Earlier in the week we started looking at baby milestones. We looked at
baby gesturing and
baby eye contact.
Babies start talking way before they mutter their first "mama, dada, or cookie." Talking, for babies starts with very basic sounds, such as cooing, at around eight weeks. While cooing and small babble sounds may not sound much like words, this is a large developmental step for your baby. To make sounds (other than crying) your baby needs to use the back of her throat to make coos that sound like vowels (think ooooo, baa, ohhh, and ahh). These cooing sounds not only mean that your baby has learned to manage sounds, but that she is trying to communicate with you. Cooing will turn into babbling, which will eventually turn into words, so encouraging ongoing cooing is smart. Talk to your baby often, and especially talk back when she coos at you. Your baby loves to hear your voice, plus she'll want to talk back. Also, let's face it; how darn cute is cooing?
For more on baby communication read:
Is your little one cooing yet?
