BABY SIGN LANGUAGE

[Ryan&HollysMom]

thank you ashley and shelley, you gave me a big AHA moment. it makes total sense! i won't be confusing him, i'll be helping him sort out german and english. this is great!!!!
thanks very much,
claudia

[lucmom]

Hi RyanDsMommy,
I just thought I'd weigh in also to tell you that my LO has been hearing English, Spanish, and a little Chinese throughout his life, and we do the signs for most of his major vocabulary.  I think the signs have totally helped him bridge the different languages, and it's a great way for me to introduce new vocabulary for things he already seems to understand in English.  He's talking now, and uses his signs and languages interchangably (I think based on whichever allows him to express himself the most easily).  It's really worth it! 

[x95stocchier]

I'm really having trouble doing "all done" when nursing.  I want to ask "are you all done?" so I don't want to put him down, but I can't just let go of him in the rocking chair to do it, or he's tumble to the ground.  If I do it with just one hand, would it be confusing?  I do 2 hands all other times.....bath and solids, etc.
Thanks!

[EmMUK74]

I often do All Done one handed because I have her or something else in my hand.  I don't think it's a problem as long as you are also saying the words and your facial expressions are clearly asking a question.  The funny thing is that Rachel will now also do it one handed if she is holding something 

[x95stocchier]

Thanks for the response.  I was so afraid of confusing him!

[RachelC]

8.5 months is definatly not too late!  Here's a site to help...

http://www.lifeprint.com/

The very beginning of this thread also has some links

Good luck!  And welcome to the boards 

[fleadle]

Whooo Hoooo!!!!

After saying a couple of weeks ago that DD had not grasped signing, she has started doing the milk sign when she wants a drink.

I feel soooooo chuffed & am going to try all the signs from our tiny talk classes & see if she can get to grips with those too.

I am a bit worried about trying to introduce signs for things that she can communucate to me already eg. she can say (in her way) Cat & makes a woof noise when she sees or hears a dog & says Baba for baby etc......

Should I do signs for these things too or could this confuse her & discourage her from continuing too communicate in her current way??

Not sure if i have explained that very well......

[lucmom]

fleadle,
With my LO, I've found that introducing a sign for words he already has doesn't keep him from vocalizing.  He usually keeps saying the word, but then will respond as well if I sign it to him (this is especially useful with signing "no" when other people are around).

I think of it like being bilingual -- they know it's another language, and they use whatever they need to communicate.  So just like kids will switch back and forth with two oral languages, I think they do the same with sign and oral words.

[¤ Efka ¤]

I love love love it. And especially when my Dh tries to do it

[fleadle]

I am soooo excited now, she just seems to have taken in loads but not bothered to do signs.

Since my last post Immy has signed flower, bath, food, bird & just seems like she has suddenly turned into a sponge & is soaking up everything up.

I agree, having signing as an additional skill will always come in handy, I just hope I can keep up with her now.

Just proves it does work...I had given up hope.....keep persevering everyone, the reward is well worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[x95stocchier]

fleadle-how old is your lo?

[tisdallmcphee]

Hi,

I just bought a kit from Gymboree.  Does anyone know about this kit or have you used it?  They also have a class, but it is quite expensive.  I am wondering who has gone to classes and if a structured class really helped your baby or you with getting on track.  I am debated just trying it on my own.  Also, my dd is 5.5 mths old.  I can start the class now, or I can wait, but the next class isn't until she is 7.5 mths old.  Is it too early to start now?  Would my money be better spent if I wait until she is a bit older or is it all the same.

Thanks!  Cindy

PS  How do you do more when you are bf?  I like the idea about all done with one hand, but not sure about how to do more.

[fleadle]

My LO is 13.5 months.....she is just learning more & more signs each day, it's so much nicer than her trying to say the words when they all come out the same & both of us getting frustrated.

I am really looking forward to LO number due DUE TODAY!!!! can't wait to see if they speak to each other in signs before they can talk to each other, it is going to be sooooo exciting.

They will probably be signing & scheming behind my back

[avery's momma]

hey!
we just started baby sign 2 weeks ago, and i sign "milk" (bf) and "all done".. i too wonder how to do "more" with bf...

someone asked about all done one hand or both with bf, but i do both. i put one leg up, and cross it over the other, with the top ankle on top of the knee/thigh of the other leg, and lean avery back in it, then i do "all done", real excited-like. i usually only do it when i know she is done. then i cover up (bf) and pick her up out of my lap/legs... (hope that makes sense!)

i have a ? though, with "milk"... i do it every time, but she often is not looking at me, only at my breast, and panting, like 'ok ok.. enough talking already...give me the MILK!' so i wonder if she sees me. after she is latched on, she'll look up at me and i keep doing the sign, so i am sure she is getting it then...

but so far (she is 6mo) i do the sign with my hand, then feed her... i don't try to make her hand do the sign, like for practice.. should i be? i do with "all done" bc it seems more fun i guess.. and she is happy then, with a full belly and all 

actually.. today, i think she did the sign for all done after i did it! it was so cute.. she looked at me and smiled that little gummy smile (no teeth yet!) and pulled both hands in the air. and she never does that.. so, i am having a revelation here, i think she did it!!! YAY!!!

[tisdallmcphee]

Hi Avery's Mom!

That's great that Avery signed all done.  It is very exciting.  You said your DD is 6 mths now.  When did you start with here?  My DD Aisha is 5.5 mths old.  We have just started.  I was wondering, are you doing the milk sign (as if you are milking a cow) or are you doing the nursing sign (tugging at your shirt).  I bf as well, but I also pump so my husband can feed her with a bottle.  I am confused about whether I should use the milk sign for everything, or use the nursing sign when I am bf.  What are you doing?

Everything I have read says that you shouldn't make your child physically do the sign, just do it naturally and eventually they will start.  I don't think you need to worry about her not seeing you when you are signing milk.  Do you stop midway to burp her?  If you do, you could do the signs for more & milk and then put her back on.  That's what I do.  My dd pants for the boop too, but after a burp she is calmer and looks at me before feeding again.  I also sign milk just before I pick her up to bf feed her. 

I am really excited to start and also to see her make her first sign.  Congrats on your first sign!

Cindy