Hearing a baby's first words is a magical milestone for every parent. The journey to these words, however, is filled with babbling, cooing, and endless anticipation. While each child is unique, there are fascinating insights into when and how babies start saying "Mama" and "Dada." Here's an in-depth look at this heartwarming stage of development, with expert advice to help parents support their little ones on this linguistic journey.

Babies develop at their own pace, reaching milestones on unique timelines. That said, most babies start experimenting with sounds around seven months of age. These early sounds often include repetitive syllables such as "mamamama" and "dadadada." At this stage, these are more babbling experiments than intentional words.

By nine months, many babies start babbling "Mama" or "Dada" on purpose, even if they don't really understand what those words mean. For instance, your little one might say "Mama" while looking at you-or even at the family pet or a favorite toy!

It is usually around the one-year mark that babies start using "Mama" or "Dada" correctly in context and use each parent's name specifically. This is an important milestone in their language development and social connection.

Why Are "Mama" and "Dada" Often the First Words?

Several factors make "Mama" and "Dada" prime candidates for a baby's first words:

1. Frequency of Use

Babies tend to repeat the words they are most exposed to. As a result, parents repeat these words in interaction with their child, and therefore become some of the first sounds a baby attempts to repeat.

2. Phonetics: Easy to pronounce

The "m" and "d" sounds are the easiest sounds for babies to pronounce. Since "Mama" and "Dada" are two syllables with the same sounds, it's easy for the little one just learning how to control the vocal cords to repeat.

3. Emotional Connection

Babies are instinctively attracted to words that elicit strong emotional reactions. The enthusiastic response of the parents to "Mama" and "Dada" motivates the babies to repeat the words, thus reinforcing the association.

Who Wins the First Word Race: Mama or Dada?

The debate over whether a baby says "Mama" or "Dada" first is a playful debate in many households. Research indicates that "Dada" is often said first, mainly because the "d" sound is easier for babies to pronounce than the "m" sound.

However, this is not a rule that is always set in stone. Sometimes, babies prefer "Mama" more, especially when they spend more time with mom or find the "m" sound easier to reproduce. More importantly, this order of the first words uttered does not signify a baby's preference for one parent over the other; it is just a matter of phonetic ease and exposure.

Tips to Encourage Your Baby to Say Mama and Dada

While your baby will speak on their own schedule, there are gentle ways to encourage their linguistic development:

1. Repeat and Reinforce: Frequently say "Mama" and "Dada" while pointing to yourself or your partner. Repetition helps babies associate the sounds with specific people.

2. Tactual Method Hold the baby's hand against your mouth and say "Mama" or "Dada." The feedback by touching can also facilitate understanding how the sounds are formed.

3. Photobook: Create a Simple Photo Album with pictures of "Mama" and "Dada." Sit next to your baby, show the picture one at a time, and say the names out loud. Ask such questions as, "Who is this?".

4. Read to Your Baby: Use books with simple, repetitive language that contains "Mama" and "Dada." Reading not only is beneficial for language development, but it also helps cement the bond between parent and child.

5. Respond to Babbling: Interact with your baby whenever they babble by matching sounds and encouraging dialogue. Positive reinforcement of their attempts at communicating encourages them to continue the effort.

What if your Baby isn't Saying Mama or Dada?

While it's normal to be concerned if your baby hasn't achieved this milestone, remember that every child develops differently. However, if your baby hasn't started saying any words by 12 to 15 months, it is a good idea to see a pediatrician. They might check for hearing or speech issues and provide guidance tailored to your child's needs.

Are Boys More Likely to Say Mama or Dada First?

Interestingly, there is no scientific evidence to indicate that boys or girls are more likely to say "Mama" or "Dada" first. The timing and choice of first words depend entirely on the individual baby and their unique experiences, not their gender.

Tips for Building Language Skills in Babies

Once your baby masters “Mama” and “Dada,” they’ll soon begin adding new words to their vocabulary. Support this growth by:

• Naming Objects: Consistently name objects during play or daily routines to help your baby associate words with their meanings.
• Encouraging Imitation: Use simple sentences and encourage your baby to repeat them.
• Celebrate milestones: Cheer enthusiastically when your baby learns a new word, as positive reinforcement strengthens their motivation.

Hearing your baby say “Mama” or “Dada” for the first time is a moment you’ll treasure forever. While waiting for this milestone can be a test of patience, the journey is just as rewarding as the destination. By engaging with your baby, encouraging communication, and celebrating their efforts, you’re laying the foundation for a lifetime of meaningful conversations.

The first word of every baby is a testimony to the child's growth and the love and support he or she gets from the parents. Therefore, whether it is "Mama" or "Dada," your baby will surely become a confident little communicator in no time.

Important Milestones: Your Child By One Year. CDC

Language Development: 8 to 12 Months. American Academy of Pediatrics.

Allergic reactions are a common occurrence and can happen to anyone. Many people ingest things they do not know they are allergic to or accidentally eat something that is cross contaminated with allergens. The reaction one gets to coming in contact with their allergens depends on how severe their allergies are.

