https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:51:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-728678 Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:39:25 +0000 irene 728678@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pregnantbee: I asked "where's mama" too and no response either.... I think the trick is it has to be another person asking for you. Try having your husband or someone else ask that and your LO may turn around looking for you!!</p> <p>Everyone else is way more advanced.... OK I will try not to stress :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-728041 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:11:05 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 728041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sammyfab: she was the same way. It used to be "uh" (long pause) "oh" LOL </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725627 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:06:22 +0000 pregnantbee 725627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@banana: @Sammyfab: @irene: Thanks, ladies. I truly was wondering the same thing because (at 10 mo pp) I've just started filling in his baby book, and I got stuck on "first word." </p> <p>We've been trying to teach ASL, and he actually signed "dog" at 5 months! We just started noticing the "da" and "dog" connection, though. And when he's excited about anything, he flaps his arms like a crazy man. But he does do it on command when I point or ask about the dog.</p> <p>And as for LO looking for DH when I ask "where's dada".....when I ask "where's mama," it's like tumbleweed is blowing by. I don't think he has any clue that I'm "mama." Nor does he say the syllables "mama" regularly. LO is 10 months this week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725543 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:48:48 +0000 irene 725543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone... so i guess we still doesn't have a first word yet.... at 14+ months .... :(((</p> <p>@BabyBoecksMom: so cute !! :)</p> <p>@pregnantbee: My LO does the same thing and I thought it was so cute - If I say "daddy!" or "Where's daddy?" he'd turn around and look for DH, only if he starts saying it !! He did seem to have tried saying "daddy" one time, but he gave up as he probably thinks it is far off.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725456 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:26:59 +0000 Bao 725456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO always says mama, happy or sad, but I don't think she is saying it towards me, so it's hard to consider it her first word. Although I wouldn't complain if it were. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725385 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:06:14 +0000 Sammyfab 725385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for posting this @irene because I was wondering the same thing after reading the swarm post on the blog and how early everyone's LOs said their first word. I'm a very literal person so I have a hard time acknowledging word approximations like when my LO says 'bah' and he could be saying 'bear' - which he says when he points to most stuffed animals. </p> <p>@BabyBoecksMom: my LO says 'uh!' every time he drops something! He hasn't mastered the 'oh' part yet!</p> <p>@pregnantbee: my LO pats his leg or the floor too when he wants our dog to come to him! He's definitely learned that from us :). He also used to say 'zzz zzz zzz' and our dog's name is Zumi, but he hasn't done that in awhile. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725359 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:58:06 +0000 banana 725359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pregnantbee: That's totally sounds like a word to me! Especially since he looks for your DH when you ask where dada is. And since he says "dada" while signing dog, that sounds like a definite word! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725345 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:54:06 +0000 pregnantbee 725345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wondering the same thing. LO's first syllables were "dada." At first, it really sounded like he was just practicing with his mouth. Now, when I ask "where's dada?" he looks for DH. And when I point to the "dog" and ask "who's that?" LO says "da" or "dada" and does the ASL sign for "dog." (pats his leg twice). HM. SO, in conclusion, not sure! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725337 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:50:39 +0000 twinmama 725337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, my kids say mama, dada/dadee, nana, baba, and such, but I don't consider them real words yet. Sometimes, I think there is general intent behind it....mama when they need something or are whining ;) and baba occasionally when they are hungry. But nothing has been a clear correlation yet at 9 months. We're keeping an eye out, and like sorrycharlie said, I think calmness is kind of a factor, and also a succinct word rather than a string of sounds. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725320 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:46:03 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 725320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD used to say "buh bye" and wave while she walked away, but she hasn't said it in a few months. Like yours, she says stuff, but never with the intention. Until she looks at me and says "mama", I won't consider it a word. So, right now, that leaves "Uh Oh" as her only word(s), because she will drop something and say "UH ohhhhhh". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725306 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:41:49 +0000 banana 725306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would probably consider a real first word as something that was said with clear intent, even if the word sounds nothing like the actual word. My son's first word was "baba" but he was trying to say "appah" (daddy in korean). He babbled a lot before that but nothing with obvious or clear intent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725293 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:38:54 +0000 sorrycharlie 725293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO has been crying "Mama" clearly for a few weeks now but ill probably consider her first 'real' word to be something she says (calmly?) and total intent vs emotion. Idk! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-do-you-consider-it-to-be-a-first-word#post-725223 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:24:05 +0000 irene 725223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO never really had first words in my book: He did say "this?" "that?" before, but that has faded; There was a period he also said "ah bah, ah bah" a lot, but also didn't mean anything in human language.</p> <p>Toward the end of 13 months, he started saying "ma ma" a lot. Sometimes he want something he'd call out ma ma, or if I was doing something that he didn't like he also would whine "ma ma"... but he never really truly calls me "mama". I am not sure if he's referring to me. So does that consider his first word?</p> <p>He also says "bu yao" when he doesn't want something... While this does mean "no" in Mandarin, but we are Cantonese and we have never taught him that (we only speaks Cantonese to him, English occasionally, and they speak English at school). So.... does that even consider another first word given it is not quite in the language we talk to him..? hmm...</p> <p>When did your LO first had their first words and when did he/she starts really talking? </p>