Ooh, talk Baby to me!

So, I was messing about on the change table this morning (no pun intended), taking my time and talking to the Baby.  I didn't want the older Boy to get jealous, so I was saying things like "You're a baby, so you say things like Goo-Goo Gaa-Gaa, but when you get older, you will be able to use real words like your brother."  Well, didn't the Baby think that "Goo-Goo Gaa-Gaa" was just the funniest thing on the planet.  He actually laughed - for the first time in 15 weeks.  Fifteen looong weeks.  It's rough going 15 weeks using my best material, and baby talk is what gets the most laughs, I tell ya.

I've always been kind of opposed to baby talk.  In fact, I tried to encourage people to only use regular speech with the Boy.  (Ideally, I pictured myself reading the whole Shakespearean lexicon to him, but that never really happened alas..) It didn't matter what tone of voice you used, I just wanted people to use real words.  I thought it would make him learn language faster.  I don't know if it did, but he is pretty verbal these days.

So imagine my shock when I had such a warm response to baby talk from the Baby.  And being the laugh-whore that I am, I have been talking baby talk all day.  I may have lost some IQ points along the way, but the Baby sure had fun.   At least, he seemed really happy that someone was finally speaking his language...so to speak.  I'm thinking I should revise my opinion.  What do you think about baby talk?  Yay or nay??

And speaking of baby talk (ooh nice segue, Mama Drama..), have you heard of Priscilla Dunstan?  She claims that all babies are born with a universal language of five sounds that tell us what they want:

OWH = I'm sleepy.
NEH = I'm hungry.
HEH = Change me.
EAIRH= I have wind.
EH = Burp me.

Dunstan says that all babies the world over make these five sounds between 0 and 3 months to communicate with us, but if we don't respond appropriately, they eventually stop making them.  I find this fascinating.  I think I'm just a little too late to try this with the Baby, unfortunately.  Oprah claims it could revolutionize motherhood (and she would know..).  Anyone out there tried this method, or having a baby in the near future and willing to try it out?  I'm curious to know if it's actually true.  Check out her website at www.dunstanbaby.com.

Comments

[Tracee Sioux]

I'm a "nay" on the baby talk.

OF course if it gets me laughs and I'm doing it for fun then sure. I mean I frequently do some chore with the kids speaking in an English accent cause it's funny.

But, I make my kids pronunciate, I say words over and over after they've mispronounced even when they're babies to teach them the correct way.

My baby was too old when I heard that baby talk thing on Oprah. Though I did find some of that stuff in Baby Whisperer and found it to be very, very accurate in the types of cries and the meaning attached.

I have discovered that my 1.5 yo is more communicative, throws fewer tantrums and is easily appeased when he knows a few signs. I showed him a few of those Signing Times DVDs and was astounded how quickly he caught on. He can't say "share" yet but he can sign it and it solves a lot of problems.