Our first daughter, Maia, was about 11 months old when I decided to use baby sign language. At a babies and children expo I purchased a book and dvd on signing and got straight into it. My husband was sceptical at first, but when Maia started signing back within six week he was converted!

Maia loved being able to communicate her needs and wants more easily and learnt new signs as quickly as we could teach her. Her thirst for learning was amazing, and all that signing is evident now in her speech. At nearly six years of age, we are often commended on how well and how clearly she speaks, and are amazed at the breadth of her vocabulary.

With the birth of our second daughter in 2008, we started signing much earlier (about four months), and at about seven months old Keira would copy the sign for milk. It took another couple of months for her to realise that by using the sign she could actually ask for her milk. That was a revelation to her!

At 13 months she was using approximately 15 signs and speaking about ten words clearly. Keira constantly looked at me to learn new signs – her favourites are "milk", "more", "ball" and "book". Now at two years old, Keira speaks clearly in full sentences and no longer needs to use sign language - unless she really wants to get her message across.

We do still use the sign for "Please" to remind both kids to use their manners!

I decided to start Baby Babble when I realised that so many people just don't know about using baby sign language. I believe it is an amazing opportunity to gain a real insight into our children's young minds. From my experience babies love to be able to communicate. Baby Sign language reduces their frustration at not being able to speak and enables us to better assist them.

I am passionate about using baby sign language, and my aim is to empower many more parents and carers with this fantastic communication tool. I have undertaken some studies and AUSLAN, (the official language for the Australian Deaf Community) and have a new admiration for the deaf community and their wonderful language. I believe that using AUSLAN as a basis for baby sign language is essential, teaching a second language, and enriching children with an early education into other languages and cultures. More and more childcare centres are utilising sign language as a communication tool, for hearing children as well as those with disabilities.