To be worried about DDs development?

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My 2nd daughter is almost 8 months old. She's not really talking much at all. She makes the usual baby vowel sounds and at one point she had "puh/buh" sounds but it's like she's not bothered with them anymore. She doesn't attempt mama, dada, baba (despite me saying them til I'm blue in the face!) She has no hearing issue, she recognises her name and looks when you call her.

Otherwise she appears curious and engaged, bright and alert but just not talking. Her older sister spoke faster and while I know I shouldn't compare it's almost inevitable that I do since things are a bit slower this time round. AIBU to be worried??

Not yet, lots of singing and actions will help.

No need to worry at all. My first talked quite early (and has not stopped for 4 years!) and I assumed the second would learn from her and want to join in. But he took ages, and asking around it seems common, maybe as he doesn't need to communicate with adults in the same way as his big sister does it for him. He understood things we said to him, and although had some essential words soon after he was 1 he wasn't really stringing stuff together until about 18 months and now it's non stop too.

She's only 8 months old! I know it is so easy to worry but please don't yet - the range of normal is huge and as I understand it it's only after 2 that SALT would become involved. You eldest may have been quick in speech but maybe your youngest will walk sooner, or show better manual dexterity earlier, or maybe she'll just come to everything in her own time. If she's happy, engaged and affectionate then you don't have anything to concern yourself about IMO - but of course if you are worried seek reassurance from your Health Visitor, that's what they're for! Also maybe consider going to a baby signing class to avoid your little one becoming frustrated as they get older if they're struggling to communicate verbally?

Solidarity - being a mum is a full time worry!

Sounds like her older sister was an early talker. I don’t think you have anything to worry about - unless 8 months was a typo for 18 months? I don’t think my son really started talking until closer to his first birthday. He’s 18 months now and doesn’t shut up :)

DD didn't say a word till she was 2 years 1 month then she started with whole sentences and spoke to people like an adult.

Ds didn't talk till he was nearly 3 and then only I could understand him

She will be listening and taking in everything all this time. My three DDs didn't speak much at all until they reached two going on three; all are fine. Try not to worry.

Awwww bless you (I'm a worrier too) but 8 months is way too early to be worried. I remember being worried too and the paediatrician just laughing and saying that lots of parents are totally deluded about what their children are actually saying (they tend to misinterpret babbling "mamamama" for actually using the word "mama").

Children also develop language in very different ways. Some do lots of babbling that morphs into language. Some attempt words very early before they can get the pronunciation even close - gradually their pronunciation improves so first you then other people can understand what they're saying. Some stay silent for ages and suddenly come out with quite complex language.

Even all that is months away from being an issue though. If the baby isn't babbling at all at one or has no words at 1.5 years old I'd worry a bit but even then they can catch up very quickly.

It's also normal for it to come in drips and drabs. Your DD will be concentrating on gaining motor skills at some points and language at others. For the first year and a half - two years receptive language is actually a more important marker of development. At 8 months she should recognise her own name and she'll probably start to recognise other words too. At a year she should recognise more complex language "daddy's home" etc.

That sounds normal, DS is 7 months and was doing 'talking sounding' baby noises a while back but has decided he prefers squarking loudly instead now, theres a huge range of normal when it comes to speaking.
My 22 month old is under a speech therapist as shes expected to be delayed because of medical issues, shes just started saying bah bah for bye and that's the only thing she says, doesn't copy sounds or do mama or Dada etc, and shes apparently still in the 12-18 month development bracket.
8 months is so young still, if shes not advanced at all by 12 months then she might be sounding a bit on the slower end of learning but that's a long way off still.

Phew! Thank you all so much, what a relief! I think I'm probably slightly paranoid as she showed signs of doing stuff early and then stopped, add to that the fact that she's not much of an eater and I've got PND I think my heads gone into overdrive! Thank you for the reassurance :)

Mine never babbled, literally none at all. I had hearing tested at around 1 year or so, all fine. At just before 2 she took off speaking almost in full sentences and has had fantastic speech and vocabulary ever since! No idea why she never babbled....

If you've had hearing tested I wouldn't worry.

My ds2 didnt say a word until he was 19 months old. His first words were a full sentence. It was a shock.

Heaps of time yet. Try not to worry.

Oh honestly don’t worry. My son is 12 months and at 8 months he wasn’t even making any consonant sounds at all. At 9 months he suddenly came out with mama out of nowhere. He’s making loads of sounds now. Some of them just take longer than others. As long as she is hitting other milestones and you have no other concerns I really wouldn’t worry

I have a 2.5 year old who only has about 40 words... He's seen the speech therapist and has been referred to peadiatrics.

At 8 months i really wouldn't worry.

Bless you OP, you really really don't need to worry. It sounds as though your eldest was actually quite early talking and that has skewed your expectations.

I have the opposite - ds1 was (and is) delayed verbally. Ds2 is saying a few words at 12m and now I think he's a genius 😂

Ds1 never babbled and I knew by 10-12 months that he was going to be delayed speech wise. If your dd is making some noises that resemble speech sounds then I honestly think you don't need to worry.

My son is 2 and not talking and I still can't get a SALT referral until he's at least 2 and a half. His understanding is mostly good and he's starting to copy sounds so hopefully he'll start using words soon! They're wanting him to have his 27 month check before giving a referral etc.

I've never known an 8 month old baby who talks or even says any words at all

Haha, ok it seems I really am over thinking this then! Thank you all for the reassurance. Hopefully she'll say a few words before I send her off to college :)