Infants communicate with crying , sounds , and nonverbal cues such as smiles and grimaces , movements such as kicking their legs , and gestures like pointing , nodding , and shaking their heads . Babies also communicate with squeals , laughter , and babble !
Here are some tips to encourage communication with your baby :
1 . Respond quickly and warmly to cries . If you ’ re worried about spoiling him , don ’ t .
Research shows it ’ s okay to pick up your baby every time he cries . Babies cry differently depending on need , and you ’ ll soon learn how to discern between a hunger cry and a scared cry , for example . Whether he needs feeding or just a bit of attention , responding every time he cries will help him feel safe , and that ’ s good for brain development . 2 . Talk and sing to your baby often . Again , researchers say this boosts your baby ’ s brain power ! The more words he hears , the greater her vocabulary will be . 3 . Read to her often . She may not understand what you ’ re saying , but she will enjoy listening to your voice , and this helps her appreciate language early on . Reading aloud daily to baby builds a wonderful habit very early that you ’ ll want to continue throughout childhood , and possibly into adulthood ! 4 . Copy her sounds and gestures . Hold a “ conversation ” with her by imitating her verbalizations and pausing for her to “ answer .” This “ back and forth ” is modeling good communication skills .
5 . Use a warm , happy voice when talking to your baby .