A–Z Glossary

Social smiling

A responsive infant smile that reflects growing social engagement rather than only a reflex.

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When babies show emotions

When babies show emotions

Emotional expression begins before language Newborns do not need words to communicate an internal state. Crying, facial tension, limb movements, changes in muscle tone, rooting, sucking, gaze aversion, and variations in vocal intensity all provide information. These behaviors are not perfectly specific. A cry may reflect hunger, pain, fatigue, temperature discomfort, a wet diaper, or […]

How babies express feelings

How babies express feelings

Emotional communication begins before speech Infants do not need spoken language to communicate meaningful internal states. Their nervous systems continuously respond to hunger, pain, temperature, fatigue, touch, sound, light, and social contact. Observable behavior is the outward result of these interacting physiological and emotional processes. A baby may therefore be communicating a feeling, a bodily […]

What babies learn in first 3 months

What babies learn in first 3 months

Learning Through the Senses In the first weeks, a baby’s brain is learning to organize a continuous stream of sensory input. Vision is clearest at close range, so a baby may study a caregiver’s face during feeding or cuddling. High-contrast patterns, slowly moving objects, and faces are often easier to notice than small or visually […]

When babies smile by month

When babies smile by month

What counts as a baby's first smile? In the first weeks of life, caregivers often notice a fleeting smile while a baby is asleep, drowsy, passing stool, or settling after a feed. These early expressions are commonly described as reflex smiles. They are normal, but they do not necessarily indicate that the baby is responding […]

When babies laugh by month

When babies laugh by month

Birth to 1 month: reflexive expressions and early regulation Newborns may make brief facial movements that resemble smiles, particularly during sleep, after feeding, or while settling. These early expressions are often reflexive or related to neurological state rather than deliberate social communication. A newborn may also produce squeaks, coos, grunts, and other vocalizations, but a […]

Why babies smile randomly

Why babies smile randomly

Early smiles are often spontaneous, not social In newborns, a smile does not always mean the baby is expressing pleasure in the adult sense. Early facial smiles are frequently spontaneous, endogenous events that arise from immature nervous-system activity rather than from an external social cue. They can appear briefly and vanish just as quickly, which […]

Why babies laugh suddenly

Why babies laugh suddenly

What sudden laughter usually means When a baby laughs suddenly, the moment can feel almost magical to adults. Yet infant laughter is usually a meaningful response to the environment rather than an accident. In early life, laughter often reflects the baby’s attention, arousal level, and recognition of something pleasant or familiar. It is one of […]

When babies recognize faces

When babies recognize faces

Recognition Starts Before It Looks Obvious When caregivers ask when babies recognize faces, they are often asking several related questions at once. Can a newborn see a face? Can a baby tell one person from another? Does the baby know who is safe, familiar, or emotionally important? These abilities overlap, but they mature at different […]