Gestures often appear before words
Pointing, reaching and showing are early communication
By The Millie's Team · Parenting Notes
Around week thirty-nine, your baby may start using their body to tell you things. Reaching toward something they want, showing you a toy or lifting their arms to be picked up are all early communication.
What is happening
Gestures often arrive well before spoken words. Your baby has things to say long before they can say them. Their hands, eyes and body become tools for sharing what they want, what they like, and what they have noticed.
Is this normal
Yes. Some babies use lots of gestures, others rely more on sounds and looks. Both styles are normal. Communication is happening even when it is quiet.
What you may notice
- Lifting arms to be held
- Reaching toward an object they want
- Holding a toy out to show you
- Looking from a thing to you and back again
What helps right now
- Responding to gestures as if they were words
- Naming what they seem to be asking for
- Offering choices they can point or reach for
- Slowing down so you do not miss the small signals
What to expect next
Over the coming weeks, gestures often become more varied. Pointing at things from a distance, waving and shaking the head can all start to appear in their own time.