Newborn: breathing, noises...advice needed

[MummytoAidan]

Hi,

Advice & reassurance needed for a first time mummy!

My baby boy is 10 days old and has started breathing rather strangely when he is asleep. It's hard to describe but basically his chest seems to compress and his abdomen rises sharply on the inhale. He doesn't do it all the time and it seems to be when he's sleeping deeply. He doesn't change colour or seem distressed, however he does breathe quite fast when breathing like this. He also makes lots of funny noises: little grunts, squeaks, moans and sighs. I understand newborns do breathe rather erratically and can make a lot of noise, but this is obviously worrying me a great deal.

I've had him looked over by a doctor after I panicked late on Tuesday night and phoned NHS 24 - the doc said he was fine. I took him to the GP today who again confirmed all was well. I've to watch out for his colour changing, signs of him struggling for breath etc, but the advice just seems to be just something he does and will hopefully grow out of.

I'm stil really worried however and not getting much sleep as I'm too busy watching him! He's fine generally, feeding well and seems happy.

Does anyone have any experience of something similar? I have been told newborns make a fair bit of noise when sleeping and can breathe erratically?

[reikizen]

Sounds pretty normal to me, and if you have had him checked out (twice!)I'd stop worrying. If it were me I'd worry if I saw lips turning blue or nostrils flaring with grunty breathing, especially when feeding as they can sometimes indicate a heart problem. Relax. Enjoy!

[MummytoAidan]

Thanks, the doc at the hospital said she hadn't seen a baby do this type of breathing for as long as my little one but couldn't explain it. It's hard when you're on your own in the middle of the night wondering if this or that is normal! Thanks for your reply. I do need to relax!

[Katisha]

I've said this before on MN but I kept taking my DS to the doctors when he was a baby because of weird breathing noises. The GP said that newborns can sound like hedgehogs on 40 a day and after that I relaxed about it.

[MummytoAidan]

Thanks - a good description from your GP!

I'd heard newborns were noisy in their sleep but wasn't quite prepared for the range of noises coming from such a little person!