Your baby is kissing you primarily to show how much they love you by copying your actions.
A Sign of Love and Connection
As babies learn about the world around them, they often mimic the behaviors they see from their parents and caregivers. This includes gestures of affection like kissing. Your baby sees you giving kisses, and because they want to show how much they love you, they will attempt to copy this loving action. It's their way of communicating affection and strengthening the bond they share with you.
What a Baby's "Kiss" Looks Like
While the intention is love, a baby's attempt at a kiss may not resemble a typical adult kiss. Babies are still developing their motor skills and understanding of social gestures. According to the reference provided, it will take "quite a while before they perfect the art of kissing".
Expect their attempts to be:
- An open mouth placed over your nose or cheek.
- A sucking motion on your cheek.
- Quite wet! It may involve "leaving a little slobber in its wake!"
These slobbery, open-mouthed gestures are their current best effort at imitating your loving actions.
Here is a summary of why and how babies "kiss":
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Reason | To show how much they love you |
| Method | Copying your behavior (mimicry) |
| Appearance | Open mouth over nose/cheek, sucking, slobbering |
| Skill Level | Still learning, will take time to perfect |
These early "kisses" are a sweet and clear indication of your baby's affection and their engaging process of learning through imitation.
