When do babies say their first word?

General Discussions Forum
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I think my 5-month-old baby said “mama” yesterday. She’s been making baby noises for a while, but this sounded clearer. My partner and I keep saying “mama” and “dada” to her, hoping she’ll copy us. I checked online and it says babies usually start saying words around 9-12 months old. When did your baby start talking?

Also, my mother-in-law believes if the baby says “mama” first, we’ll have a girl next, and if she says “dada” first, we’ll have a boy. So, I guess we’re destined to have another baby, according to her!

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Around 6 months old, my baby began saying “mama” and “baba,” but it didn’t seem like she knew what they meant. Now that she’s 10 months old, it seems like she’s starting to understand that those are our names.

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Babies typically say their first word around the age of 12 to 18 months, although there is considerable variation among individual children. Some babies may utter their first word as early as 9 months, while others may not speak until closer to 2 years of age. The timing of a baby’s first word depends on various factors, including their language development, exposure to language, and individual temperament.

In the early months of life, babies begin to make cooing and babbling sounds as they explore and experiment with their vocal cords. Around 6 to 9 months of age, they may start to produce more consonant-vowel combinations, such as “ba-ba” or “ma-ma.” These early sounds are often referred to as babbling and serve as important precursors to speech.

As babies approach their first birthday, they may begin to associate specific sounds with objects, people, or actions in their environment. This is when they may utter their first recognizable word, such as “mama,” “dada,” “ball,” or “bye-bye.” It’s important to note that a baby’s first word may not always be clear or distinct, and it may take some time for parents and caregivers to recognize and interpret their child’s attempts at communication.

Encouraging language development through talking, reading, singing, and interactive play can help support a baby’s progress toward saying their first word. If parents have concerns about their child’s speech and language development, they should consult with a pediatrician or speech-language pathologist for guidance and support.

4

It’s always exciting to hear your baby start to vocalize and possibly say their first words!

Generally, babies begin to babble and make repetitive sounds like “mama” and “dada” around 6 to 9 months, and they may say their first clear word by 12 months.

However, every baby is unique, and some may start speaking earlier or later than this average.

As for the belief about predicting the gender of the next child based on whether a baby says “mama” or “dada” first, it’s a charming piece of folklore but doesn’t have scientific backing.

The first word a baby says is more about their individual development and the sounds they’re exposed to regularly.
It’s not an indicator of the gender of any future siblings.

It’s wonderful that you’re engaging with your baby and encouraging her language development by talking to her.

Keep enjoying these moments, and remember, whether it’s “mama” or “dada,” each baby’s first words are a special milestone in their growth.

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babies begin to talk and utter their first words around the age of 12 months. However, as previously mentioned, this timeline can vary from one child to another. You might also be curious about when babies start forming sentences.

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Babies typically begin their journey into speech during the first year of life. Here’s a month-by-month guide to your little one’s speech development:

Birth to 6 Months:
Babies listen from day one, associating sounds with their sources (like barking with the family dog).
Their initial communication is through crying, but soon they’ll use their tongue, lips, and palate to make gurgles and long vowel sounds (such as “oo,” “aa,” and “ee”)—precursors to those exciting first words.

By 4 weeks, they can distinguish between similar syllables like “ma” and “na.”
Around 2 months, they associate certain sounds with specific lip movements1.

4 to 6 Months:
At this stage, your baby’s sighs transform into babbling.
You’ll hear back-of-the-tongue consonant sounds (like “g” and “k”) and lip sounds (such as “m,” “w,” “p,” and “b”).

They’ll focus on familiar words like their own name, “mommy,” and “daddy” as clues to break up sentences.
Around 4.5 months, they may recognize their name, but only as an important word (like “Hi!” or “Bye!”). It’s not until 6 months, at the earliest, that they’ll realize their name refers to them

7 to 12 Months:
Babbling starts to sound more like words.
They intentionally repeat sounds (like “gaga”) over and over.
rewrite; Around 9 months, they understand gestures, pointing, and grunting to indicate their wants.

By 10 months, they gain more control and combine sounds, even inventing their own words.

Around 12 months, most babies say their first word, which could be a greeting (“hi” or “bye-bye”), names (“mama” or “dada”), pets (“doggy” or “kitty”), or food (“cookie,” “juice,” or “milk”)1.

Remember, each child’s development is unique, so these milestones serve as general guidelines. Enjoy celebrating every step of your baby’s language journey!

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Babies typically say their first word around 12 to 18 months of age, but this can vary widely from child to child. Some babies may start babbling and producing simple sounds as early as 6 months, while others may not say their first word until closer to 2 years old.

My baby Joy said her first worf after 13 months. I was excited for this milestone. But ahe didn’t say another word until after 15 months.

What i learnt is that parents should provide plenty of opportunities for language exposure and interaction, as well as to be patient and supportive as their child develops their language skills.

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Babies typically start saying their first words between 7 to 12 months of age. Around this time, they transition from babbling and making various sounds to intentionally using words with meaning