Your sweet, calm, docile little babe loves to make sounds while they sleep. We may not notice in the hospital as there are care providers in and out, possibly visitors, monitors, IVs beeping, and other new sounds!
However, when we get home, it can become alarming how much we hear our baby sigh, grunt/push, whine, whimper, or squeal while they’re “fast asleep”. It can make it harder for us to fall asleep too!
Babies have an “irregular” breathing pattern. Yep, irregular! And this is considered normal for newborns, as their lungs are learning all about their new job! What does this mean?
Babies have short periods where breathing can speed up, then slow down, pause, and then speed back up.
Babies have a respiratory rate higher than grown adults. Most adults breathe between 12-20 times per minute. Babies breathe 30-60 times per minute.
You may also hear the baby’s digestive system doing work at night too-that means: gurgling, rumbling, and yes, toothing.
Now, of course, it’s important to remember to talk with your paediatrician about any concerns you have with baby’s breathing, even if you think it “might be normal”-trust that gut and give yourself peace of mind, mama!
Babies should not be:
- Grunting with “each breath”
- Have a persistently fast breathing pattern
- Have retractions with breathing
- Have long pauses in breathing
- Color changes
- Make a strider noise with breaths
Image source: Google
