Reading to a baby is about exposing them to different words and patterns than what you get from normal speech.
If you want my advice, talk to them constantly as if you are the narrator, and smile and make eye contact at every opportunity.
Not sure if this applies before birth. It couldnt hurt, so I suggest reading whatever you like to read. And make sure its something that the mother wants to hear, assuming you arent her.
If you want my advice, talk to them constantly as if you are the narrator, and smile and make eye contact at every opportunity.
This is great advice.
I’ve always done this, and my kids all started talking surprisingly early.
But my motive is just that it calms them.
Some baby fussiness comes from insecurity, and I find that a running narration makes them more relaxed about being set down and returned to - that kind of thing.
Basically they get the same comfort from my narration as I get from leaving the TV running when I’m alone in the house.
I don’t know (or worry about) if it really makes any serious long term difference - but it was occasionally convenient as heck when they could tell me what they wanted a bit earlier than I (or anyone) expected them to.
With my last kid, I felt more brave and also mixed in some singing, and think they are more musically inclined because of it.
Both of my kids were communicating with body language by like 3 weeks. For example I could say “do you want a bottle?” And they would get all excited, or not, if they werent hungry.
And I noticed with both kids the first thing they figured out was how to return a smile. Strangers get a kick out of it when an infant looks them in the eye and smiles.
Part of this is that you have to pay attention to them and respond. The feedback is what helps them learn fast, which they cant get from TV.
(I dint have anything anything against TV, just saying its not a substitute for human interaction)
They are 4 and 7 now and both have always had a surprisingly large vocabulary and speak clearly for their age.
Reading to a baby is about exposing them to different words and patterns than what you get from normal speech.
If you want my advice, talk to them constantly as if you are the narrator, and smile and make eye contact at every opportunity.
Not sure if this applies before birth. It couldnt hurt, so I suggest reading whatever you like to read. And make sure its something that the mother wants to hear, assuming you arent her.
This is great advice.
I’ve always done this, and my kids all started talking surprisingly early.
But my motive is just that it calms them.
Some baby fussiness comes from insecurity, and I find that a running narration makes them more relaxed about being set down and returned to - that kind of thing.
Basically they get the same comfort from my narration as I get from leaving the TV running when I’m alone in the house.
I don’t know (or worry about) if it really makes any serious long term difference - but it was occasionally convenient as heck when they could tell me what they wanted a bit earlier than I (or anyone) expected them to.
With my last kid, I felt more brave and also mixed in some singing, and think they are more musically inclined because of it.
Im 100% sure it makes a difference.
Both of my kids were communicating with body language by like 3 weeks. For example I could say “do you want a bottle?” And they would get all excited, or not, if they werent hungry. And I noticed with both kids the first thing they figured out was how to return a smile. Strangers get a kick out of it when an infant looks them in the eye and smiles.
Part of this is that you have to pay attention to them and respond. The feedback is what helps them learn fast, which they cant get from TV.
(I dint have anything anything against TV, just saying its not a substitute for human interaction)
They are 4 and 7 now and both have always had a surprisingly large vocabulary and speak clearly for their age.
Please demonstrate the prenatal eye contact, I dare you.
Hold my beer, I’m going in