Cheap Baby Clothes
Newborn baby clothes don't wear out, rather they are outgrown because babies grow so fast. So instead of buying more expensive trendy baby clothes why not buy cute cheap baby clothes and spend the difference on something that will benefit your baby for much longer - such as some books. By sharing books with your baby you will be helping her develop her language and communication skills.
Anyone who has studied child development knows that talking to your newborn baby not only calms her but also helps her brain develop and aids her learning ability. In the early days babies sleep most of the time but when you are feeding, changing or bathing her talk to her. Not only is this a bonding time but you are also teaching her the rules of conversation.
Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding always hold your baby to you and talk to them. You can talk to them about what they are doing or about how hungry they must be or you can sing to them - it doesn't matter what the subject is, it is the use of the spoken word that is important. But it is also important to remember the rules of conversation and allow pauses in your talk for the baby to respond.
Your baby's first "conversations" with you mostly take place when you are feeding him. The pauses in his sucking correspond to him taking a turn in the conversation. As he gets older the pauses in sucking will be filled with coos as he responds to you. Always hold your baby when you feed him and talk to him, remembering to leave gaps so he can "talk" to you.
Some moms have said to me that they feel silly talking or singing to their baby who cannot talk as they don't know what to say. I remember when I had my own children I just used to talk about anything, like what we were going to do that day or about doing the laundry it really didn't matter. The baby not only gets to know your voice but it is also very soothing to them and lets them know you are still there when you are not in sight.
You might find it easier to read to your baby and she is never too young to introduce to books. Choose books with brightly colored pictures and a simple rhyming text. Some favorites are Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and One Fish To Fish and I'm sure you probably have others from when you were young. Sharing books with your baby helps to teach them any number of things such as the names of things in the world about them, the concept of counting and colors.
Singing and reciting nursery rhymes helps children develop reading skills and they also help in the development of motor skills. Action rhymes such as Row, Row, Row, The Boat or Incey Wincey Spider and This Little Piggy are a few to try but there are many more. And to calm things down singing a lullaby like Hush Little Baby and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star usually work wonders.
Talking, reading, singing and interacting with your baby is not only fun for both of you it is setting the stage for future learning. The more language and vocabulary your child has at three years old the more they will have when they start school at five or six years old.
So make an early start on your baby's communication and speech development by buying cheap baby clothes and some books.