A baby’s smile is a magical moment that all parents eagerly await, though you might have to wait four or five months to see your baby laugh properly. Like tears, laughter is one of our primary modes of communication.
An infant’s smile evolves through several stages, from the first fleeting smile to the point where they begin to laugh aloud. In the first few weeks of life, babies’ smiles are reflex actions that primarily occur during sleep and are not random reactions to anything. After about a month, their smiles in response to external stimuli can be considered genuine social expressions.
Babies typically smile when they see someone familiar or even someone new. Between the ages of four and five months, they transition from smiling to laughing, which is manifested by noises and gurgling. They start to find the jokes of those around them amusing, such as being thrown in the air, tickled, or playing hide and seek. Sometimes, they laugh for no apparent reason at everyday things that strike them as amusing.