Gassy Babies Don't Smile

 A newborn smiles...Someone, somewhere must utter the obligatory phrase: "It must be gas."  I've got such a bone to pick about this old saying!  

First, I've worked with hundreds and hundreds of babies.  I've never seen one baby with gas smile.  Have you?

Second, when a newborn screams or cries, who doubts the authenticity of that emotion?  Most people trust that a baby is legitimately unhappy....So, why can't that same baby be genuinely happy?

I think the basis of this old myth is that a newborn baby just isn't developmentally capable of a full range of human emotion.  I disagree.  

There is a different quality to the 'Social Smile' that usually emerges around 6 weeks.        This smile is more purposeful and used for  interaction.  Smiles seen in the first weeks seem to be more internal and not seeking a response.  

While I'm waiting for Developmental Psychologists to back me up on this, I'll stand firm in my opinion that babies are whole people.