Now that your baby is approaching one year of age, you’re probably desperate to know what his first word will be. In fact, if he’s an early talker, you may already know. Over the next few months, your baby will be developing language skills and learning new words. This will happen naturally, but there are things you can do to compliment this natural process. Here are a few things you can do to teach your one year old to talk:

1. Repeat words

Perhaps unsurprisingly, repetition is important for helping your baby to grasp new words. You should make an effort to repeat words throughout the day. This could be as simple as saying the word ‘drink’ when you pass your baby his sippy cup or naming the toys he is playing with. Hearing the words over and over again will make it easier for him to learn the names of things.

2. Take your time

If you want your child to learn to talk, you need to provide him with the opportunity to practice new words. This means you need to stop second-guessing him, finishing his sentences and answering for him. Instead, take your time and wait to see what he has to say.

3. Always respond

Your child’s early attempts at conversation are important and you can build his confidence by responding positively. Always chatter back to your baby, even when you have no idea what he’s saying (this will happen a lot, it does not mean you’re a terrible mom). Expand on what your child tells you. Your child may master simple words soon and you can repeat these words back to him and include them in a sentence. This will help him to understand the next stage of language development.

4. Cut out background noise

Turn the television off, switch off the radio and spend some time each day really focused on your baby. You might be surprised to discover just how much you miss when you’re distracted by background noise. Give your baby your complete and undivided attention and strike up a conversation.

Has your baby said his first word yet?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

What is baby talk?

Baby talk is that hideously annoying thing you hear other parents doing sometimes which is totally adorable and perfectly acceptable when you do it with your own kids. When speaking to babies, you may find yourself drawing out your vowel sounds, speaking in a high-pitched voice and using words like ‘gigi’ instead of ‘horse’. That’s baby talk.

Baby talk is often referred to as ‘motherese’. It sounds sexist, but researchers have found that moms are more likely than dads to use baby talk. Baby talk may be a little embarrassing in public, but it could have great benefits for your baby’s developing brain.

One study found that baby talk boosted language development. Babies who frequently heard baby talk spent more time babbling. Participants were followed up a little while later and those babies who heard the most baby talk had grown into the toddlers with the biggest vocabularies.

If the thought of whipping out your best baby talk at the grocery store fills you with dread, worry not. Baby talk was found to have the biggest impact on language development when it was used in a one-on-one situation. This attentive environment heightens learning and allows babies to babble back. So there’s no need to go public with your motherese, you can keep it as your little secret for now.

How to help your baby learn to talk

If you’re keen to encourage your baby to talk, you could try the following:

• Motherese – as explained above, spending one-on-one time conversing with your baby using baby talk could be beneficial for language development.

• Chat – it doesn’t have to be baby talk, but your baby needs to hear lots of words to aid language development. The more you talk to your baby, the more opportunity he has for learning.

• Books – if you’re struggling for conversation with your baby (it’s not easy when they don’t chat back), reach for a storybook. You can read the story or simply discuss what you see in the pictures. Either way, your baby will be benefiting from listening to you talk.

• Respond – it may sound like your baby is randomly making hilarious noises, but that babble is his early attempts at conversation. Chat to him by repeating the sounds back to him.

• Focus – background noise can make it difficult for babies to concentrate. Make sure you spend quality time in a quiet environment each day together. Turn off the television so your baby can really focus on the sounds you make.

What steps do you take to encourage your baby’s language development?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

“BaBaBaBa”

“MaMaMaMa”

“DaDaDaDa”

Have you started hearing some of these syllables on repeat yet? Or what about your baby blowing raspberries or making bubbles with his or her mouth? You’ve probably even noticed your little one babbling incoherently, repeating sounds you aren’t even sure how they figured out.

Rest assured, this is all totally normal at this age! Your baby is starting to understand his or her ability to make these noises, and they are delighted by the fact that they are able to put on their own concert of sorts just by using their mouth! It’s actually a great sign, because it is the beginning of language development. And sure, it can be exciting to hear those dadas and mamas, but they probably aren’t talking to you just yet—instead, they are simply repeating the syllables they’ve figured out along the way.

Soon enough, though, your little one will be looking you right in the eye, reaching out and offering up a “Dada” or “Mama” that is impossible to mistake!

Until then, look at this repetition of sounds as your baby’s way of practicing. The babbling can be a bit annoying at times, especially when the same sounds are on repeat for hours at a time, but just remember that it is all part of your baby’s learning curve. And if your little one is repeating those sounds at night, when you would prefer he or she were sleeping, look at the bright side: they aren’t crying, and they are actually probably doing a pretty good job of entertaining themselves with the exploration of those noises.

Try engaging your little one in a conversation as they practice those noises. Let them babble first, and then you talk back as though they have said something coherent, before pausing to give them a chance to respond. Your baby will be thrilled with this game, and it is another great way to help him or her with language development, as well as with social abilities.

Over time, your baby will latch onto a new set of sounds to repeat as they continue to explore the capabilities of their mouth and vocal chords. And before you know it, those sounds will morph into actual words—words your baby is saying with intention in an effort to communicate with you. Enjoy this process, as it goes by faster than you might think. Someday soon, you may find you miss that repetition of raspberries your little one had become so good at making!

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.