First words?

Anna - posted on 08/19/2009

my daughter Fenix says "mama" "dada" "bye" "'gin" (for again) "ball" and "ok" i know she knows what they mean but she says them at the right times. like she only says ball if you show her a ball. and bye is someone is leaving. and 'gin when she wants me to do something again like jumping on the bed. lol

but kids always go at their own pace. i watch a 2 year old that says like a total of ten words.

Lisa - posted on 08/19/2009

mine says mama, dada, yeah, hiya, egg (dont know where she got this one from) and has recently started saying my mama, my dada soooo sweet! also lots of babbling and growling (honestly sometimes she sounds possesed)! she cant say no yet but she will sit there shaking her head at you to say no. x

Anisha - posted on 08/17/2009

My daughter says mama to my husband and dada to me!

Michelle - posted on 06/23/2009

Lily says DADA MAMA HI BYEBYE she also says baba meaning bath or swimming and she calls her brother gaga ...she' s starting putting things together also like byebye gaga and hi dada. i think it helps she's a second child plus my son started talking early and people find his vocab impressive still at 5

Danielle - posted on 06/23/2009

My son has been saying "da da da da" for a few months now, and finally a few weeks ago he was crying and crawling to me and he said "maaa maaa" it was so cute, but I am still not sure if he knows what is what. But when he sees a bottle and he wants it he starts getting all excited/angry yelling "BA BA BA BA" So I really think he knows what that is.

Kelly - posted on 06/20/2009

My daughter calls us both Baba and is trying to say Dada, with only occasional success. My son took much longer than 9 months, if I remember correctly. Closer to 1-year I think.

Amy - posted on 06/20/2009

my daughter is 8months old next week and her first word was da-da, she has been saying that for about a month now, she knows what it means too. also she can say hiya and yea. she does alot of babbling too but there the three main words she says alot. also my daughter knows what ta means and no thats naughty. all babies are different. for example i have a friend and her baby is 10months old and he is walking and talking now! good luck with evewrything best wishes amy x

Kat - posted on 06/20/2009

My daughter has been saying Ma-Ma, Ba-Ba, Da-Da since about 7 months. I think the Ma-Ma is intentional as she usually says it when she wakes up or is upset. When she is just babbling it is more sounds like Ba-Ba, Va-Va, Na-Na. But in reference to what Angie said about physical milestones, Emily has made very little interest at all in moving around, crawling. She can sit very well for great length of time, she feeds herself with her hands, but is a very observant baby & just likes to sit & watch. So maybe there is something in that.....
I just would like to know, when will she begin to understand "No" & "Leave it please"???

Evie - posted on 06/20/2009

My baby talking but since five months, saying 'ngak' (indonesian word for 'no'), no 'dada' or 'mama' yet. But since he is a mixed race baby, will he be able to speak fast?

Andrea - posted on 06/19/2009

Same here...my daughter spits and burbles a lot too...can't wait to hear mama or dada though...looking forward to it. I'm sure every baby has their own timeline!

Betsy - posted on 06/19/2009

Just another little tidbit: Babies often say dada first because that is the natural tongue sucking position but with their voice going. Usually they play around and when the happen across that sound we make a big deal of it, so they keep on doing it, and doing it, and doing it. Eventually they learn it actually means Daddy. On the other hand, making an "M" sound for mama is very difficult. So, when babies say dada first it isn't personal, just easier!

Brenda - posted on 06/19/2009

Our little one says "da da da da da da..." a LOT. He says other gurgle words and whispers, but his favorite thing right now is clicking his tongue.

He does know the meaning of a few words/signs, though... the one he knows the best is MILK! We catch him trying to sign it occasionally, but when you say it to him or sign it he looks around for mama and tries to climb on my lap to nurse. (:

Deanna - posted on 06/18/2009

Two weeks ago my son started saying "Da Da Da" and that was all we could get him to say. Just this week he started saying "Ma Ma Ma" and we don't hear "dada" anymore.

Corene - posted on 06/18/2009

my daughter says ma-ma, da-da, na-na and ba-ba
and honestly sometimes i think she knows what she means. . .
but others.. idk.
every child is so different.. i wouldnt worry about it. Burbels and spitting.. are milestones too, shes trying to get verbal.. just needs a little time. :)

Becky - posted on 06/18/2009

Hi Angie! OMG, I have been thinking about this for the last week or so. Lately my son has got to "talking" to himself a lot (which is better than crying) and he'll go like this FOREVER ... "da da da da da da da da da da da" - WAH! So I keep saying to him "ma ma ma ma ma ma." No luck there. He mostly just makes other weird (I mean delightful and wonderful) sounds with the occasional scream here and there to make sure his lungs are working. I'm sure your little angel baby is fine!

Angie - posted on 06/18/2009

Betsy - you just made my day a WHOLE lot better!!



Emily is doing a lot of babbling, I was just so concerned when I read that she should say "mama" and "dada" by 9 months! And she will be 8 months next week, and things change fast in a month, but I was not about to try to pressure her into talking...I want her to do it when she is ready. I also read that if a baby is ahead in her physical milestones (crawling, pulling hersrelf to stand, rolling over) then she may not be interested in the talking too much yet. Do you know if that is true? Emily rolled over both ways by 3 months, crawling at 6 months, and pulled herself to stand a week after...and now she is already trying to walk. She has also stood on her own momentarily too - it's so hard to keep up with her!! Thanks again for helping me, I feel so much better!!

Sara - posted on 06/18/2009

Great Info Betsy, thanks!



My daughter said "Dada" at about 7 months when my husband was changing her diaper one day. I knew that babies her age start to make consonant sounds without understanding their meaning, but he was convinced she knew what she was saying. I actually think he thinks I'm just mad because she said "dada" first. Silly husbands! Now I can actually give him info from an "expert". :)

Betsy - posted on 06/18/2009

As a speech-language pathologist in early intervention, I'm confident in saying "Don't worry!" Many parents mistake strings of babbling that sound like words as a baby's first words; however most babies begin comprehension of single simple words around 9 months (i.e. getting excited when you say bottle or milk, looking at the door when you mention Daddy coming home, etc.) and then say their first meaningful word closer to one year (usually mama or dada). Babies explore with making and copying sounds that we make but with no meaning behind it (we just assume it has meaning because we want it to so badly!) If your baby does say a single meaningful word at 9 months, that would be on the early side. But, if your baby hasn't said her first word by 18 months then talk to your pediatrician. Otherwise, just talk to your baby as often as possible and her language expression will come in time.

Shannah - posted on 06/18/2009

My daugther said momma first at about 7 months. Then a week or 2 after she started in with Da Da and she says that A LOT! Hardly ever hear momma anymore:( She also says Ba Ba and Va Va and all kinds of other little babbles:)

Sara - posted on 06/18/2009

My daughter says "Ma-Ma", "Da-da" and "ba-ba", and I think she knows what she's saying.

Cynthia - posted on 06/18/2009

All children go at their own pace. My three started speaking at very different ages. I wouldn't worry about it until after one. If shes still not saying some words clearly, you could have her hearing checked. But I wouldn't worry, my neice who is 22 months just recently started talking, she'll get there, but on her terms.