baby signing......

hello my name is myrle and i have been asked if i would like to start off the topic of baby signing..... well here goes.

A bit about me: i am 33 and currently expecting my 4th child, of which i am very excited about as it will be my very first vbac home water birth.

firstly to set the scene. i work with disabled children and as a result of that i have learnt a few basic communication signs, which i use with the children i work with, the communication langage that i have learnt is called Makaton.

i did not have any intention of using baby signing with my first child and the thought never crossed my mind even to use Makaton with him.
however, during the time i was bringing up my son, we had quite alot of screaming and temper tantrums. this phase came and went, (as did my sanity) and i still did not twig as to why or how to control it....... untill the birth of my second child, and then it all came flooding back to me, and i suddernly had a revelation....... it was in between the time when my son was old enough to know what he wanted, but still unable to talk or communicate his feelings to me, that the screaming started.

So older and wiser, i was determined to try to eleviate this stage of frustration with my second child, and so the signing with my child began. i did not go to any baby sighning classes, but just used the basic Makaton signs i already knew.

This was such a great help, as it allowed my daughter to communicate with me and get my attention, allowing me in turn to meet her needs without the frustation and screaming my son had to endure, having no means of communication with me.
basic signs for drink, food and nappy change meant that my daughter would get her needs met without being frustrated, and even bird, dog or duck meant that she could tell me what she could see as we walked in the park etc.

i started at the age of about 8 months, and it took a while but not to long and she was talking to me with the aid of her hands.

i found that it really did help, however there was still a few screams, mainly when she signed biscuit, cake, chocolate or sweets, and i had told her no, or after dinner etc.

my nan however used to try telling me that it would affect or delay my daughters speech etc, which however was not the case, my daughter was happy that she could communicate with me to start with before she could talk, and then as we encouraged her to talk and she learnt to speak, the words took over and the signs we gradually dropped and she stopped using them.

we also are currently using Makaton with our third child also, and find it very useful also.

i would like however to maybe attend a baby signing class and learn a little more for when my forth comes along.....

hope this helps, and if anyone out there is thinking of signing with there child i would definately recommend it!!

thanks myrle XX

Myrle,

Thank you for posting about the sign language, hopefully it will inspire our members to want to have a go and may be look into the same method or other local alternatives.

Baby signing has gained in popularity and there are some great resources out there.

Happy signing......