baby sign language

Have any ladies taught there LO's some baby sign language? When did you start? Was it successful? I have been starting to at least do the sign for food before each of my sons feedings and I am pretty sure I want to teach him more. He is only 4 months but I figure since he is starting to really pay attention to things, now would be a good time to start.

We started when we started solids at meal time.

I started at about 6 months. It was/is extremely successful. You don't have to go crazy, just sign what you say. If you're getting milk, sign and say milk, if your child seems like he wants more, sign and say more. Keep it casual just like you would if you were speaking the language (some people go crazy and use flash cards and all that jazz... which I don't think is necessary) It eliminated a ton of confusion and a ton of fits. My son just picked it up like he would anything else. No big. And in case someone has told you this would happen, it didn't delay his speech at all. That's bogus.  

Quoting Shelby Chappell:" Have any ladies taught there LO's some baby sign language? When did you start? Was it successful? I have ... [snip!] ... He is only 4 months but I figure since he is starting to really pay attention to things, now would be a good time to start."

Good for you! I love baby sign language. It is a great way to teach your child to communicate and it is a great way to boost "Joint Attention" between you and LO. As long as baby is watching you, go for it. I think I started around 5 months and he started imitating me around 9 months. My boy is 14 months old now and is awesome at signing and he is so vocal too. He actually started pointing to things he wants and then pointing to himself which is a bit ahead of the game for his age range and I attribute that to baby sign. Make sure you are teaching your family and anyone else that is with baby regularly the signs that you use so they can help you enforce them. I cant say enough good things about baby sign and I hope you like it too.

Signs to start with (think basic concepts/needs)
eat
more
drink/milk
music
play
finished

The daycare started it with my now 4 yr old at 4 months old, by 6 months she new, food, more,hungry,thank you and gentle. She actively used those signs and many others even at 2, she was still in daycare then (was till 4) lol she could talk really well, it just became habbit, and we continued doing it at home with her too (as an infant)

My now 1 yr old knows gentle and more atm, but I never really worked with her on it, like Ava. lol

You can start from the day they are born, but just be prepared to keep at it even if you don't see results right away. Kids who are exposed to ASL when they are very young usually don't start signing right away, but they ARE learning it. They are the ones who will, just like with verbal language, all of a sudden just start signing a bunch of words.

Kids who are exposed when they are a bit older tend to sign faster, but it's only cause they have the ability to, not because it was better to wait until they were older. (hope that all made sense!)

We are a bilingual family where ASL is our primary preferred language at home. DD's verbal language regressed since she has started walking (common) but her ASL has continued to flourish. Just keep at it all the time. Feeding is a great time, but you can do it while reading books and all throughout the day.