How to sign
Baby in ASL
Baby rocks your arms as if cradling an infant, one arm resting in the other, swaying side to side.
- Single sign
- Two hands
- Handshape: Flat arms, one resting in the other
- In front of the body
- Family
How to sign baby
- 1
Rest one forearm on top of the other, as if holding a baby.
- 2
Rock your arms gently side to side.
- 3
Soften your face.
Common mistakes
- Rocking too big. It's a gentle sway.
Use it in a sentence
English sentences you can sign with Baby. In ASL the word order can shift and filler words drop away.
- “The baby is asleep.”
Questions about “Baby”
Yes. This clip shows the common ASL sign for baby. Like spoken languages, ASL has regional variation, so you may see small differences from signer to signer.
Guide
Family
The ASL family signs share one simple rule about the forehead and chin. Learn mother, father, grandparents, siblings, and cousins with video and memory hooks.
From the blog
Signing With Your Baby: First Signs, Timing, and What the Research Says
Milk, more, all done, eat, sleep. When to start, how to be consistent, and why real ASL signs beat made-up gestures.