: Do newborns have dreams when they sleep? Have noticed the 1.5 month old smiling when asleep. Do newborns have dreams when they sleep? If yes, then what kind? If no, then what could be the reason of their sleep smiles?

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At that age smiling is often associated with gas.

As I mentioned in another answer, the question of whether or not newborns dream has not been conclusively answered. From that answer:

I have seen so many different ages quoted for the start of dreaming that I have given up on determining when it actually starts. For example in Parenting sleep expert Jodi Mindell says that newborns may actually be dreaming in REM sleep, though only in images and not in words, but nightmares probably don't begin until 2 or 3. Again researchers are reported according to this pediatrician to have shown that newborns dream but nightmares don't begin until around 3. According to Scientific American some scientists believe that while REM sleep occurs in newborns dreams don't happen until much later.

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Do Babies Dream: Generally people go through five stages when they sleep. Four stages belong to non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and one stage is REM sleep. REM sleep is the stage of the sleep in which we dream. Babies will spend most of their sleep time in this phase i.e.REM sleep.

According to the recent studies, it is proved that babies don't dream but they learn while sleeping. They use REM sleep phase to develop new brain pathways and later develop language i.e. they process knowledge while they sleep.

Baby's Smile When They Sleep: Actually baby needs approximately 8 weeks for their brains to develop in such a way to respond emotionally to external stimuli. Below that baby's smile is nothing but "gassy smile".

If the cheeks go up and the eyes squint then it is a "social smile" whereas "gas smiles" will be smaller and they will not lift the cheeks up.

REM sleep phase is an active period for passing gas as well. So babies smile while sleeping i.e. gassy smile.

Source: www.mnn.com/family/babies-pregnancy/stories/do-babies-dream http://www.ehow.com/how_2099122_tell-between-baby-gas-smiles.html