smiles. At that time, if the adult does it to him again, he will smile again. Thus, little by little, that gesture will become a sonorous and happy melody. The first action that usually causes the baby to laugh is the famous “fart” on his body. Then, the gestures or the “cucú-tras” game, in which the adult hides behind his hands and then quickly removes them.

But just as this pleasant gesture arises consciously, the opposite also appears after 4 months. It is the moment when the little one also learns to express himself through crying to express his discomfort.

With half a year they have a variety of smiles

Once the first six months have passed, babies can show different types of smiles depending on what they want to show: joy, fun, approval… As they grow, their perceptions and sensations become more precise; so the variety of smiles is another example of the emotional richness that is being acquired. Thanks to this evolution, the laughter that we like so much and is so contagious appears.

Little by little, he knows how to make others laugh, through his vocalizations, babbling or his gestures and body language. With that, strengthens their social skills and begins to want to be the protagonist and be part of all kinds of games.

From 9 months to the year you become fully aware

At 12 months is the moment in which a baby’s smile is enriched to such a point that It already uses it voluntarily in response to predetermined stimuli. It is a completely social smile, because you use it to express to others when something brings you happiness, entertainment or surprise; But, he also knows when not to use it, if he feels fear, anguish or anger.

It is important that when the baby smiles, the adult responds in a pleasant and friendly way. With another smile, with a caress, with a snuggle, a hug or playing. Because it is the best way to forge that emotional bond and attachment. It is also a way of teaching the little one that the figure in front of him is someone different from him.

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