There are a lot of negative things going on in the world today, so I thought it would be a good time to just share some happy baby smiles that will absolutely melt your heart. Sometimes we all just need to appreciate the simple joys in life, and for me baby smiles & giggles are a wonderful way to do that. I’m also a big fan of cute/goofy baby animal stuff, but that’s for another day.

I feel pretty fortunate to get to photograph cute babies all the time. Whether it’s the sneaky smirks of a gassy newborn, or the belly giggles and squeals of a 9 month old, it’s hard to beat a smiley baby.

Smiley Newborns

I don’t always catch newborns smiling during their photo sessions – it’s often very quick and easy to miss if you’re not in the perfect spot. However, I’ve certainly learned to watch for certain signs that they might be about to smile. When they are sleeping, they often do quick breaths and you may see their eyes rolling around (even with eyes closed) right before they smile. I always look for these quick breaths and try to hold still to see if I can catch one.

According to this Healthline article, doctors refer to these as “reflexive” smiles. They are fairly random and more likely a sign of gas or just feeling comfortable while sleeping.

Baby Smiles That Will Melt Your Heart | Raleigh Newborn Photographer

Smiley Sitters

Once babies are 2-4 months old they are likely to start truly smiling back at you. As a mom, those first true smiles were what made all of the hard work of the newborn phase worth it. Those smiles will absolutely melt your heart as a parent.

Once babies are sitting up and more interactive, it tends to be much easier to get them to smile. These precious babies are all in the “sitter” phase (prior to walking) and love to smile at toys, silly songs, and best of all – their parents. The moms & dads behind the scenes of these photos are the real mvps.

Baby Smiles That Will Melt Your Heart | Raleigh Baby Photographer

Babies Smiling With Their Parents

The easiest way to get a baby smiling is to have them held by their loved ones! Parents, grandparents – anyone that they’re familiar and comfortable with are the best at getting the smiles out.