What do you think about reading to a newborn baby?

Question

I was reading about the benefits of reading to your baby as soon as he or she is born.

Experts say babies should be read to as newborns because it helps with their educational development.

Did or do any of you read to your baby?

What do you think about reading to a newborn?

Answer 1

I started reading to mine before he was born. When he was newborn, it was a great way for his dad to get to bond with him as well. Babies love to hear their parents' voices, and we parents often forget when they are tiny that even though they can't talk, they love to be talked to. After about 4 months, our son decided that grabbing and ripping the books was more fun than being read to, so we had to take a break for a while, but would occassionally try again until he was ready to be read to again. Now he is a year old, very smart, and loves to sit and have his dad read to him. It's also a very good way to help the baby relax as part of a bedtime routine.

Answer 2

newborns most need holding, mother's milk on demand, and reciperocal interactions. A baby's neurons form connections with she is HELD, so the first is vital. Mother's milk raises the IQ over formula use and lowers the risk of diabetes in the child and some cancers in both the child and the mom.

by the most important third need, i mean when the baby makes an expression, you should make that expression, too. copy your baby's sounds and expressions gently. watch her - try to be very sensitive to her communications. if she turns her ahead away and doesn't quickly look back with a giggle, she's had too much and needs a break. reading to the baby isn't really interacting with the baby.

telling your baby a story or talking about your day or hopes or flowers in your garden or napolean's invasion of Russia is wonderful to do while nursing. But, when she's ready to interact, walk your child around, name everything that catches his eye and point out things that don't - and name those, too. start talking in complex sentences and use big words - along with the high pitched ' you are such a precious little sweet'art' or what have you.

15 minutes an hour every hour your baby is awake, spend on the floor interacting at your baby's lead, or holding your baby in a sling and chatting with her. You'll want to keep that 15 minutes an hour every hour she's awake going for years. By three years or so, you can clump the time for longer games, projects, etc.

Reading is wonderful and can't hurt, as long as you don't exclude the things your infant needs most - mommy's arms, mommy's milk, mommy's sensitive and thoughtful interaction.

Maybe it's relevant - our 13.5 year old son is brilliant beyond belief - teaches me about Napolean and Russia and Vikings and Russia and the political situation in Mexico and the latest computer games. He's polite, gentle, persistent, helpful, curious, and sought after by his peers. To the three things a baby needs, I'd add, for all kids, non-violent parenting and unschooling.

Answer 3

Reading to your newborn is a great idea. Not only for the educational benefits, but also for the bonding opportunity. Newborns may not be able to say Mommy or Daddy yet, but they do recognize voices and tones and can be comforted by them. After a steady routine of reading to your baby...Record your voice reading bed-time stories or even a chapter-book and have it played for your baby when you can't be there. It really does work.

Answer 4

To answer your question yes read to your newborn I read to my son since he was born and now he has well over 300 words in English and 30 in Spanish the experts are right so read to your baby as much as you can you can even read the baby whatever you are reading the written word is proven to expand your brain it also dose that for your baby.

Answer 5

I don't think it is ever too early to start reading to your child. Although newborns do not yet understand words as such, they do respond to tone of voice, especially Mom's & Dad's.

I read to my children right from Day 1 and what I noticed was an acceleration in the development of their language skills. At an age where other children around them were stringing only 1 or 2 words together, my children were speaking in full sentences. This may or may not have had anything to do with reading to them at such an early age, but really... what can it hurt?

Answer 6

I don't know the facts or research on the issue, but I think that reading even in the womb helps your child associate with your voice, start picking up on language cues and tones, and later build a bigger vocabulary. I know people put headphones on their bellies for the baby to hear music, and they play music for newborns, why not do something more? I think its a great idea!

Answer 7

I don't think I really read to them as newborns, but definately as babies. Even at age 1 my oldest would sit and look at books and listen to stories for a long time.

Answer 8

I have been reading to my kids since they were born and although they might not know what I am talking about, they love the pictures and just the fact that you are sitting there reading to them. My now 3 year old wants to read at night and my 10 month old loves to eat books and look at pictures.. I think it is great. It defiantly has more pros than cons, how can you go wrong?

Answer 9

i don't know about the educational benefit, but i dare say at that age it would simply be a side effect of the bonding that takes place during the reading. the baby will probably not understand what is being read to him/ her, but will definitely feel that he/ she is given attention and love, and at that age that is the most important thing. don't overstrain them of course, at that age the brain still has a lot of maturing to do, but i dare say reading to your baby for half an hour or so before bed time will do him/ herr and you a lot of good.

Answer 10

i will be reading to my newborn... i was reading it on a gerber website and if you read to them as a newborn its easrier to put them to sleep and they pay attention if you get into the routine of doing it to them from the very start... and besides i think that its a way for you to relax with your baby and soothe them by reading a couple good dr. sesus books... (my personal favorite)