Babies usually say their first words between 9 and 15 months of age. The most common first words are “mama”, “dada”, “baba”, and “dog”. However, all babies develop at different rates. Some babies may say their first word as early as 6 months, while others may not say a recognizable word until 18 months or later. This article will explore what the research says about when babies typically start talking and the most common ages that babies say “mama” for the first time.
When Do Babies Start Talking?
Most babies say their first word sometime between 9 and 15 months. Here is an overview of the typical speech development milestones:
- 6 months: Babbling sounds like “mamama” and “dadada”
- 9 months: First word, although it may not be clear at first
- 12 months: Vocabulary of 1-3 words like “mama” or “dada”
- 15 months: Vocabulary of 3-50 words
- 18 months: Vocabulary of around 50 words and two-word phrases like “mama go”
- 24 months: Vocabulary around 300 words and uses short sentences
Of course, each baby develops speech at their own pace. Premature babies often reach speech milestones slightly later. Babies with older siblings may start talking earlier as they are exposed to more language in the home. But in general, most babies say their first clear word sometime between 9 and 15 months.
What Age Do Babies Say Mama?
“Mama” and “dada” are often a baby’s first words. This is because these are the most familiar words that babies hear every day. The sounds “ma”, “da”, and “ba” are also easiest for babies to say thanks to the lip and tongue movement required.
Here is an overview of when babies typically say “mama” for the first time:
6-8 months: Babies may start babbling “mamamama” or “dadadada”. But these first babbled words don’t have meaning attached yet.
9-12 months: Many babies say “mama” or “dada” as their first recognizable word and associate it with their mother or father. However, it may come out sounding more like “ma” or “da”.
12-15 months: More babies speak the clear word “mama” during this time and know it refers to their mother. Their pronunciation becomes more accurate.
18 months: Most babies can clearly say “mama” by 18 months and use it meaningfully to get their mother’s attention.
While many babies say “mama” between 9-15 months, some may say it earlier or later. Premature babies, those with developmental delays, and late talkers may say it after 15 months. Babies with advanced speech development may say “mama” clearly as early as 6 months.
By 18-24 months, nearly all babies have said “mama” and use it consistently to refer to their mother or female caregiver. It’s one of the most exciting early speech milestones that shows cognitive development.
Why Do Babies Say Mama First?
There are a few key reasons why “mama” is often one of the first words babies learn:
Exposure: “Mama” is one of the most frequently used words around babies. Mothers naturally repeat “mama” over and over, helping babies associate the word with their mother.
Ease of pronunciation: The “ma” sound is easy for babies to say. It simply requires moving the lips together, without complex tongue placement needed for other sounds.
Cognitive recognition: Babies recognize their mother’s face long before they can talk. As babies learn to connect words with meanings, they associate “mama” with their mother due to her familiar face and presence.
Emotional bonding: Babies often have a strong attachment to their mothers. The early emotional connection motivates them to learn “mama” as a special word for their loved one.
Of course, babies may also say “dada” first if the father is a stay-at-home parent or primary caregiver. But in most families, “mama” is one of the first words babies learn thanks to the close maternal bond and frequent exposure to the word.
Ways to Encourage Your Baby to Say Mama
While babies will say “mama” on their own schedule, parents can create an encouraging language-rich environment. Here are some tips:
- Use exaggerated “mama” sounds when interacting with your baby like “ma…ma…ma!”
- Point to your face and repeat “mama” clearly when baby looks at you.
- Say “Go to mama” and use other mama-related phrases in daily activities.
- Read books together that name family members like “mama” and “dada”.
- Sing simple songs using their name and the word “mama”.
- Celebrate excitedly when baby makes “ma” or “mama” sounds to encourage more.
The most important thing is to spend lots of face-to-face time talking, singing, reading, and playing with your baby. This interactive “serve and return” communication is the best way to promote speech development.
When to See a Speech Therapist
While most babies say “mama” between 9 and 15 months, there is a wide range of normal. If your baby is not saying expected words by 18 months, talk to your pediatrician. A speech-language pathologist can assess your child’s speech and language development.
Early intervention is recommended for any babies showing delays or risk factors for delay. Signs to watch for include:
- No babbling by 12 months
- No gestures like waving or pointing by 12 months
- No words by 18 months
- Not understanding simple instructions by 24 months
Early speech therapy can help babies with delays learn to communicate and prevent struggles later on. Even if a baby is just a late talker, a speech therapist provides activities to promote language development.
