Do people really read to newborns/young babies?

[Anonymous]

We did, with both kids, from a very early age (6 weeks maybe?) At the start, it was something that helped us with a bedtime routine--bath, pajamas, a couple of books.

When they were really little I also used to read whatever random stuff I was reading--magazines, newspapers--because DH told me it's good for them.

[Anonymous]

IDK... We read every day. I think we read her her first book at 3-4 days old. She seemed to really enjoy it for a while, turning pages at a couple months old, etc. Then from maybe 4-5 months until now (8 months), books will only hold her attention for a few minutes, maybe one book's worth, but we still read one to her pretty much every day. Some days she seems to get more enjoyment out of them than others, but I don't see what harm it does. It may not be "necessary," but I love books, so it's fun for me, and sometimes for her, and I never push it. If your baby is not "into" it, you can always try again every few days or weeks.

[Anonymous]

We have read the same 5 or so books to our daughter since she was a few weeks old. We've tried many others but they don't get the same reaction - she coos and giggles and really pays attention to the pictures as we read to her. It's literally the only time since she gained some control over her body that she will sit still in our laps. Will it make her smarter? I don't know. But does she enjoy it? Absolutely. Does it provide an activity in a short list of possible activities for her? Definitely. I would recommend to anyone to get in the habit - now she's 9 months and practicing her pincer grasp and the books are great to practice with!

[Anonymous]

I started reading my son books during maternity leave out of a lack of things to do. He seemed to enjoy the occasional book, especially towards 3-4 months. Our earliest books that he liked all rhymed, and he does have an attachment to one of them that we have read from the early months until now at age 2.

[Anonymous]

Not that young, not really. But she did like to look at pictures of stuff... mostly she liked the cadence of certain things as they were read aloud. I think singing is also a great way to introduce "literacy."

[Anonymous]

I read to my son pretty much from birth. At age 3, he still loves it, and his vocabulary is very advanced. I don't know if that's related to the reading though.

[Anonymous]

I brought a book to the adoption agency to pick up my 16 day old son, because somehow I thought he might get bored on the ride home. I think you can see that I was a FTM!

However, we did a lot of reading together when he was tiny. I'm not sure if he benefited from the reading, or from the fact that it kept his mother sane to have an "activity" to do. We mostly did poetry at that age, not board books, and I'd have him in my arms or in a carrier, or on my chest and "read" aloud. A lot of it was halfway memorized so it was more like glance at the book, and then rock rock rock (or walk walk walk, sometimes I'd put the book on a counter) while I recited, oops, I forgot a word go back to look.

Like I said, I don't think it turned him into a genius, but I have fond memories and he maybe seemed mariginally calmer if I was reading poetry than if I was just hold him silently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did, with both kids, from a very early age (6 weeks maybe?) At the start, it was something that helped us with a bedtime routine--bath, pajamas, a couple of books.

When they were really little I also used to read whatever random stuff I was reading--magazines, newspapers--because DH told me it's good for them.

[Anonymous]

1st DC loved being read to as early as 2 or 3 months; 2nd DC hated it until about 10 months. Didn't push it with DC #2.

Finger plays like itsy bitsy--you facing your kid, might be more fun for your kid.

[Anonymous]

DC seemed to enjoy books from about 6 weeks, and always had/has a long attention span for books. I can see not bothering for a while if it's nothing but a hassle.

Lots of board books just suck hard though. I'm always depressed when I go to people's houses and they just have counting, alphabet, and shape books. They don't go anywhere.

[Anonymous]

We read to DS from day one in the hospital. Board books, Dr. Seuss, Ezra Jack Keats, all sorts of stuff. We read daily for everyone's enjoyment.

There was a brief destructive period but at age 6, he's an over the top book lover.

[Anonymous]

I started reading at bedtime very early -- 3 weeks. Just part of our bedtime routine.
Also read each afternoon from a few months old. Just a little picture book or two, but it was a nice break time -- I looked forward to plopping down in the chair and relaxing for a few minutes.

[Anonymous]

I did. It gave us something to do. When he was really small, I read him books I liked that he wouldn't grow into for a while, like Winnie The Pooh and poetry. Whenhe got bigger, then he started eating board books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We read only a couple of books but, what I found fascinating, was that later if my son was fussy I could start reciting the words of the book and he would calm down immediately and listen to the cadence. We read "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb" if I can remember correctly.
Months later he would still quiet down and listen as we recited the refrain of the book. It was great to get him out of crying jags until he was well past a year.

This works for us too! Our infant DD calms down when she hears some of her favorite books. Has worked out great on car trips when the car is too full to sit in back with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We read only a couple of books but, what I found fascinating, was that later if my son was fussy I could start reciting the words of the book and he would calm down immediately and listen to the cadence. We read "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb" if I can remember correctly.
Months later he would still quiet down and listen as we recited the refrain of the book. It was great to get him out of crying jags until he was well past a year.

Wow! I just so happened to try this out of the blue the other day with my 20mo. He was terribly cranky and throwing himself to the floor to avoid heading to his room to take a nap. So I started reciting bits and pieces of his favorite books (just by memory), and he immediately snapped out of it, his face lit up, and kept saying more more more! I thought it was so cool. Had I grabbed a book and started reading he would have tried to grab the book out of my hand in a mini-tantrum (BTDT); I think this took him by surprise and he loved it. I love hearing that other people have done this too