Baby Not Babbling
The short answer
Babbling with consonant sounds like "ba," "da," and "ma" typically begins between 6 and 9 months and is an important building block for speech. Babies develop at different rates, but if your baby is not making any consonant sounds by 9 months, a hearing check is a good first step.
By Age
What to expect by age
At this age, babies communicate through crying, cooing, and making soft vowel-like sounds such as "oooh" and "ahhh." These early sounds are the foundation for later babbling. Responding to your baby's sounds with smiles and conversation encourages them to vocalise more.
Babies start experimenting with a wider range of sounds, including squeals, growls, and raspberry-blowing. Some babies begin early babbling with consonant-vowel combinations toward the end of this period, but many are still in the cooing and vocal play stage. Both are perfectly normal.
This is when canonical babbling, repeating consonant-vowel combinations like "bababa," "mamama," or "dadada," typically emerges. Your baby is practicing the mouth movements needed for speech. Not all babies babble at exactly 6 months, so don't worry if your baby is a bit later, especially if they are making lots of other sounds and engaging socially.
Babbling becomes more varied and speech-like, with different consonant sounds strung together ("ba-da-ga"). Babies start to use babbling with intention, as if having a conversation. If your baby is not producing any consonant sounds by 9-10 months, your doctor will likely recommend a hearing assessment as a first step.
Most babies have a few recognisable words by 12-15 months, built on months of babbling practice. If your baby is still not babbling with consonant sounds by 12 months, a speech and language evaluation can help determine whether support would be beneficial.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby is under 6 months and making cooing sounds, squeals, or vowel sounds but not yet using consonants
- Your baby is 6-8 months and babbling is just beginning to emerge with occasional consonant sounds
- Your baby babbles more at some times than others, such as when relaxed at home versus in unfamiliar settings
- Your baby is very physically active and focused on motor milestones, and their babbling is developing a bit more slowly
- Your baby makes lots of sounds and engages socially, even if the consonant combinations are not yet frequent
- Your baby is 9 months or older and is not making any consonant sounds like "b," "d," "m," or "g"
- Your baby was babbling and has become noticeably quieter or stopped babbling
- Your baby does not seem to respond to your voice or turn toward sounds, which could suggest a hearing concern
- Your baby is over 12 months with no babbling and no emerging words
- Your baby had been babbling or using words and has suddenly stopped vocalising altogether
- Your baby does not react to loud sounds at any age, suggesting a possible hearing issue that needs prompt evaluation
Sources
Related Resources
Related Speech Concerns
My Baby Is Losing Words or Skills
If your child was consistently using words and has truly stopped, this is something to act on promptly. Regression - the genuine loss of skills a child previously had - is different from a normal plateau or a toddler being too busy to talk, and it always warrants a conversation with your pediatrician sooner rather than later.
Baby Not Laughing at Peek-a-Boo
Most babies start showing delight during peek-a-boo between 6 and 9 months, when they develop "object permanence" - the understanding that things still exist when hidden. If your baby isn't laughing at peek-a-boo yet, consider their age and overall social engagement. Some babies prefer other games, and some show enjoyment through smiles or excited movements rather than laughter. What matters most is whether your baby is socially engaged with you overall.
Baby Not Making Vowel Sounds
Most babies begin making vowel sounds - those lovely "oooh," "aaah," and "eee" sounds - around 2 to 3 months of age. This early cooing is one of the first steps in language development. Some babies are naturally quieter than others, but if your baby isn't making any vowel sounds by 4 months, it's worth checking in with your pediatrician to make sure hearing and development are on track.
Baby Not Responding to Own Name Consistently
Most babies start recognizing and responding to their own name between 5 and 7 months, though consistent response may take until 9 months. It's common for babies to sometimes ignore their name when they're focused on something interesting - this is normal. However, if your baby rarely or never turns when you say their name by 9 months, it's worth discussing with your pediatrician to check hearing and development.
Baby Not Turning to Sounds
Babies typically begin turning toward sounds around 4 to 6 months of age. If your baby isn't consistently looking toward voices or noises by 6 months, it's worth having their hearing checked. In many cases, something as simple as fluid in the ears can temporarily affect hearing, and early identification leads to the best outcomes.
Baby Is Very Quiet and Not Vocalizing
Some babies are naturally quieter than others, just like some adults are more talkative than others. However, all babies should be making some sounds - cooing by 3-4 months and babbling by 7-9 months. If your baby is very quiet and rarely makes any vocal sounds, it's important to have their hearing checked and discuss their development with your pediatrician. A quiet baby isn't always a concern, but it's worth investigating.