baby not smiling yet - please reassure me

[joanneg20]

Hopefully I'm just being paranoid new mum...

My 6 and a half week old baby is showing no signs of smiling yet. I thought I may have seen a fleeting one a few days ago but now think I was just imagining it.

Obviously am getting anxious because I keep reading he should be smiling by now, and friends' babies of a similar age seem to be. Can anyone reassure me on this?

[belgo]

It's still fairly early, I my mine were nearer 7 or 8 weeks before they started smiling. Some babies smile from 4 weeks.

[Chaotica]

Probably fine. One of mine smiled at 4w, the other nearer 8w. (The one who waited has a better sense of humour too, as far as I can tell )

[Chaotica]

BTW Do not read books or compare with other babies!

[llareggub]

It is still early. Your friends' babies probably have wind.

[everymum]

Joanne - you could be me a few months ago. In fact if you search for my name you will find almost exactly the same question!
My dd smiled eventually about 9 weeks and hasn't stopped smiling and laughing since (except for when she is grumpy of course!)Really nothing to worry about and they all develop differently but your lo will smile soon I am sure of it

[mumofeve]

Took my DS (now 5 mo) to his 6 weeks check at doctors (he was actually nearly 7 weeks old at the time) and she worried me sick cos he hadn't smiled yet. He was booked back in for a re-check at 8 weeks, as they thought he may have been developing slower than the 'norm'. However, he smiled a few days later (at about 7.5wks) and has been meeting every milestone since. My advice would be to try to take the average milestones with a pinch of salt .

[mammamia25]

Joanneg20
My dd didn't make any eye contact with us for her first 6 weeks or so, and certainly didn't smile. I was terrified that she had visual problems and/or other disabilities (for other reasons) and got her booked in for eye tests - but by the time of the appointment (at about 10 weeks) she was making eye contact and smiling, and everything was absolutely fine. When all you read is about babies focusing on faces, smiling within 6 weeks, etc, and everyone else's babies except yours seem to be doing exactly that, it's really worrying - never having had a baby before! But I soon started ignoring those average milestone guides (and getting drawn into comparison "chats" with other mums!) - otherwise you'd drive yourself mad with worry. (my dd is now 23 mths, smiles all the time and has eyes in the back of her head!).

[HarryB]

Joanneg20, my baby didn't smile until about 8 weeks, and from 6 weeks I was on the internet googling all sorts because I thought there was something wrong with him.

He laughed out loud at 9 weeks, and now at 7.5 months, he chuckles away like a loon. Ignore the baby books, just keep smiling at your baby until your facial muscles ache (I bet you are doing this anyway) and he will smile back in his own time

[joanneg20]

These are all very reassuring thanks! Amusingly, since I posted, I have seen a couple of fleeting smiles. Really do think that books/websites should be a bit clearer to avoid alarming parents - as they definitely imply your baby should be properly beaming at you at 6 weeks old, but loads of people I've now spoken too say that first smiles are very rare and quick!