When do babies smile and laugh?
Your baby's first real smile, usually between 6 and 8 weeks, is a big moment. It marks the start of social development: learning that they can connect with you.
Typical stages
First weeks: babies focus best on faces 20-30 cm away and may smile in their sleep. These early smiles are reflexes.
6-8 weeks: the first social smile in response to your face or voice.
3-4 months: laughing out loud, enjoying play and watching you closely.
6-9 months: recognising familiar people, and often showing stranger anxiety or separation anxiety.
9-12 months: playing peekaboo, waving and showing clear preferences.
How to support your baby's social development
Respond to your baby's signals. Smile back, talk, make eye contact and comfort them when they cry. You cannot spoil a newborn by picking them up. Responsive care builds trust and security.
Reading baby's cues
Babies also show when they have had enough: looking away, fussing or arching the back. Give them a break and a quiet space. Some babies are naturally more serious or more sensitive than others, and that is part of their temperament.
When to talk to a health nurse
If your baby is not smiling by around 3 months, does not make eye contact, or seems unusually unresponsive, talk to your health nurse. It is also important to look after yourself: low mood or anxiety after birth is common and help is available.