Hearing words read aloud helps babies' blossoming language skills really start to bloom. Researchers see clear benefits of shared book-reading for child development. Shared book-reading with young children is good for language and cognitive development, increasing vocabulary and pre-reading skills and honing conceptual development. Reading introduces them to a greater number of words and more complex language than they might otherwise hear in day-to-day conversation. Reading together when babies are as young as 4 months old increases the chances that parents continue reading to babies as they get older.

It's no wonder that reading to babies early and often stimulates brain development and actually helps their brain grow. Reading is good for childhood development in so many ways. Helping a baby develop communication skills, form listening skills, build a vocabulary and test their memory. Books for babies should have simple, repetitive, and familiar text and clear pictures. During the first few months of life, your child just likes to hear your voice. So you can read almost anything, especially books with a sing-song or rhyming text.

Researchers at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) have found, through MRI technology, that reading to young children causes activity in the brain related to reading skill development, verbal development and image development, giving children a cognitive advantage early on. A great way to give your baby language skills early on is by talking or reading to them while you're nursing. According to Parenting, babies love hearing the sound of mom's voice, and it helps strengthen the bond between you as well.

Beginning early is important because the roots of language are developing in a baby's brain even before he can talk. Actually your baby's brain does respond by producing dendrite extensions from the neuronal cells. You might even notice your baby's responsive hand, leg, or eye movements when you talk or read to her. Even when your baby is asleep, her brain cells are receptive to language.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents start reading out loud to their children from the time they are born and continue through kindergarten. Consistent reading aloud gives children a headstart in their education and primes the development of key listening skills. Babies may begin to explore books by looking, touching (opening/closing), and mouthing them.

As soon as you have recovered from the delivery and are ready to share your love of books. Baby will get used to your 'reading a book' tone of voice and become receptive to that moment. It will make it even easier to catch her attention later. Do adapt your reading time to baby's attention span, and give her some books to chew on too. When you read to your baby, your baby hears you using many different emotions and expressive sounds. This supports social and emotional development. It encourages your baby to look, point, touch, and answer questions. Your baby improves language skills by copying sounds, recognizing pictures, and learning words.

When you read to a young baby, don't worry about finishing the book or even turning pages in the right direction. Just enjoy playing with the book. As much as possible show the baby the book, just for a few seconds at a time. Gradually, over the first year, the baby will become absorbed with the pictures, the concept of books and you can introduce others.