How to Know if Your Baby is Saying Mama
It can be hard to know if your baby’s first utterances of “mama” are real words or just babbled sounds. Here are signs your baby may be using “mama” meaningfully:
- Looking at you or turning to find you when saying it
- Only using it to get your attention, not others
- Using it consistently to refer to you
- Having a different babble sound they use for other people
- Getting upset if you don’t respond to “mama”
Context is everything when determining if “mama” is being used purposefully. Even if it sounds more like “ma”, if your baby says it over and over until you respond, it likely has meaning to them!
Why Might a Baby Say Dada First?
While less common, some babies do say “dada” before “mama” as their first word. Here are some possible reasons why a baby might say “dada” first:
- The father is primary caregiver while the mom works outside home
- The father frequently repeats “dada” in play with the baby
- The “duh” sound is easier for baby to pronounce than “muh”
- The father has a deep voice that stands out to the baby
- The baby associates their father with comfort and bonding
If dad is around baby more often in early infancy, interacts using “dada” frequently, and has a distinct voice, the baby may latch onto “dada” as the special name for their father and learn it before “mama”. But in most families, babies are exposed to mothers more from birth. So “mama” ends up being one of the first words learned.
Activities to Help Babies Learn to Say Mama and Dada
Here are some fun activities parents can do to encourage their baby to say “mama” and “dada”:
Mirror Talk: Sit with baby facing a mirror and say “Where’s mama?” then “There’s mama!” Help them touch the reflection while repeating the words. Do the same with “dada”.
Picture Books: Read board books with pictures of mothers, fathers, and babies. Point out the “mama” and “dada” on each page.
Ball Rolling: Roll a ball back and forth between parent and baby. Each time before rolling say “Go to mama” or “Go to dada” to link the word with the action.
Peek-a-boo: Play peek-a-boo games saying “Where’s mama/dada?” then reveal your face and say “There’s mama/dada!”
Family Photos: Show baby pictures of family saying each person’s name: “mama”, “dada”, and their own name if known.
Making it a game with repetition, gestures, and visuals helps babies imitate and make the word-meaning connection. With time and patience, they become excited to utter those first special words!
How to Encourage Speech Development
Aside from modeling “mama” and “dada”, parents can promote overall speech development in these key ways:
- Read books together daily and describe the pictures
- Narrate your actions and what you see throughout the day
- Sing songs with gestures like “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
- Play simple games like peek-a-boo and patty cake
- Expose baby to new objects and name them repeatedly
- Respond to babbles and first words to build communication
The more parents talk, read, sing, and interact with babies, the faster their language skills develop. Creating a rich language environment is key to helping babies learn those first beloved words like “mama” and “dada”!
Milestones After Mama and Dada
Once babies say their first word, their vocabulary usually rapidly expands. Here are some milestones after “mama” and “dada”:
- 12-18 months: Up to 50 words and two-word phrases like “mama go”
- 18-24 months: Around 300 words and short sentences
- 24-30 months: Over 500 words, asks questions, has conversations
The period between 2-3 years contains an explosion of language and grammar development. During this time, toddlers start putting 3-4 words together, learn prepositions like “in” or “on”, and understand 1000+ words. Speech also becomes much clearer.
While every child learns at their own pace, saying “mama” and “dada” often marks the exciting transition to meaningful first words and more complex language!
Babies Say Mama First Facts and Summary
Here are the key facts on when babies typically say their first word “mama”:
- Babies usually say their first word between 9-15 months of age.
- “Mama” and “dada” are often the first words learned.
- Most babies say “mama” clearly between 12-15 months.
- By 18 months, nearly all babies can say “mama” meaningfully.
- Some babies may say “dada” first, especially if dad is primary caregiver.
- Babies say “mama” early due to frequent exposure, easy sound, and maternal bonding.
- Parents can encourage first words by repeating mama/dada and reading books.
- After first words like “mama”, vocabulary rapidly expands in toddlerhood.
Hearing those first babbled “ma-mas” and meaningful “mamas” are emotional milestones for parents. While babies reach them at different times, the journey from coos to words is incredible to witness. Soon, “mama” and “dada” are followed by more complex phrases that reveal a child’s blossoming language skills.
Conclusion
Saying “mama” is an exciting early language development landmark. Most babies say their first word between 9-15 months, with “mama” and “dada” often being among the first uttered. Clear use of “mama” emerges around 12-15 months as babies associate this special sound with their mother. All babies follow their own timetable, but nearly all can say “mama” meaningfully by 18 months.
Parents play a key role in nurturing a baby’s speech development through talk, reading, play, and emotional bonding. While the age varies, hearing your baby lovingly call your name for the first time is a joyful moment for any parent. Soon after comes the wonder of conversing with a chatty toddler, as language abilities grow exponentially in the second and third year of life.