Jill Lewis, RN-BSN, a nurse home visitor with our Nurse Family Partnership program, explains why it's important to talk to your baby.
Has anyone ever told you how important it is to talk to your baby? Have you thought to yourself, “That’s silly; my baby is too little to know what I am saying?” Even though babies don’t have the power of speech yet and can’t answer back in conversation, you should still talk to them. Studies have shown that the more you talk to your baby, the greater the chance he or she will have of learning to speak and understand words.
As a mother of three and a nurse home visitor with Le Bonheur Nurse Family Partnership, I stress the importance of language development every day. I understand how awkward you may feel talking to a baby when he or she doesn’t talk back. But once you understand how speech affects the brain’s development, you can soon develop a daily habit of just talking or reading out loud so your baby can enjoy your voice and build a better brain!
When you are pregnant, you can talk to your unborn child just as if you were talking to another person. Set aside time to read a book aloud. It doesn’t have to be a baby book; any book will do. Read the newspaper or a magazine out loud, and your baby will begin to recognize your voice. You will benefit from the bonding experience. When your baby is born, her brain will be ready to learn language.
Here are some more suggestions for talking with your baby:
- Read. Read every day to your baby. Even though babies may seem more interested in nibbling on the book, they are listening and learning.
- Sing. No one is listening, so sing your favorite song or a classic lullaby. Your baby doesn’t mind what you sing because she is enjoying just hearing your voice.
- Narrate. Talk about what you are doing as you wash, dress, feed and change your baby. “I am combing my hair.” “Let’s pour some milk.”“Let’s get your diaper changed.” Your baby will then connect your speech to these objects and experiences.
- Play music. Play many different types of music to expose your baby to different rhythms.
- Don’t use the TV as a babysitter because talking to a real person is what makes the brain respond and grow.
- When you talk to your baby, use a soft, gentle voice and smile. When your baby makes sounds, repeat them back to her. If you don’t completely understand what your baby has said, gently repeat back what you think is being said.
Remember that you are your baby’s first and most important teacher. Praise your baby for even the smallest attempts at baby talk. By offering your loving attention, your baby feels rewarded for trying to talk. Long before she can effectively speak, she will gain the ability to understand your words.
