Baby Signing

Today I've been thinking about Baby Signing.  

For anybody that doesn't know, Baby Signing is an adaptation of Sign Language which you can use to communicate with your baby.  The idea is that you start using a limited range of signs when you say certain words, such as milk, all gone, more etc.  The baby then starts using the signs to communicate with you while they are still unable to talk.  For more information on it, here's Wikipedia and Baby Signing Mummy.

It's something I sort of half-heartedly tried with C when he was about 8-10 months old, but I soon realised that actually he was communicating pretty well without using any of the signs.  By watching him and being close to him, I was already able to anticipate mostly what he was trying to do or what he wanted from the context or from his body language.

I've also got this book, but the little ones don't seem to be interested in it.
Perhaps it's too big?

We're at a similar stage with Sis.  We have the Sing and Sign DVD, and we watch it occasionally, but more because we like the action songs than because I'm trying to teach the signs.  I don't use the signs at all otherwise.  By observing Sis and the context, she has so far not had to deal with any frustration following not being able to signal her needs or desires.  She is already trying out word-like sounds and I am convinced that by talking to her, by telling her what things are, by trying to work out what she needs, I am able to understand her, and her language is developing, without the need for any baby signing.

This may seem a little abstract, but as an example:  She's sitting at the table, munching on her dinner.  She starts waving madly and making noises.  What could she want?  I offer her the cup of water.  She smiles and reaches for it.  Another example:  She's playing on the floor in the sitting room.  I leave the room to start the dinner.  When I come back in she stretches up her arms and verbalises "mumumumum".  Hmmm, now that's a tricky one. "Would you like a cuddle?"  Big beam, more stretching up and now bouncing on her bottom until I pick her up for the desired cuddle.


So... my question... and please feel free to comment with an answer... do we need Baby Signing?


Check out some more Baby Signing debate at Brazenmom.com