Allergic reactions in kids happen more often than we know, and many of these kids end up hospitalized. However, most of these could be avoided according to new research.

About 17% of children are currently staying overnight in the hospital after a serious allergic reaction to food, medicine, or insect bites. However, this study, published in The Lancet, indicates that most of these long stays might not be needed.

Researchers found that a high percentage of children, 95%, who were treated with a common allergy medication, could safely go home within just two hours. This number goes up to 98% if they are watched for four hours.

One of the researchers, a children's emergency specialist, noted that most patients are likely observed for too long. He explained that for families, this could mean the difference between leaving the hospital at 11 p.m. versus 1 a.m. or 3 a.m.

An allergy happens when your body's defense system, called the immune system, mistakenly thinks something is harmful and reacts too strongly to it. The problems you feel because of this reaction are called an allergic reaction. The things that cause these reactions are known as allergens. Allergens can enter your body in several ways, leading to an allergic reaction

How Allergies Are Affecting More And More Kids?

While most kids get better quickly with the first dose of medicine, about 5% might have their symptoms return later, even after the initial treatment.

For this study, researchers looked at information from over 5,600 emergency room visits at many hospitals in the U.S. and Canada where allergic reactions were treated with the common allergy medication. Most of these reactions (about 90%) were caused by foods like peanuts, eggs, milk, and shellfish. Medicines caused about 6% of reactions, and insect stings caused 3%.

The study showed that only about 5% of children needed a second dose of medicine within two hours of their first shot, and this dropped to just 2% after four hours. Importantly, most children who were admitted to the hospital never needed a second dose or intensive care.

Keeping kids in the hospital longer than needed causes problems. As one allergy expert pointed out, families might avoid or delay going to the emergency room because they don't want to spend hours waiting. Such delays can be dangerous. Allowing patients to go home sooner could encourage them to get help when they need it.

Also, holding kids in the hospital unnecessarily uses up important hospital resources. A senior researcher explained that children's emergency departments can get very busy, especially during winter. Making sure patients move through efficiently helps the hospital care for as many people as possible. He added that because this study was so large, its results can give doctors confidence that sending children home in less than two hours, if they show no concerning symptoms, will be safe for most kids. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, allergies and asthma can be prevented with the correct steps.

How Parents Can Help Prevent Allergies In Children?

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, allergies and asthma can be prevented with the correct steps.

Preventing Food Allergies

Understanding the Risk

Food allergies range from mild to severe, often triggered by peanuts, milk, and eggs. Babies are at higher risk if family members have allergies or if the baby already has eczema.

Diet During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Don't avoid common allergens while pregnant or breastfeeding for allergy prevention; research shows little benefit. Breast milk is ideal, strengthening immunity and reducing allergy risk. If needed, use special hypoallergenic formulas.

Introducing Solid Foods

Start single-ingredient baby foods (fruits, veggies, cereals) at 4-6 months, one at a time. Importantly, introduce common allergens like egg and peanuts during this period. Delaying might increase allergy risk.

When to See a Specialist

Consult an allergist if your baby has allergic reactions, like bad eczema, or if a sibling has a peanut allergy. They'll provide expert guidance and a personalized plan.

Environmental Allergies and Asthma

Dust Mites

Reduce dust mite exposure early, especially for high-risk children, to delay or prevent symptoms. Use allergen-proof covers, wash bedding weekly in hot water, and keep humidity low. Remove carpets if possible.

Pets and Other Animals

The link between early animal exposure and allergies is complex. Newer research suggests early exposure to cats and dogs might actually protect children. Discuss this with your doctor.

Tobacco Smoke

Crucially, shield children from tobacco smoke before and after birth. Smoking during pregnancy increases infant wheezing. Secondhand smoke boosts asthma risk and other breathing problems.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding for at least 4-6 months strengthens a child's immune system. This helps fight lung infections that trigger asthma, potentially reducing long-term asthma risk.

You can't completely shield your teen from stress, and a little bit can even be good for them. However, too much stress might make them more likely to get sick. For instance, teens feeling overloaded due to midterms, college applications, or other school pressures could become more vulnerable to catching viruses. This is because stress genuinely affects our bodies, making us more prone to illness, especially during winter when colds and flu spread easily in schools.

Stress Weakens the Immune System

According to a 2024 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine ongoing stress directly hits a teen's immune system, which is their body's way of fighting off sickness. When stress hormones are released, they can damage the immune system. Long-term stress can even lower the number of white blood cells that fight infections. If teens are always busy, not sleeping enough, and ignoring their own self-care, it sets them up perfectly to get sick. Stress also causes swelling in the body, which further weakens the immune system. During very stressful times like exams, it's really important to encourage teens to slow down and take care of their body and mind

Tips to Help Teens Stay Healthy and Less Stressed

Here are some simple ways to help your teen stay healthy, both mentally and physically:

Get Enough Sleep

Most teens don't sleep enough; they often get only about 7 hours, but they need much more, especially when stressed. Aim for up to 10 hours of sleep a night during stressful times. Good sleep helps their body and mind recharge, boosts their immune system, helps them manage emotions, and improves their thinking. Help them set a sleep schedule, put away phones at least two hours before bed, keep their room dark and cool, and try relaxing activities before sleep.

