Our baby is approaching 6.5 months and still isn't laughing much. She smiles all the time and squeals when she's super excited but we're not getting laughs out of her on any consistent basis (a few times we heard little chuckles, but no deep belly laughs). So, I'm wondering when your baby began to laugh? She's still a little peanut, weighing 14.5 so maybe she just can't coordinate her muscles yet to laugh...though her weight probably has nothing at all to do with it!
Thanks. :)
Thanks everyone. Our baby has been described as super alert literally from the day she was born. I remember the security guard wheeling us down on the day of discharge and looking in total amazement at our baby and how wide-eyed and alert she was. People are always commenting on how observant she is and how "mature" she seems. Her personality is emerging strongly and we definitely see a lot of spunk and feistiness, but also a lot of seriousness in terms of the way she observes her surroundings and takes in her environment. So, I think that eventually she will laugh but that it's partly a personality thing! Can't wait to hear those giggles in the coming months. :)
My younger one really didn't laugh until much older; can't even remember exactly when, but over 6 months. He squealed and had a chortle. Can't even describe the chortle, but that was his laugh. He does have some oral motor problems, so it's possible that you are right about the coordinating muscles.
I wouldn't worry too much. If your baby is responsive socially, she is probably okay. My baby was just like this. She smiled all of the time but we always said that she didn't come with a "giggle box". She is now 3 and while she still doesn't giggle a lot, she does giggle regularly. She will giggle when we tickle her and she the other day something funny "tickled" her and she giggled on her own. I think there are just some kids that don't giggle but that doesn't mean something is wrong. Enjoy your baby. Those are the best times. :)
Good luck.
N.
My son was definitely smiling between 3 and 6 months. Giggles and laughs came between 6 months and a year. It takes awhile to develop a sense of humor. I remember sitting on the floor playing with him when he was about 8 months old. I was rolling a ball to him and trying to get him to roll it back to me. It was a soft cloth ball, and I'd roll it to him, and then use my foot to bring it back to me. Then I'd use the other foot. Eventually, my feet got into an argument about whose turn it was to get the ball, and my son thought this was hilarious. Right now, I'd say the squealing IS the laughter. It's coming along, so don't worry!
I will never forget (thank goodness it was on video!) the day we really tried. I had tried so hard, but given up. I plopped my head down and it landed in a bag of clothes we had just gotten as hand-me-downs from a friend. My daughter LOST it. Laughed from her belly everytime I did it for 15 mins. You don't know what is going to get them started!
Go on youtube.com and search babies laughing. You'll see hysterical videos and you can probably estimate their ages. You'll get a good laugh yourself! =)
My daughter smiled ALL THE TIME. But she didn't start belly laughing (or even chuckling,really) until she was over a year old. We kept waiting, and eventually it happened. She still (15 months) doesn't belly laugh very much.
J.
UrbanSuburbanFamily.squarespace.com
Try something new to stimulate the laughter . .. be a little physical with her. I suck my lips in and cover my lips with my teeth and pretend "bite" my baby's sides and tummy, even his chin. He loves it and laughs out loud all the time. He's 6 months too! Say AHHH CHOOO really loud and almost startle her, that works for us too. But most of all don't worry....she'll find her funny bone soon enough!!! Enjoy her!
My husband was the only one who could get my daughter to laugh for about the first year. And even that was infrequent... I think some of it is personality, and not developmental.
These days, she has a well developed sense of humor. Is even in the gifted program at school now in 3rd grade. She was always "very alert" as an infant... watching and observing. And she self-described herself a few weeks ago (when asked by her gifted teacher) as "mature".
I wouldn't worry. If she has laughed at ALL, then she is fine. Probably she is just a more serious personality.
I remember my now 11yr old at about 6 months sitting in her high chair. I had a plastic grocery bag in my had and I must have shaken it to get it to open, and she laughed just from that. I was shaking the bag at her, and she laughed so much she was out of control.
They seem to laugh at the most unexpected things.
This really is nothing to worry about. Your baby is only 6.5 months - over time her personality and temperament will grow and develop. My firstborn was colicky and screamed for 14 weeks straight, nonstop, all day long when not sleeping. One would think that he was going to grow up to be this miserable human being who could not possibly be satisfied or happy. The opposite is true - he is such a fun-loving, sweet, smiling, laughing, happy boy. My advice to you? Don't be so quick to label your child as mature, feisty, serious, etc. because that will all grow and develop over time.
My son is 5 months, 3 weeks and I've heard him laugh I think three times. Every time I try to get him to, he'll squeal, talk or smile really wide!! I think it's normal between 6 months and a year, depending on the child!
went and found the baby books to make sure I was accurate since my kids are older.
Under the section in Tara's that says what makes your baby giggle or laugh I wrote
6 mos - other people laughing, seeing mommy
7 mos - being turned upside down, being tickled under arms and on ribs, funny voices
9 mos - knocking down towers of blocks, falling on bottom in tub (she would stand up on the side, then let go and splash and just laugh so hard, man i had forgotten about that till I read that, was that really that early?)
12 mos - almost everything
for Elise I couldn't find that same baby book, I sure looked cause it was a great one, but off of her calendar I hung by the changing table I have
8 wks - first giggle
on the 4th month page it says she has happy smiles when asked what makes her laugh, man you really don't keep as good records for the second
at 4 mos one week old I have written down "LAUGHED!!"
so there you go
I don't remember sustained laughter that early - lots of squeals and smiles, but I don't recall the age at which deliberate laughter really began.
Here's a website from the American Academy of Pediatrics for parents. It has all the milestones you should be seeing at different ages of infancy:
http://www.healthychildren.org/ENGLISH/AGES-STAGES/BABY/P...
