My baby said, “mama!” But, did they mean Mama or were they just babbling?
Babbling or words?
Did you know that when babies start babbling, some of the first sounds they may say are m and d? What that means is the babbles could be “mamama” or “dadada.” They may even imitate you when you say, “mama” or “dada” by repeating the sounds back! For parents, this is such an exciting moment! You may be thinking, “My 9-month-old just said, mama!” Does this mean they just said their first word?! Were they talking about ME?! Well, it’s possible!
But, first, it helps to know how to tell if your baby IS saying an actual word or babbling, which is a precursor to first words!
Head to this post to learn more about first words and what counts as a word!
Words are considered part of your child’s vocabulary if they are said:
• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆: you hear your little one say the word often!
• 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆: your little one says the word without you telling them what to say!
• 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆: your little one is saying that word for a specific intent or meaning!
My baby is babbling, but they are NOT saying, “Mama” or “Dada” or referring to me!
We get it! You are anxiously awaiting your little one's first words, or your little one is already saying a few words, but mama or dada is NOT one of them! Every parent wants to hear their child lovingly call them by their name, but why do some little ones take longer to say the magical word, "mama" or "dada?"
Here is what we know about typical speech development in babies. While there is a range of development, little ones often use the sounds 𝘮, 𝘣, 𝘯, 𝘸, 𝘥, 𝘱, and 𝘩 first. So, your child may have started saying different sounds and has not developed the "m" or "d" sound yet! If this is the case, keep practicing those sounds with your little one throughout the day. Get face-to-face with your baby so they can see how you make these sounds. Practice the sounds in different environments - playtime, bath time, mealtime, and while reading!
Does your little one have the sounds already, but doesn’t associate YOU with “mama” or “dada?”
We can help! Think about how often you refer to yourselves by saying your name, "mama" or "dada," to your children. Probably not often, so they may not associate you with the word yet! Try using yourself in the third person with your little one by saying, "Where's mama?" Or "Give it to dada!" If your little one is still not saying your name, try some of these games/activities!
🌟 ”Where's Mama?" peek-a-boo game. Cover your face! Instead of saying, "Peek!" try saying, "Mama!" (or Dada). You can also try popping out from behind a door, around a wall, or under a blanket! Even if your little one doesn’t say the word you want, that’s ok! Model the word and keep playing!
🌟 Show your little one pictures of yourself and say, "mama!" You can also do this by playing with a mirror!
🌟 Try using sign language! Every time you say "mama," pair it with the sign "mom." Head to our post about teaching your baby signs to learn more! Baby signs for Infants and Toddlers
