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10 Baby Facial Expressions and Their Meaning

August 2, 2023

Your baby is trying to communicate with you from the moment they are born.

But it's not always easy to work out what they're trying to say when they can't speak any words.

Here are ten common baby facial expressions and their meanings to help you get an idea of what they're trying to communicate.

Smiling: A smile is one of the earliest facial expressions babies display. A smile generally indicates happiness and contentment. It can be in response to seeing familiar faces, receiving affection, or during playtime.
Cooing or Gurgling: When a baby coos or gurgles, it is often a sign of contentment and a desire to engage in social interaction. It's a way for babies to communicate their pleasure and enjoyment.
Frowning: A frown can indicate various emotions, including discomfort, frustration, or fatigue. Babies may frown when they are hungry, tired, or when something is bothering them.
Crying: Crying is a primary means of communication for babies. It can signal a range of needs, such as hunger, tiredness, discomfort, or the need for attention and affection.
Wide-Eyed Stare and Round Mouth: Wide open eyes and round little mouth, is a common one for excited babies who want to play with their parents. They might also clap, wave their hands, or even make a sound or two.
Grimacing: Grimacing can occur when babies experience discomfort, such as gas, indigestion, or teething pain.
Raised Eyebrows: Raised eyebrows can be a sign of surprise or interest. Babies may raise their eyebrows when they encounter something new or unexpected.
Pursed Lips: Pursed lips can indicate that a baby is concentrating or contemplating something. It may also be a response to a taste they find unfamiliar or unappealing.
Open Mouth: Babies often open their mouths wide when they are hungry and ready to eat. An open mouth can also be a sign of excitement or anticipation.
Tongue Out: Sticking the tongue out can be a playful expression or a way for babies to explore their mouths and the world around them. It can also be an indication of teething discomfort.

It's important to remember that interpreting baby facial expressions requires attentiveness to the context and other cues. Each baby is unique, and their facial expressions can vary based on their temperament and experiences. As caregivers, observing and responding to a baby's facial expressions helps strengthen the caregiver-baby bond and enables better understanding of their needs and emotions.

Reading these cues is only part of keeping your little one happy. Feeding matters just as much. When you are choosing the right formula, start with a clean organic baby formula, and learn the best bottle temperature so every feed is calm and comfortable.

Rodney Hyde

International Formula Expert – Grow Organic Baby

For over 10 years Rodney has been researching and selecting the world's best formulas, making them available on Groworganicbaby.com.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do babies purse their lips?

Pursed or puckered lips are most often a rooting and sucking cue, meaning your baby is hungry or wants to suck for comfort. Newborns do this reflexively before they have any other way to signal.

It can also appear as a baby concentrates, or in the moments before falling asleep. If pursed lips come with rooting, turning the head toward your hand, or hands moving to the mouth, treat it as an early hunger cue and offer a feed before crying starts.

What does it mean when a baby makes an "O" face?

The open, rounded "O" mouth is usually surprise, focused attention, or early imitation. Babies often make it when they see a new face or hear an unfamiliar sound, and it is one of the first expressions they copy back at you.

In very young newborns it can also simply be the mouth relaxing into a neutral shape. It is a normal, healthy expression and often a sign your baby is alert and taking something in.

What do newborn facial expressions actually mean?

Most newborn expressions are a mix of reflex and genuine communication. In the first weeks many are automatic, including fleeting smiles during sleep and grimaces tied to digestion.

From roughly six to eight weeks expressions become more social and responsive, and your baby starts using them to react to you. The reliable ones to watch early are rooting and lip pursing for hunger, a furrowed brow or frown for discomfort or concentration, and a wide-eyed still face for overstimulation.

Why do babies frown?

A frown or furrowed brow in a young baby usually signals concentration rather than sadness. Babies frown while working out a new face, a new sound, or a new object.

It can also mean mild discomfort, a wet diaper, gas, or the early edge of tiredness. Frowning on its own is not a distress signal. It matters when it comes with fussing, arching, or crying.

When do babies start smiling on purpose?

Reflex smiles appear from birth, often during sleep, and are not social.

A true social smile, aimed at you and in response to your face or voice, generally arrives between six and eight weeks. If there is no social smile by around three months it is worth raising with your pediatrician, though variation is normal.