My baby just started talking.  I listen to her babble away for hours on end amazed at what she is saying!  Sometimes she is talking about “wooooolfs” and then about “highhhhhs.”  It takes some knowledge of baby talk to catch all the amazing things she is saying, but it’s great to have a conversation with someone that doesn’t have anything negative to say!

I said I would never ever talk “baby talk” to my child, and then I had one.  You know what I mean when I say baby talk; the high-pitched google gaagle noises that you make at adorable little things that don’t have the capabilities to actually form words and tell you how ridiculous you sound.  Baby talk isn’t just for babies; I have heard baby talk talked to dogs, cats, inanimate objects, and even other adults – which is a little scary.  I was completely caught off guard when out of the blue one day I started emitting high-pitched ohdedoes to my little one.

Then she looked up at me and smiled the biggest smile.  That did it.  I was hooked and the baby talk continued.  I am a closet baby talker, only doing it in the privacy of my own home and even then, using a hushed high-pitched voice and sometimes looking over my shoulder to make sure no one is watching.  Sometimes I get carried away and it gets a little out of hand.  It’s hard not to gurgle and coo at an adorable little thing that smiles and makes sweet noises back to you in response.

There was a time that I looked down on baby talkers, and then I joined the crew.  I am realizing that my baby likes the sound of my high-pitched squealing and talking which encourages her to “talk” back to me.  She rolls her tongue around her mouth, practices different pitches, and experiments with sound level.  It helps her to understand the idea of a conversation and encourages her to listen and then speak – a great skill to have later when she really starts talking!  Any kind of motivation that assists with creating good conversational skills is a great start with a baby, and that includes talking to your baby in baby talk.

It’s a good idea to make sure you aren’t going crazy with the baby talk.  If you find yourself still talking in baby talk to adults when you are out in public, you are doing too much baby talking.  Try to cut back and use your regular speaking voice more often when chatting with baby.  More importantly, if you start referring to your significant other with an ooohy goooey baby talk name, it’s time to cut out the baby talk completely – unless they like it! 

Babies go through lot of developmental growth in the first couple months.  This is a magical time and full of tons of exciting moments.  Take advantage of it all and don’t get caught up worrying about if you look silly, sound silly, or are behaving silly!  Have fun with your baby, and if that includes baby talking, then so be it!  Baby talk away – I wont laugh at you!