TALK TO ME, MOMMY !
Babies are so hard-wired to learn language, they start eavesdropping in the womb"Newborn can't lift their heads, turn over or successfully reach for an object, but they can listen," says psychologist Dr. Janet Werker, research director of the Infant Studies Centre: Speech and Language Processing in Vancouver. As evidence that even foetuses listen in discriminating fashion, Werker notes that newborn choose to listen longer to songs and stories they heard in the womb, suggesting that they remember and recognize them. Both breastfed and bottle-fed babies suck more strongly when listening to familiar sounds than unfamiliar ones, and that has allowed researchers to prove that babies prefer the sound of their mother's voice over all others
Understand Your Baby
Hands - At a few weeks old, your baby's hands will unfurl from their clenched position. A child with open, loosely held hands is usually happy and relaxed, and ready for some interaction. If, however, her fingers are splayed or she is holding her hands in closed fists, she may be irritated or in some discomfort.Feet - Your baby's feet are often reliable indicators of pain. An extended big toe or a foot pointing stiffly towards the floor can suggest acute pain.
Holding conversation with your baby - ' Mothers and babies can enjoy conversation from very early on, ' say Dr. Sue Roulstone from the Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit at the North Bristol NHS Trust. 'When your baby is relaxed and happy and making noises, just watch, listen and smile. When your baby pauses, talk softly, "Are you talking to me? Are you telling me a story?" If you then pause and wait, watch and smile, your baby will start to talk again, taking a turn in the conversation. These protoconversations help babies learn to listen and take turns, which are very important skills in communication. The conversations are also great fun for both babies and mums.'
Babbling or talking? - There may be more to baby babbling than just meets the ear. Scientists in America have discovered strong evidence that early baby sounds are linked to language formation. A baby's ' language center ' is on the left-hand side of her brain, which controls the right side of the face. During their studies, the US scientists found that babies' mouths opened wide on the right side during babbling, as if she's talking, whereas both sides of the mouth opened equally wide when the babies made non-babbling noises!
Baby sign language - One of the most frustrating things about being a baby must be the huge scope for adults to misunderstand what you're trying to tell them! Now you can teach your baby to talk to you non-verbally - and this can be especially helpful from around the age of nine months into toddlerhood. It's thought that many two-year-old tantrums arise from the inability of toddlers to communicate effectively, which is understandable. How would you feel if you could understand every word said to you, but couldn't reply? Developmental psychologist Dr. Gwyneth Dohetry-Sheddon says, " Encouraging infants and toddlers to use baby sign language can actually speed up language acquisition. It improves communication and has many benefits for a child's social and behavioural development. Once babies become more proficient signers, we often see them making up their own signs for new things. It's very exciting for parents to see their children's communication skills flourish. Non-verbal communication is an important part of early development, and using baby signing with your baby builds upon that." There are classes to teach you how to sign with your baby, but there's nothing to stop you from devising your own sing language at home. As long as you pass it on to your baby's other carers, there' no need for her to learn a universally used set of signs. If, for instance, you habitually touch your hand to your lips when you ask your baby, 'Are you hungry?' she'll learn that touching her own lips is likely to result in some food. You can follow this principle to communicate lots of things. Here are a few examples: ● Shake your head emphatically whenever you say 'no' to your baby
● Make a ' C ' shape with your hand (as if holding a cup) while asking, 'Are you thirsty? '
● Make praying hands, then open them and say, 'Book'.
● Stroke the back of your hand while saying the name of your family pet.
● Pat your own bottom and say, 'Dirty happy' as you change your baby.
● Hold out your arms to your baby and ask, 'Cuddle?'
● Claps your hands to your heart whenever you say, 'I love you.'
The key is to be consistent. Don't for instance, stroke the back of your hand unless you're mentioning your pet's name - and don't mention your pet without stroking the back of your hand. In this way, you'll teach your baby that each important word has an accompanying action that can be used instead. Babies are quick to learn, and you'll be amazed how soon you can build up really effective communication
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