By Jamell Andrews
During the first six months of a child’s life, parents go
through virtually every conceivable emotion, from elation, to frustration, to
hope, to terror. But there is one that stands above all the rest: The pure
elation you feel when you begin to truly communicate with their little one.
During the very early weeks of the baby’s life, parents are busy taking care of
all the baby’s needs, but it is not until a little later that the back-and-forth,
loving communication becomes tangible. And when this happens, it is one of the
highlights of any parent’s life.
For first-time parents, it can be difficult to know exactly
what to expect from a child during the first six months. Every child is different.
Plus, new parents who have limited experience with infants often imagine that
back-and-forth communication begins immediately after birth. Many are surprised
to discover that a newborn cannot make eye contact and barely responds to
stimuli. This phase is short-lived, however, and the magic of parent-child
communication comes soon.
The first three months
Of course, newborn babies do communicate, as new parents
quickly learn. Newborns cry for several reasons, including hunger, sleepiness,
hot, cold, stomachache, and discomfort. And while the crying tends to be rather
subdued right after birth, it tends to pick up after a couple of days-usually
right around the time baby comes from the hospital. From this point, the baby’s
communication is steady crescendo of crying that usually peaks after two or
three months. For many parents this is the period of greatest frustration and
lost sleep. But it passes.
The second month is when the magic really begins. That is
when you can expect to see your child smile for the first time, and if you are
lucky she may even begin to smile in response to you. Around the same time, the
baby will begin to make non-crying vocalizations. By the third month these
vocalizations will become recognizable speechlike sounds (lots of “boos,”
“goos,” “ha’s”), and soon she will begin to make these sounds in response to
your speech. Meanwhile, she will no longer have trouble making eye contact with
you.
During this time, the best thing to do is follow your baby’s
lead. Whenever the baby is in the mood to smile and baby talk, go along with
her. Get close, make eye contact (she will see you best if you place your face
1-2 feet from hers), and talk to her. You can say real words to her, sing her
songs, or even imitate her vocalizations. The key is to make it a communicative
activity. When she is in the mood, she will love it.
The second three months
If you thought those first smiles and early baby talk were
exciting, wait until you experience what happens next. Around the fourth month,
you can expect your baby’s first laugh. Younger babies often make laugh-like
sounds, but these sounds are generally not in response to anything in
particular. In these later months, however, your baby will begin to laugh at
things you do. And when he is in the mood to be entertained, it is your job to
be the entertainer. Let go of your inhibitions and figure out what makes him
happy. You may sometimes feel you are making a fool of yourself, but it is
worth it.
The other exciting development in these months is that your
child will begin to understand speech a little better. He will not be able to
understand sentences or make words himself, but he will definitely learn his
name along with a few basic words. Meanwhile, his own vocalizations will begin
to sound more like real speech. Do not expect real words, though. That will
take another year or so.
You can help by continuing your conversations with your
baby. Again, these can involve real words, baby talk, or even songs. Supplement
the speech learning with books. He may not be very engaged with them, but he
will enjoy your voice, and the activity will get him used to hearing a variety
of words. Outside your reading, though, it is best to keep speech simple. Speak
with simple words and sentences, and be sure to enunciate everything clearly.
This will help your baby get a grasp on speech a little more quickly.
Jamell Andrews is an accomplished writer who believes in the
power of homeopathic
medicine. She is a regular contributor to Baby
Care Journals.
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