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The Sweetest Sound
In the first few months of life, your baby relies on crying and other nonverbal communication to tell you what she wants and needs. At about three months, she may start "playing" with sound by gurgling, cooing and babbling. All the while, she's listening to your voice, watching your facial expressions and learning how sentences are structured as she prepares for that magic moment when she says her first words. You may be able to help her develop her speech more quickly by learning a few skills yourself:
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Talk, sing and babble to your baby frequently and respond positively when she tries to imitate you.
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Praise her attempts at talking by smiling and applauding.
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Use short, simple, "baby talk" words to encourage her to keep trying to talk.
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Describe what you're doing so she starts connecting words with objects and actions. For example, "I'm fixing your oatmeal," or "Here's your green blanket."
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Read out loud to help build her vocabulary.
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If you don't understand what she's saying, repeat what you heard and ask her if that's right.
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Rather than responding to her pointing or making noises, ask her a question that verbally communicates what she wants, such as, "Do you want your teddy bear?"
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When your baby tries to talk, look at her and be responsive to show you're paying attention.
Most babies are babbling by about six months, speaking in gibberish by their first birthdays and creating basic sentences by the time they're two years old. If your baby seems to be lagging behind, talk to your pediatrician. The earlier a problem is diagnosed, the more time you'll have to correct it.
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