Talking about everyday activities

Using everyday opportunities to develop your baby’s language

Perhaps your baby is responding now to your gestures, to your facial expressions and to the familiar sounds of your voice close to their hearing aid/cochlear implant processor. At this young age, your child may not know what your words mean. Repeated use of the same short phrases in similar situations will eventually get a response. Be patient!

Your baby may look your way when you say their name if you are very close to them. Or, if your baby is already looking at you, they might become more attentive when you say their name. Babies almost always welcome a familiar face by responding with a smile, cheerful babbling and open arms.

There is no better time to talk to a baby than when you are taking care of their needs. You have their undivided attention, and they have yours. When you are feeding, bathing, dressing or changing your baby, you are close to them. It is easy for your baby to see your face and hear your voice.

Right now, your baby might be too young to see or understand much beyond themselves, but when you are caring for your baby, you are doing things they understand best. Your baby is more likely to be interested at this time than when you are doing things that are not related to them. That is why you should talk to your baby while you’re caring for their needs.

Talk about the things you are doing for your baby. That way, the meaning of the words you use over and over in the same situations will get through to your baby more quickly than if you talked about things they do not know or things they cannot see.

Keep in mind that your baby is trying to communicate with you, too. Observe your baby as often as possible, especially during those “caring activities” when you are close to them. Try to anticipate what your baby is trying to communicate to you. See if you can “read” their attempts at communication — their facial expressions, gestures and body language. Respond appropriately with actions AND words. Communication with your baby is a two-way street.

We will now take a look at ways you could talk to your baby during some typical everyday activities. Our suggestions should give you some idea about things you could say during these – and other – everyday activities.

Feeding your baby

Feeding is a lovely opportunity for you to communicate with your baby. Your child is close to your body and can feel you when you are talking. It’s a time of very close proximity and there is opportunity to encourage your baby to look at your face. It’s a lovely time to bond with your baby. For older babies, you can talk about how the food tastes, where she is sitting (high chair, your lap), or whatever is happening at the moment that has your baby’s attention. Here are some starters:

• “Mmmm!”
• “Here’s your bottle.”
• “Drink from the cup.”
• “Open your mouth.”
• “That tastes good!”
• “It’s hot.”
• “It’s all gone.”
• “Here’s more.”

Bathing your baby

Keep the conversation going while you give your baby a bath. Remember to speak face-to-face or close to your baby’s ear. Always remove any technology before bath time unless it is waterproof. Some phrases you use include:

• “Here’s the soap.”
• “Feel the water.”
• “Splash, splash.”
• “It’s warm.”
• “See the bubbles.”
• “Wash your face.”
• “Wash your toes.”

If your baby resists your efforts to bathe them or shampoo their hair,  respond to their reaction. You might say, “You don’t like that, do you?” or “You don’t like to have your hair washed.” In this way, you’re giving your baby words for their feelings while they are experiencing them. You’re responding to what is happening and to what your baby is feeling. Your sympathy and response to your baby’s feelings may help them become more willing to be bathed.

Your baby may not be able to hear you and will not understand all your words, but if your face is animated and reflects what you are saying, your baby will begin to understand and it will definitely be a more positive experience. Continue to talk even if it is a time when your child is not wearing their technology – eg bath time. Don’t ever let the absence of your child’s hearing aids being in or cochlear implants being on stop you from talking to them.

Dressing your baby

Talk about the clothes you are putting on or taking off. You might say things to your baby like:

• “Here’s your hat.”
• “Put it on.”
• “Here are your shoes.”
• “What a pretty dress!”
• “It’s a nice warm coat.”
• “Let’s take off your socks.”
• “Take it off.”

If your baby resists being dressed or undressed, talk about their feelings. Ease your baby into her clothes. As with bathing, you might see your baby’s attitude change when they know you understand how they feel.

Changing your baby

This is a great time to establish trust and confidence. Many babies give the most social eye contact when they are being changed. It is an excellent time for face-to-face interaction. After your baby is changed and relaxed, take a moment just to enjoy interacting with them as you help them to learn. Try some interactive games like cooing to each other or making faces at each other. It will only take a moment, but it will leave both of you smiling.

As with other “caring” activities, this is a chance to pat and stroke your baby. Let them know by your touch that they are valued and loved. Add a smiling face and soothing words, and your baby will respond. If your baby babbles, you have a chance to respond with a smile and a gentle pat, and it is a chance to imitate their babbling sounds close to their ear, too.

Picking up your baby

How many times do you pick up your baby each day? These moments are excellent times to use the word ‘up’. Over time, your baby will learn to associate the word ‘up’ with the action. Say, ‘Up you go’ into their microphone. Repeat it when your baby looks right at you. You could also use your baby’s name, eg ‘Up you go, Katie’.

Babbling – the beginning of speech

Your baby also has a built-in noisemaker — their voice.  When your baby babbles and coos, they are playing a game with their voice. Babbling is a necessary step in language and speech development.

Respond to your baby’s babbles!

Remember, it is extremely important for your child to get a response to their babbling.  If you respond to your baby by listening to and imitating their vocal sounds, they will continue to practise using their voice. If a deaf baby who has a hearing loss does not get a response when they babble, they will soon stop making the sounds.

Babbling is a necessary step in language and speech development.  Perfectly articulated adult speech sounds are not the goal for right now.  Let’s encourage your baby to vocalise and babble!

If your baby babbles, you can:

• show them that you are listening by giving them a smile
• imitate their babbling sounds
• give positive feedback with hugs and smiles

While babbling and vocalising, your baby is learning to use their voice!  Intelligible speech begins with these early steps.

Ways to encourage babbling

Things to think about when you are playing with your baby:

• Are you getting close to the microphone of the hearing aid/processor to make your voice clearer?
• Are you talking and singing to your baby using an interesting and varied voice to keep their interest?
• Can your baby see your face when you are communicating with them?
• Are you talking through daily routines together – dressing, feeding, nappy changing, bathing?
• Are you using words with your actions to help your baby make the connections between sound and something happening?

Some key ideas:

• Get good eye contact before talking to your baby.
• Always respond to your baby’s attempts to communicate.
• Encourage your baby to babble, give them a smile, and imitate their sounds. Your baby likes the sound and feel of their own voice and may imitate what they see, hear or feel.
• Talk to your baby about everything you are doing!
• Most babies learn to talk because they are talked to and played with in meaningful contexts, like feeding, changing and dressing.
• Repeat phrases frequently in the same situations, so your child can make connections between words and actions.