What is baby’s smile trying to tell you? Watch to learn what their smile can mean, and how to encourage more baby smiles—and eventually giggling!

To get baby to smile even more, here are some ideas for playing with your newborn.

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This video is a part of our Parents’ Guide series. View the entire series for quick videos, packed full of development info and tips.

Read along with the video below!

Is there anything better than a smiling baby? Babies start smiling between 6 and 12 weeks but you may notice a smile soon after baby is born. That’s a reflex smile and can be caused by sleeping or going to the bathroom. A real smile happens in response to baby hearing or seeing their parent or a caregiver.

Tips to encourage baby to smile:

  • Give them plenty of love and affection. There’s no such thing as spoiling baby with too much attention.
  • Play with them. Find ideas for playing with your newborn.
  • Use exaggerated and silly responses with talking to baby.

After baby has mastered smiling, they’ll start cooing. After cooing comes giggling. So what’s better than a smiling baby? A giggling baby!