Yes, babies do eventually have real tears, but not immediately at birth.
Babies are born with the physical ability to produce tears from their lacrimal glands. However, these glands don't produce visible, emotional tears right away. Initially, the tears serve to lubricate and protect the eyes.
Here's a breakdown:
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Early Days (Newborn): In the first few weeks of life, a baby's lacrimal glands are still developing. They produce enough moisture to keep the eyes lubricated, but not enough to create visible tears during crying. You might hear the cries, see the facial expressions, but not see any actual tears.
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Around 2 Weeks: Tear production starts to increase. However, you still may not notice a significant change.
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1 to 3 Months: Typically, between 1 and 3 months old, babies begin to produce more visible tears when they cry. This is when you will likely start seeing real, emotional tears.
In summary, while newborns possess the structures necessary for tear production, emotional tears are generally not visible until they are a few weeks to a few months old, as the tear ducts mature and produce more tears.
