Babbles, coos and first words: your questions answered

Long before your baby says a first word, they are working hard at language. Every coo, gurgle, squeal and shouty babble is practice. Here are the questions parents ask most often about early talking, with straightforward answers.

When do babies start making sounds?

From birth, crying is your baby's first way of telling you something. Many babies begin cooing, soft vowel sounds like oo and ah, somewhere around 6 to 8 weeks. Over the next few months you may hear laughs, squeals, raspberries and experiments with volume. These are all part of learning how mouth, breath and voice work together.

What is babbling, and when does it start?

Babbling is when babies string consonants and vowels together: ba-ba-ba, da-da, ma-ma-ma. It often begins somewhere around 6 months and becomes more varied over the following months, sometimes with the rise and fall of real speech, as if your baby is telling you a long story. Early ma-ma and da-da are usually practice sounds rather than names, but they soon take on meaning, especially as you respond with delight.

When will my baby say a first word?

Many babies say a first word around their first birthday, with some a little before and some a few months after. A first word is any sound your baby uses consistently for the same thing. It might not sound like the adult word: ba for ball or bottle, or a special sound for the dog, counts.

Understanding comes before speaking. By around 12 months many babies respond to their name, understand simple words like no or bye-bye, and use gestures such as waving, lifting their arms to be picked up or pointing.

How can I help my baby learn to talk?

You do not need flashcards or special programmes. You already have what your baby needs most: your voice and your attention.

• Narrate your day. Now we are putting on your sock. One sock, two socks. It feels silly; it works.
• Take turns. When your baby babbles, answer, then pause and let them reply.
• Copy and add. If they say ba, you say ba, ball, big red ball.
• Read, sing and pray aloud. Rhymes, songs and short board books build rhythm and vocabulary. Your baby loves your voice more than any recording.
• Turn off background noise. A television on in the background makes it harder for babies to pick out speech.
• Use your home language. If you speak more than one language at home, keep using them. Babies can learn more than one language, and the language you feel most natural in is often the richest one for your baby.

Does a dummy affect speech?

Many babies use a dummy for settling, and that is fine. As your baby grows, it can help to keep it mainly for sleep times, so their mouth is free for babbling and chatting during the day. Your health visitor can talk this through with you.

When should I mention a concern?

Speak to your health visitor, clinic or doctor if your baby:

• Does not startle at loud noises in the early weeks, or does not turn towards sounds and voices as the months go on.
• Is not cooing or making sounds by around 3 to 4 months.
• Is not babbling by around 9 months.
• Does not respond to their name, use gestures such as waving or pointing, or seem to understand simple words by around 12 months.
• Loses sounds, words or gestures they used to have.
• Has frequent ear infections, or you have any worry at all about their hearing.

Hearing can be tested at any age, even in tiny babies, and it is one of the first things professionals will check. Early support for speech and hearing makes a real difference, so never wait for a worry to go away on its own.

Is there anything special about hearing my baby's voice?

Yes. Every coo is a reminder that this child is a person, with their own voice and their own way of reaching out to you. “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3). Your baby is a gift entrusted to you, and each babble is part of that gift unwrapping, slowly, over the months.

One day soon you will hear a sound that is unmistakably meant for you. Until then, keep talking. You are your baby's favourite teacher.

A prayer for a growing voice

Lord, thank You for my baby's voice and every new sound they make. Help me listen well, respond with joy and speak words of life over them every day. If anything needs help, give us wisdom to seek it early. Amen.