Shine the Light: Communicating with your baby Published April 24, 2015 By Brandy Povec New Parent Support Program Nurse TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, OKLAHOMA -- "Why should I talk to my baby? She doesn't understand what I'm saying!" -- a statement occasionally heard by Family Advocacy New Parent Support nurses. The importance of talking, reading and singing to your baby cannot be overstated. Early speech and language skills are associated with success in developing reading, writing, and interpersonal skills, both in childhood and later on in life. Hearing words helps to build a vocabulary in a baby's brain. Children whose parents frequently talk and read to them, know more words by age two than children who have not been read to. Babies understand the general meaning of what you are saying prior to building a vocabulary themselves. In addition to teaching babies about communication, verbal interaction introduces concepts such as numbers, letters, colors and shapes in a fun way. It sets the building blocks for listening, memory, and vocabulary skills, and imparts information about the world around them. Of course parents are busy, and it's often tempting to just rush through the tasks of daily living, but you can often take advantage of these activities. Communication can be a happy part of your daily routine with baby. Diaper changes, feeding and bath time can be great opportunities to talk to or sing songs to infants. It can provide a distraction and makes the whole process more fun for both of you. Driving in the car can offer more chances to talk or sing to your child. While obviously you would need to forgo the normal face to face contact, it's still a wonderful opportunity to interact. Let's not forget feeding time. You can make up little songs or poems about the food, the spoon, the bottle, etc. Your baby will enjoy it, and it doesn't matter in the least if you can't carry a tune. Your baby won't know the difference. Remember to smile, and to respond to your infant's attempts to communicate with you. Reply to their baby talk and they will get the idea that they matter to you. Do your best, even though you might not have a clue what they are trying to tell you. Try to mirror their facial expression and gestures as well. Using baby talk does not impair their later ability to learn adult speech. Repeat simple words often, so your baby will begin to understand that objects and people have labels and will eventually come to grasp the connections. As you say the word, hold up the object, or point to the person as you say Mama or DaDa or the name of a sibling or even a pet. Reading stories and nursery rhymes should be included in bedtime routines for infants and children. Besides the intellectual benefits, it's a pleasant way for both of you to unwind and relax at the end of a hectic day. At each well-baby checkup, ask your medical provider about your baby's speech and be sure to bring up concerns about any possible speech or hearing problems. If you are part of the Family Advocacy New Parent Support Program, ask your nurse. To find out how to enroll in New Parent Support, call 582-6604.