Babies are born with a “cry reflex,” and not a “laugh reflex”

Wouldn’t it be fun if babies were born laughing? Of course it would, but there are two very good reasons why newborns can cry up a storm yet can’t giggle.

First, crying is easier than laughing. It takes less coordination, because it’s one continuous sound made with each breat. Laughter, on the other hand, is a series of rapid, short sounds strung together like pearls on a single breath.

And while laughter is helpful for social play when your baby is older, crying is crucial for a baby’s minute-to-minute survival, from his first day of life.