What's in a smile

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Most of us can't help smiling at our babies every chance we get. The urge to make them smile back can keep us busy for hours.

Smiling at your baby is important because it:

• plays a part in the bonding and attachment processes
• helps your baby feel secure and safe in her new world
• helps your baby develop and learn about the world.

Babies and young children also use their parents' facial expressions as a guide for behaviour. The emotional experiences a child has with other people (especially experiences during the first years) help shape emotional responses throughout life. It is through interaction with other minds that children develop their own minds and emotions.

Neuroscientist Doug Watt has said that the positive early experiences are the unforgettable things we can't remember.

The science of a smile

Scientific research  tells us that when the connection is made between a parent and child, it is helped along by chemical reactions in the body. On the other hand, if a baby is feeling insecure or stressed in her environment, the levels of stress hormones in her body increase. These different chemicals interact with the child's nervous system, and even play a role in how the brain grows and develops.

The scientific side of smiling has been investigated by researchers looking at chemicals in the body and brain activity. The research tells us that a simple smile can lead to an important series of events.

The smiling baby flowchart (PDF doc: 173kb) shows some of the important things that happen as the result of a simple smile.

No smile is wasted

It's worth remembering that a simple smile is one building block for your relationship with your child. Your face is where your child looks for reassuring, comforting responses and attention.

Not every single response you give is vital, but each smile your baby catches sends a good message.

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