During these months, your baby might say "mama" or "dada" for the first time, and will communicate using body language, like nodding and shaking his or her head. Your baby will pay even more attention to your words and will try very hard to imitate you - so be careful what you say!

How Does My Baby Communicate?

Your baby will be testing his or her verbal skills as he or she prepares for the big speaking debut. He or she will be making more and more recognizable sounds, such as "ga," "ba," and "da." He or she may even stumble onto a real word like "mama," and will be thrilled at your excitement.

Your baby will begin to express likes and dislikes with body language, nodding in agreement or wrinkling his or her nose with displeasure. Your baby will also begin to communicate what he or she wants by pointing, crawling, and gesturing. You'll know that your baby understands what you say to him or her when you ask: "Where's Daddy?" and he or she looks his way, or you say: "Go find the blue ball," and he or she crawls right to it. Your baby should already respond well to his or her own name, and he or she should look up (and at least pause) when you firmly say, "NO!"

By the end of his or her first year, your baby should be responding well to simple requests from you ("Wave bye-bye") and should be making some valiant babbling attempts at real conversation.

What Should I Do?

Continue talking to your baby using names as well as repetitive word games, like "This little piggy." Ask your baby: "What's that?" and pause before you provide the answer. Soon your baby will be pointing and saying, "Bah?" (for example), as though he or she were asking a question.

Labeling simple objects during the course of the day reinforces the message that everything has its own name. From your baby's milk in the morning to his or her teddy bear at night, he or she is learning what familiar objects are called and storing this information away, just waiting for the day when he or she can form the words on his or her own.

Make learning a whole body experience: Touch your baby's toe when you say the word "toe." Or point out your own ear and say, "Mommy's (or Daddy's) ear." Face your baby when you speak to let him or her see your facial expression and lip movements.

Be musical and sing to your baby to encourage language learning. By listening to the words, your baby will learn to recognize and repeat them. Throw in hand gestures and vary the style and tempo of the music to keep your baby's attention. He or she will also respond to rhymes, which show your baby how playful language can be.

Read to your baby from large, colorful picture books, and encourage him or her to turn the pages. Give your baby a chance to "read," and allow time for him or her to "answer" your questions.

Should I Be Concerned?

Some children master motor skills earlier and easier than language skills. Very active kids may decide to concentrate on language after they've mastered walking. Both activities are not likely to happen at the same time.

If your baby seems to be a late talker, this isn't necessarily a cause for concern, although he or she should say at least one word by 12-15 months of age. Your baby should also learn to use gestures such as waving and should point to objects or pictures.

On the other hand, if your baby doesn't seem to be able to respond to the sound of his or her name being called or doesn't look around at loud noises, talk to your child's doctor.

Updated and reviewed by: Barbara Homeier, MD
Date reviewed: January 2005
Originally reviewed by: Steve Dowshen, MD