By the time your baby reaches three months, they begin to communicate in their own unique way. Let's explore the differences between cooing and babbling and how you can tell them apart.

Cooing typically emerges around two months but becomes more pronounced by three months. Cooing sounds are soft and melodic, almost like your baby is trying to sing you a gentle melody. You might notice sounds like "coo," "goo," or even "ahh." They're letting you know that they're feeling comfortable and safe! When you respond with a smile, eye contact, or gentle words, you're reinforcing their trust and helping them develop their communication skills.

Babbling follows cooing and typically emerges around four months of age. Babbling is characterized by repetitive syllables, such as "ba-ba," "da-da," "ma-ma," or "ga-ga." These sounds are produced with more intensity and enthusiasm compared to cooing. It's a skill that builds over time.

At first, you'll hear babbles as single syllables, like "'bu,' 'ga,' or 'da.' This is sometimes called vocal play. Reduplicated babbling, or those more repetitive sounds like "mamamama" and "dadadada," won't emerge until closer to 7 months.

Babbling is a significant step in your baby's language development. While it doesn't carry specific meanings like words, it's a precursor to actual speech and shows that your baby is practicing the fundamental building blocks of language.