BabyBites

Reading to Your Baby

by Sarah Klagsbrun, M.D., child psychiatrist and mother of three

You may wonder about reading to your baby and of what benefit it is to him/her. Reading aloud to your baby creates a bonding time that benefits the baby for years to come by increasing their vocabulary and language skills.  There are plenty of books that cater to babies, but which ones are the best and at what age should you start reading to your baby?

 TIP #1: You can start reading to your baby as early as the 3rd trimester and your baby will recognize the familiar sounds!

TIP #2: Don’t feel guilty if you have not started to read to your baby. Surviving the sleep-deprived first few months can be totally exhausting! But try to start reading to your baby by the age of 6 months.

TIP #3: Pick a few short rhyming books. Favorites of mine include: nursery rhymes, Goodnight Moon, Time for Bed or any Sandra Boynton book. I prefer cardboard books so your baby can touch them without ripping the pages and can explore them by putting them in the mouth.

TIP #4: Read these same few books each night in the same order or at least end with the same one. Goodnight Moon is an easy one to end with and then you can say “good night” to all the items in your baby’s room.

TIP #5: Don’t worry if your baby falls asleep at first while you are reading these books (or reciting them as you will soon come to know these books by heart!). Eventually your baby will be awake and know that after Goodnight Moon mommy or daddy puts me in my crib and that means it’s time for “good night”.