Talk to your baby

When a child listens to words and has an opportunity to hear the names of phenomena, experiences or activities, he/she learns the meanings of words and ways of expressing his/her thoughts or feelings. We call this process "language nutrition" and science offers unequivocal evidence that this type of "nutrition" is very important for brain development, as well as overall child development.

Parents are, therefore, advised to talk to the baby, read stories, sing, name everything that they do or that the baby does, sees or experiences, from the first day of their child's life. The more parents repeat words and link them to actions and things in the baby's environment and experiences, the greater the baby's ability to learn. When such opportunities are few, and talking and words in the baby's environment are scarce, the opposite happens - the records in the brain fade and the ability to learn declines.

Here's what you can do to provide "language nutrition" to your baby:

  • keep in mind that talking is a two-way street - pay attention to how often you encourage your baby to talk to you, talk to your baby as often as possible, follow what he/she does and name it, respond when he/she addresses you or shows interest in something
  • whenever you are in contact with the baby, when you are rocking, cuddling, changing, bathing, playing - try to use a warm tone of voice when you address the baby. Respect the pace set by the baby: speak slowly and give your baby time to respond. Look the baby in the eyes and try to keep eye contact. Get your child's attention by changing the pitch or tempo of your speech.
  • follow the baby and his/her reactions during your conversation: when you notice that the baby is no longer actively involved, change the type of communication. When the baby looks away, be patient and give him/her a chance to take a break and "rejoin" the conversation. When he/she looks at you again, greet him/her with a smiling face and words of approval. When you notice that the baby no longer enjoys the exchange, or has had enough of talking - give him/her time to rest longer and an opportunity to change the activity.

When talking to your baby, turn off the TV, cell phone, and similar devices. Science suggests that speech that a baby just listens to is not stimulating enough.

On the other hand, keep in mind that the baby is the readiest for exploration and activity when he/she has your support and undivided attention. So let your conversations be situations that strengthen the bond between you.