Sign for babies is totally useful, even if more in the way of dog buttons. It’s quite cute seeing my <1 year old niece ask for food, show that she needs the toilet etc. using simple hand gestures that both sides understand. She doesn’t have a large vocabulary by any standard, but it makes communication a lot easier and cuts down on mutual frustrations.
In practice you both say and sign what you want—the baby will pick it up quite quickly and start using the signs as soon as it can handle the physical movements, after which you can just use the verbal part and watch for the appropriate reaction.
I only recognize asking for milk (closed fist up and down) and asking for more (she opens her mouth and shows her tongue to show that her mouth is empty), but my sister uses more.
Sign for babies is totally useful, even if more in the way of dog buttons. It’s quite cute seeing my <1 year old niece ask for food, show that she needs the toilet etc. using simple hand gestures that both sides understand. She doesn’t have a large vocabulary by any standard, but it makes communication a lot easier and cuts down on mutual frustrations.
In practice you both say and sign what you want—the baby will pick it up quite quickly and start using the signs as soon as it can handle the physical movements, after which you can just use the verbal part and watch for the appropriate reaction.
I only recognize asking for milk (closed fist up and down) and asking for more (she opens her mouth and shows her tongue to show that her mouth is empty), but my sister uses more.