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Talking to your baby

By Raising Children Network
 
 

Talking, singing and reading aloud with your new baby can be great fun from birth onwards. Every word you speak, sing or read aloud also helps baby start to understand some amazing things, like that there are words and that conversations have funny things called ‘taking turns’.

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Lots of parents feel a bit silly talking to a little baby who doesn't chat back. Talking about what you're seeing and doing can help. The main thing is to create a loving happy feeling, not whether your baby learns to talk earlier or later.

 
  • For the first few weeks, crying is the main way your baby communicates. The first talking sounds won't appear for some months.
  • If you respond to your baby's cries it helps her to feel secure.
  • Every word that you say, sing or read aloud with your newborn will help her learn to talk one day.

The conversations and word games that you and baby share are part of how you build a relationship together. They will also lead to your baby's first attempts at talking.

Your newborn is a great little communicator from birth. She uses an extensive vocabulary to tell you what she's thinking and feeling. It's called crying, and it's how your baby lets you know she wants or needs something:more cuddles please, no more cuddles please, too hungry, not hungry enough, too tired, not tired enough, feeling too cold, feeling too warm. And sometimes she cries for no apparent reason.

Crying is the only way your new baby knows how to communicate with you. She doesn’t cry to annoy you – there’s no such thing as a naughty newborn.

Even though it might not seem like it the first few times you hear bub cry, you will soon recognise that she cries in different ways depending on what she wants and how quickly she needs you.

Your baby uses eye contact to talk to you, and she listens intently to every word and sound you make. She might gaze into your face and watch your mouth. Listening and watching you talk helps her understand the basics of communicating, and she absorbs a huge amount of information about words and talking from the day she's born.

The sing-song voice that many adults use around babies is called ‘parentese’. It sounds a bit like this: ‘Helloooo babbeeee, who’s a widdle baaabeeee?’ Experts say that babies prefer this to normal adult conversation. So go right ahead if you want to use the elongated vowels and exaggerated facial expressions of parentese to talk to your baby.

At about seven or eight weeks of age, your baby discovers something terrific: her own voice. She'll then start serenading you with coos and vowel sounds.

As she grows she will start to make more sounds and to smile and wave her arms and feet around. She’s getting the idea of conversation and wants to tell you all sorts of interesting stuff. If you listen and respond to her murmurs, she's likely to babble and gurgle with gusto before long.

Play ideas to help talking

  • Try ‘parentese’, with its sing-song voice, elongated vowels and exaggerated facial expressions. Baby will love watching your eyes sparkle and your mouth stretching out around words.
  • Give a running commentary about what you're doing. For example: ‘We’re going to give you a nice warm bath now. You like your bath, don’t you?’ Talk in any language, or switch between different languages. It all helps your baby learn about words and talking.
  • Singing songs and rhymes is a fun way to help your baby's language skills develop. In the car, in the bath, at bedtime. Even if it's off-key. Your baby will love the rhythm of the words and will be soothed by your voice.
  • You can read books to your baby from birth. After a few weeks, your baby will know that this is a time for you both to enjoy a quiet, special time together. She'll start to recognise words and learn to listen to what others say. Of course, your baby has yet to learn manners, so if she cries or wriggles through the whole thing you might want to try again later. Forcing the issue will defeat the purpose of creating a special time for both of you.
  • Listen to your baby's first efforts at babbling and then respond, leaving a gap when it’s her turn to talk again. This teaches her about the pattern of conversation. If she doesn’t take a turn, or isn’t interested in chatting right now, try again another time. Let her interest guide you.
  • Name the toys and objects around you. For example: ‘Look, these are your socks. We’re going to put them on your feet, aren’t we?’

All babies develop at different rates. Lots of babies make eye contact and sounds early, while others might not until month three. If your baby doesn’t do something at the same age as other babies, it doesn’t mean there is a need for concern. Speak to a health professional if you are not sure. p>

Sometimes, delays in communication skills can be signs of more serious developmental disorders or delay including language delay, hearing impairment, intellectual disability and autism.  You know your child better than anyone else.  If you have a concern, talk to your GP or a health professional.  If your healthcare provider does not have concerns about your child, but you still do, seek another opinion.
 
 
 
 
  • Last updated01-05-2009
  • Last reviewed10-04-2009
  • References

    Manning-Morton, J., & Thorp, M. (2003). Key times for play: The first three years. Philadelphia: Open University Press.

    Thompson, R.A. (1998). Early sociopersonality development. In W. Damon (Series Ed.) & N. Eisenberg (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 3. Social, emotional and personality development (5th ed.). New York: Wiley.