Find Ways to Cope

Help your teen discover ways to calm down and lower stress. This could be things like walking outside in nature, making a healthy meal, writing in a journal, trying simple breathing exercises, or using a meditation app. Teens who regularly practice mindful exercises to reduce stress often feel much less stressed overall.

Take Breaks from Tech

Many teens spend hours every day on phones and other devices outside of school. Too much screen time can actually make stress worse, not better. Encourage your teen to "unplug" by taking breaks from their devices. Suggest setting time limits for apps and social media.

Plan Ahead

If your teen has a stressful event coming up, help them prepare. Suggest a study schedule with breaks, and work together to make a plan. Getting organized can really help. Encourage them to use a planner or calendar, or help them make "to-do" lists, which makes managing deadlines easier.

Eat Well and Drink Water

While sugary snacks and caffeine might seem helpful during study sessions, they usually do more harm than good. Keep healthy snacks like protein bars, nuts, and fruit around. Providing healthy, comforting meals can also help lower stress. And don't forget to remind them to drink plenty of water, as not drinking enough can affect their body and even make them feel more anxious.

Is It Sickness or Just Stress?

Stress and anxiety can cause physical symptoms that feel a lot like being sick, such as headaches, stomach aches, and muscle pain. Often, teens might "feel" sick when they are actually just anxious. It's tough to measure stress because what causes it and how much it affects someone is different for everyone. It's important to talk to your teen about how they're feeling. If they have physical symptoms, take them to a doctor to make sure they aren't actually sick with the flu or another virus.

If your teen does get sick during a stressful time, help them deal with it so it doesn't add more stress. Let them know it's okay to take breaks for their health, and help them figure out how to catch up on any schoolwork. Teaching teens to take care of themselves is really important.

A baby is considered fully developed and full-term at 39 weeks of gestation. A baby can be born anywhere between 37 and 42 weeks and can still be considered full-term. This period helps in baby's organ development like brain, lungs, and liver. It also reduces baby's health risks, promotes a better brain development and helps with other cognitive activities.

However, under certain circumstances, premature babies are also born. However, when a baby is born at 24 weeks or later, the baby has chance to survival and this chance increases with each additional week of gestation. However, babies who are born before 24 weeks face a high risk of mortality and potential long-term health issues.

A baby born before 22 weeks has a survival rate of 6%. So if a baby born in 21 weeks survives, it is no less than a miracle.

This is the story of one such miracle that happened where a baby, who had less than 1% chance of survival is now thriving and has broken the world record.

"Defied All Scientific Odds"

This is from the year 2020 when at 21 weeks, in Alabama, the most premature baby in the world, as per the Guinness World Records, was born.

Curtis Means and his twin sister, C'Asya Means, were born on July 5, 2020, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital. Delivered at just 21 weeks and 1 day of gestation—132 days premature—the twins faced overwhelming odds, with UAB estimating their chance of survival at less than 1%. According to Guinness World Records, they were born nearly 19 weeks early.

"Numbers show that babies born so young have little to no chances of survival," said Dr. Brian Sims, a professor of pediatrics at the UAB who was the on-call physician when the twins' mother, Michelle Butler. The doctor's statement is part of UAB's official statement.

However, C'Asya did not respond to treatment and died the day after birth, but Curtis' heart rate and oxygen levels started to improve.

"We have never been able to bring a baby that young to the neonatal intensive care unit, so [Curtis] was literally the first of his kind," Sims told Guinness World Records. We were in uncharted territory."

Curtis received constant medical care that helped him breathe. His body temperature was also regulated and other care, including enough nutrition intakes were maintained. It was in about three months, when the doctors were finally able to take him off a ventilator.

Dr Colm Travers, an assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology said in a statement, "Curtis defied all scientific odds." Indeed he did. Age and birth weight are two of the most important factors in determining a newborn’s chances of survival, he explained. The odds are also higher if the baby is female, not part of a multiple birth, and if the mother received steroids before delivery to aid lung development—none of which applied in Curtis’s case. Yet, Curtis survived.

How The Baby Survived

At birth, Curtis weighed just 14.8 ounces (420 grams)—roughly one-seventh the weight of an average full-term newborn, according to Guinness World Records. Despite the odds, he grew stronger each day and was discharged from the hospital around nine months later, supported by medication, a feeding tube, and bottled oxygen.

After celebrating his first birthday, Curtis—affectionately nicknamed "Poodie" by his family—was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the most premature surviving baby.

Six months after his discharge, Curtis’ medical team gathered outside the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital to surprise his mother with the Guinness World Record certificate. The previous record holder, Richard Hutchinson, had been born just a month earlier, on June 5, 2020, at 21 weeks and 2 days.