https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:25:27 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1313734 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 13:30:19 +0000 Foodnerd81 1313734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: It probably doesn't help C that every time she says it, I'm like you (Yes, I'm mama!) and DH starts going 'Dadadada'. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1313684 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 13:19:32 +0000 lawbee11 1313684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: M has been babbling mama for over a month and she does it a lot when she's sleepy. She almost always babbles it in a whiny tone while I'm changing her diaper before a nap. I :heart: it even though I am pretty sure she has no clue that I am mama. But I always make sure to respond with, "Yes, I am mama!" after she says it. Hopefully she'll catch on soon :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1313668 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 13:15:13 +0000 Foodnerd81 1313668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: How unfair! She hasn't gotten the D sound yet-- happy times she just squeals. </p> <p>@Mrs. Twine: That makes sense. And I do respond to it plenty :) </p> <p>How do you know know when it actually is a word, down the road? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1313399 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 11:53:00 +0000 NurseMommy 1313399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: my LO does exactly this. Mamamamama when she's super upset, dadadadada when she's happy and chatty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1313371 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 11:42:39 +0000 Mrs. Twine 1313371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've given up hunting for the specific studies, but you just hit upon one of the key tenets of language acquisition! By responding to babble that approximates a word, you will help turn it from a sound into a word. :) At this point it doesn't *really* matter. Continue to respond and reinforce and it will make word status. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1313301 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 11:21:14 +0000 Corduroy 1313301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's adorable babble. My LO whined "maa-maa" at one month. I thought I was insane until my in laws confirmed that they were hearing it. </p> <p>She's 10 months now and even though she's been saying "ma ma" all along she just called me mama yesterday. I'm pretty confident she's saying it now because she started saying "hi" about three weeks ago and "up" &amp; "dada" (to refer to DH) last week. </p> <p>@hilsy85: Ugh - yes. We had months of smiling "dadada" and crying "mamama." It made me sad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1312937 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 09:54:15 +0000 littlek 1312937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My guess is it's babbling, but adorable!!! My LO babbling sounded exactly like "dada." :sad: No love for mommy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1312916 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 09:50:39 +0000 hilsy85 1312916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would say LO really started babbling around 7 months--he started saying mamama repeatedly right around mother's day :) First word wasn't until 11 months though. </p> <p>I think it's more that babies often say mamama when they are upset or want comfort. I have also heard/seen that babies say dadada when they are happy-- doesn't seem fair! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1312799 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 09:23:37 +0000 looch 1312799@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's possible, yes, that it is deliberate and more than babble. I think there is a reason that we are called "mama," that it evolved from the first sounds that children make. Of course it is different/varies in every language, but usually, the sounds for "mother" are all very easy to form. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1312790 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 09:21:34 +0000 LemonLong 1312790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe!</p> <p>I was convinced we would have an early talker because my baby was mimicking sounds and even appeared to say "No!" at only 12 weeks old! Now she's 14 months and still doesn't have many clear words at all, so guess not!</p> <p>Here's a video of her mimicking at 12 weeks:</p> <p><a href="http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ceaJ1wtSjSM" rel="nofollow">http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ceaJ1wtSjSM</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1312785 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 09:20:35 +0000 Mrs. Bee 1312785@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>mamamama is usually one of the first sounds that all babies make. i think it is probably babble at that young age. :)</p> <p>first words didn't come until 11 months for both kids, and i think i read somewhere that 9 months is maybe the earliest? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/words-vs-sounds-and-babble#post-1312761 Thu, 02 Jan 2014 09:11:17 +0000 Foodnerd81 1312761@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know most babies don't start saying words until close to a year, for the most part. But how do you distinguish between infant babble and sounds and actual words?</p> <p>For the past week, C, 5 months, has been saying 'mama', 'ma', 'mom', 'mamama' sounds. Of course, I love this, and encourage it. I kept thinking it was a fluke, but she keeps saying it, and last night she was looking at me as she said it clear as day. She most often says it as she's crying a little, and obviously, when she is crying she does usually want me. Other people hear it too, I'm not crazy. </p> <p>So, I know she's probably just making sounds, but is it possible she really is saying mama on purpose, about me? </p> <p>Either way, it's the most adorable sounds to ever come out of any baby's mouth, ever :) </p>