Babies start smiling at different times, but there are some general guidelines. According to, a babys first social smile usually appears by the end of their second month. However, parents may notice some adorable grimaces and grins in the babys first month, which are different from the social smile that appears weeks later. These early smiles are called "reflex smiles," which happen randomly and usually stop around two months after birth, right around the same time you can expect babys first real smile. A real smile happens in response to something external, like hearing moms voice or seeing dad, and the whole face lights up when its a real smile. According to, babies develop a "social smile" between 6 and 8 weeks of life, which is an intentional gesture of warmth meant just for you. This is an important milestone, and pediatricians will ask parents whether theyve seen their babys grin at their two-month well-child visit. Babies start smiling quite early on, while theyre still in the womb, in fact, and the first reactive smile usually occurs between 8 and 12 weeks after a full-term birth.

In summary, babies start smiling at different times, but generally, a babys first social smile appears by the end of their second month, and a real smile happens in response to something external, like hearing moms voice or seeing dad.