Opal Dunn, author and language development expert, explains how new parents can get in tune with their babies and begin to communicate.

Raisingkids member's question
How can I encourage my child to communicate before he can speak? He is 2 months old and it frustrates me when I know he wants something but can't tell me.

Opal Dunn's reply
'If only baby could talk to me'... how often I hear this from parents of very young babies. 'It's so long to wait to hear her say her first words!' But your 2 month old baby is already 'talking' to you and beginning to tell you her needs.

Baby is talking through her eyes, her smiles, her body language and of course her different types of crying. Watch and listen carefully and use your intuition based on clues like the time of day, the last feed, the last change and you will gradually begin to know what she is trying to tell you. It takes time and practice to work out what she is saying and some babies' ways of 'talking' are easier to 'read' than others.

During the first 6 months try saying some simple rhymes to baby as you do the routine jobs of changing, washing and feeding. Rhymes help to make baby 'feel good' and help you both to bond as you develop a dialogue. The closer you bond the better you will know your baby and the easier it will be to 'read' what she is trying to tell you.

By about 6 months, when many babies can sit up, they often get frustrated as they cannot tell you all they want to say. This is when some babies begin to use a form of gesture or 'hand talk' often copying the body language used by adults around them. At this stage some parents and carers begin to show babies how to make gestures like waving a hand to say 'bye bye'. Babies are great imitators and soon pick up the action although actually saying 'bye-bye' comes at a later stage when baby begins to use her voice.

If adults use common gestures known by most people, like clapping hands as you say Hoorah for something well done, babies begin to copy and communicate their thoughts through them. Talking through actions continues for many months as baby begins to speak words. Research has shown that babies who 'talk' through gestures are less frustrated and generally speak earlier.

You may feel it is difficult to get baby to talk through gestures. The four picture books in the Baby Says series will help. Based on interactive stories, you can talk baby through the pictures adding the gestures naturally as you share the books. Baby will copy your actions and soon understand the language you use with them.

Baby Says books will help you use gestures to say well done in Hoorah and say 'Hello' and 'Bye-Bye' but also show some feelings in Baby Says: Love you.

Baby Says books talk directly to your baby and will help you find out what your baby is thinking and how much she understands. Enjoy them together and watch your baby's confidence grow as baby begins to 'talk' to you through gestures.