8 weeks.. no consistent smiling..

NewMrsMacC

I know that all babies develop differently and at an individual pace, however, my concern is because my LO has definitly woken up these two weeks. She is alert, kicking, swatting, cooing, making prolonged eye contact, her hands are opening up.. and she has even smiled a few times.. but she doesn't do it much, barley at all. 

She has a period in the morning where every AM for about an hour she likes to play, she wants to be laid down so she can talk and kick and coo... I talk to her, fake laugh, tickle and kiss her, read to her etc etc etc.. But no smiles from her. I greet her every AM when she wakes up with big exaggerated smiles and high pitched "good morning darling mommy is soooo happy to see you!!! type talk.. but still, no smile... bright eyes and responsive with kicks and swats and coos, but no smile. Is this normal, is this ok? 

I just need to know when your LO's started smiling.. and did they do it when they started becoming super alert? I would assume with all the play type activity she is doing now, there would be some smiling too... Am i wrong, do I just need to give her more time?

owlcup

She might just be a more serious baby. My DD1 smiled all the time from 4 weeks onward but my DS didn't start smiling a lot until he was older, 6/7 months.

DD2 hasn't social smiled yet but she's only 3 weeks.

spartybride3

My daughter did her first real social smile at 6 weeks (9 weeks now). She smiles and laughs a lot, but even when she's happy and playing I don't always get a smile out of her.

Smores730

I would just keep doing what you're doing and give it more time. If she's cooing, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

FelixUxor

I agree, cooing and kicking and eye contact are all great signs!  My LO is 12 weeks old almost and he didn't start consistently smiling until 9 weeks, and even then it just had to be the right people talking to him at the right time.  Give her time and don't worry!

PaoPao820

NewMrsMacC

I have had a completely different situation and am in the same boat in the feelings department about development.  My LO started smiling at around 6 weeks and has been going strong since. He smiles at people when they talk to him and smiles on his own when playing and has been doing that for a few weeks.  He's almost 11 weeks now.  

My concern instead is over the eye contact.  While your LO is making consistent eye contact, my LO isn't and it's making me paranoid.  He's almost at 11 weeks and he'll make eye contact but sometimes I'm not sure if he's actually making eye contact.  He also seems to make more eye contact with others more than me.  I'm pretty sure he can see because he locks onto our ceiling fan and the ceiling fan at my in laws and is mesmerized and laughs.  This is making me super paranoid because I don't want it to be a precursor to developmental problems!  

I keep telling myself that every baby is different and he's doing a lot of things that are at a 4 month mark while there are a few he's not doing that he should be doign around this time.  So every baby really is super different and every baby will develop when they're ready!  

Hels

I remember writing this exact post when my older DD was around the same age. I was stressed over nothing. Turns out - she's just a serious kid. She's 3 years old now and I still can't get her to smile for a picture.    But she's definitly a very normal, happy kid. 

roo1oo

My LO didn't start smiling until about 12 weeks old. He'd do little smiles here and there before but at 12 weeks he actually started smiling when he was happy etc. It'll come. Sounds like your LO is on track. 

NewMrsMacC

Update:

I was definitely worried about nothing! LO is now 13 weeks, and she smiles big, pretty smiles all the time! She ven crinkles her little nose and turns her head like she's going to laugh! She smiles at me, at pictures in the books we read, people in stores and even the dog, lol! She started smiling really consistently about two weeks after I wrote this post (when she was around 10 weeks).  Laughing is coming soon, I can tell by the way her laughs are sometimes- really big open mouthed smiles.. the look of laugh is already there, just no sound yet, lol! 

Thanks you guys for all your reassurance, you were all right,- just give her time!

TMH2013

My baby is 10.5 weeks and he JUST started smiling everyday, multiple times a day, and seemingly smiling at us! We were starting to think he didn't like us, but he is Doing it all the time now and it's the cutest thing! So give her a couple more weeks!