The early days are so important. Make time to talk to your baby now and they will reap the benefits later in life
Between birth and the age of two, your baby is experiencing most of its brain development. As your little one babbles and smiles, he or she is on the road to developing their first conversation and language skills. It is also a time where communicating with your child can help build security and self-esteem.
Eye contact
One of the first connections made between baby and you is through eye contact. 'Say "hello" from day one and get to know each other, even from just a few minutes old,' says Liz Attenborough, Manager of Talk to Your Baby, the campaign run by the National Literacy Trust.
'Babies are born sociable and they need someone to socialise with. Hold them fairly close and they will seek out your eyes. The baby will recognise your voice from the start, so just talking provides reassurance and comfort.'
Baby talk
Talking to your baby from the day he or she is born will not only strengthen your bond, it will also help them to develop conservation and language skills, teaching them how to talk and listen.
Never be stuck for things to say to your child. Talk them through what you are doing as you bath or feed them. According to the Literary Trust, verbal communication is crucial for the following reasons:
- Talking helps your child learn to talk. From listening to your voice your baby will pick up words and learn to talk.
- Talking stimulates your baby's brain, making them more susceptible to learning.
- Your child will learn important language skills that form the foundation for later reading and writing.
- Social skills and good relationships are developed through talking.
- Talking shows love and respect. While increasing your bond with them, it enhances your child's self-confidence. 'Children who are able to understand others and express their thoughts and feelings are more likely to have good relationships with other people and strong self-esteem,' explains Liz Attenborough.
Learn to listen
'Communication is about teaching your baby to listen,' says Attenborough.
Listening helps social and educational development. When you talk to baby it is important that you leave a pause for them to reply, even if it's through a smile or a gurgle. These are baby's first attempts at words. Learning to listen helps teach the art of two-way conversation.
'Leave pauses for reply. These early babbles are the response and are really a pre-cursor for conversation. Their facial muscles will soon develop to form a smile (5-6 weeks), he or she will then be able to move their mouth to imitate your mouth,' explains Attenborough.
'The hardest thing for any parent to give the child is verbal space, even if it's space to do some gurgling. We have the innate ability to talk but have to learn how to do it.
'It's not just about developing the art of conversation; teaching baby to listen sharpens their hearing skills. They can learn to read if they can distinguish sounds.'
Singing to baby
If you are rusty on your nursery rhymes, it's time to get a CD and brush up on your Twinkle, Twinkle and Bye-Bye Baby. 'It doesn't matter what you sing as long as it is gentle and calm. It's your voice, so any song will do,' says Attenborough.
The baby voice
Parents of any language almost automatically start talking in a higher-pitched, 'baby voice' to infants. 'It makes thing easier for babies to take things on board. It's all about the tone and short light phrases, but don't make up silly names or talk nonsense.'
Body language
Clapping actions to a nursery rhyme and hand gestures are all part of communicating and can help baby remember things. 'They form part of memory, stimulating the neural pathways,' explains Attenborough.
Some experts believe that all babies have their own universal body language. 'There are many movements which appear to be universal, suggesting we are born with them, such as a look of surprise. On top of those is a series of learned expressions which can be different from culture to culture,' says Dr Peter Bull, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of York.
Toys and props
Toys are an important way of helping babies think 'outside themselves' and, as a parent, you are your own child's favourite playmate.
'Toys help them to extend their range. Books are a fabulous resource from early on and they give you something to talk about. It's never boring to read the same book, especially when it has a funny or happy ending to anticipate,' says Liz Attenborough.
Touch
'Attachment to the primary carer is so important and touch is a vital part of the 'security blanket'. Speech and language therapists say baby massage is a wonderful way to encourage communication, for example.'
Baby cues
Babies speak their own language, but any new parent will be able to respond to a particular cry, whether its tiredness, fear or hunger. Crying is one of the main ways in which a baby communicates.