How can I tell a social smile from a reflex smile?

A reflex smile often happens during sleep or at random in the first weeks and is not tied to anything you do. A social smile happens while your baby is awake and looking at you, usually in response to your face or voice. If you smile and talk and your baby smiles back, that is a social smile.

My baby is 2 months old and not smiling yet. Should I worry?

Not necessarily, since babies reach this milestone at different times and some start a bit later. Keep offering calm, close face-to-face time each day and give your baby a chance to respond. Mention it at the 2-month check-up so your pediatrician can look at the full picture and decide if anything else is needed.

What is the best way to get my baby to smile?

Choose a moment when your baby is awake and calm, hold your baby close enough to see your face clearly, and smile and talk gently. Pause often so your baby has time to react, and copy any sounds or expressions they make. Keep it short and stop when your baby looks away or seems tired.

Growth & Development · 2 months

2-month milestones: the social smile

Around 2 months of age, many babies begin to show a social smile, which is a smile made on purpose in response to your face or voice rather than a reflex during sleep. CDC milestone guidance lists smiling at people as something most babies do by this age, but the exact timing varies from baby to baby. If your baby is not smiling socially yet, keep offering face-to-face time and bring it up at the 2-month check-up so your pediatrician can review the whole picture.

3 min read Growth & Development Updated June 2026

What a social smile is

A social smile is a smile your baby gives in response to you. It usually shows up when you lean in close, talk softly, or make eye contact. This is different from the small smiles or twitches you may have seen in the first weeks, which often happen during sleep or for no clear reason.

The social smile is an early sign that your baby is starting to connect with people. Most babies show it by around 2 months, though some start a little earlier and some a little later. Babies vary, and your pediatrician decides whether development is on track.

Other things to watch around 2 months

The social smile is one of several milestones the CDC lists for this age. Looking at the whole pattern is more useful than focusing on a single skill.

Calms down when spoken to or picked up
Looks at your face
Makes sounds other than crying, such as cooing
Reacts to loud sounds
Briefly follows a moving object with the eyes
Holds the head up and starts to push up when on the tummy

How to encourage smiling

You do not need any special toys or routines. The most helpful thing is simple, repeated face-to-face time when your baby is calm and alert.

Try these during everyday moments such as after a feed or a diaper change.

Hold your baby about 8-12 inches from your face so you are easy to see
Smile, talk, and pause to give your baby time to respond
Copy the sounds and faces your baby makes
Keep sessions short and stop when your baby looks away or gets fussy

When to talk to your pediatrician

Milestones are guides, not deadlines, and a single missed item is not a diagnosis. Still, it helps to share anything you notice so your pediatrician can track development over time.

Bring it up at the 2-month visit, or sooner, if your baby is not smiling at people, does not react to loud sounds, does not watch things as they move, or is not bringing the hands to the mouth. Tell your pediatrician if your baby loses a skill they once had. Your pediatrician knows your baby's history and decides whether any next steps are needed.

Quick answers

How can I tell a social smile from a reflex smile?: A reflex smile often happens during sleep or at random in the first weeks and is not tied to anything you do. A social smile happens while your baby is awake and looking at you, usually in response to your face or voice. If you smile and talk and your baby smiles back, that is a social smile.
My baby is 2 months old and not smiling yet. Should I worry?: Not necessarily, since babies reach this milestone at different times and some start a bit later. Keep offering calm, close face-to-face time each day and give your baby a chance to respond. Mention it at the 2-month check-up so your pediatrician can look at the full picture and decide if anything else is needed.
What is the best way to get my baby to smile?: Choose a moment when your baby is awake and calm, hold your baby close enough to see your face clearly, and smile and talk gently. Pause often so your baby has time to react, and copy any sounds or expressions they make. Keep it short and stop when your baby looks away or seems tired.

Sources & further reading

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This article was written against current AAP, CDC, and WHO guidance and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. ParentFlow is a wellness companion — not a substitute for your pediatrician. For medical concerns, always consult a qualified healthcare provider.