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Newborn fast breathing during sleep

17 replies

SashaSays · 27/11/2016 09:25

Hi just before i start off I have mentioned this to my hv and she doesn't seem concerned and my daughter was checked over by drs before leaving the hospital. I've noticed that sometimes during sleep my 9 day old baby will breath really heavy and almost pant,her eyes also move under her eyelids,she also makes faces and can be quite noisy. She's not flaring her nostrils or anything. This can last for a while before returning to a normal breathing pattern. My mum has seen her do this & told me it's quite normal for babies to do this in sleep. is this normal?

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AmyFlower · 27/11/2016 09:26

She's probably just dreaming.

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DoItTooJulia · 27/11/2016 09:27

Yes. I think it's the one piece of advice that's missing-babies breathing is very erratic and scary at times.

If she's staying nice and pink,especially around the lips, she is ok. Nothing wrong with being alert to it-but yes babies are designed to terrify us I'm afraid.

Congratulations Flowers

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dogdinner · 27/11/2016 09:30

Sounds normal. New born breathing is an added pleasure for mums to lie awake worrying about in the few precious hours they are supposed to sleep! I spent the first few weeks of both my kids lives leaping out of bed because of wired breathing

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Maybebabybee · 27/11/2016 09:30

My baby used to do this and it scared the bejesus out of me! Was all normal though.

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Aliveinwanderland · 27/11/2016 09:32

Yep my 4 week old does this all the time!

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SashaSays · 27/11/2016 09:41

Omg thank you so much everyone. Its so scary,when this happens,no one told me about this! Done the wrong thing by googling also, her colour doesn't change when she does this.

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FurryGiraffe · 27/11/2016 10:12

It's called 'periodic breathing'. Both mine did it and it's bloody terrifying! They really should warn you about it.

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Shadowboy · 27/11/2016 10:16

It means they are still in 'light sleep' my midwife says when the breathing slows and movement under eyelid stops they are in a deep sleep and that's the best time to put them down! Seems to work for my week old little one.

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SashaSays · 27/11/2016 14:50

Its so freaky. I know its normal now but can't help worrying when she does this as i have no other kids so this is totally foreign to me. I can't wait till she grows out of it,gosh these little babies really do worry us.

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bippitybopityboo · 27/11/2016 18:16

If you look back through my posts I wrote this about my now 4 month old whrn he was about 4 weeks I think. I asked Dr's Health visitor midwives over and over I was worried sick and they really wasn't. He really did seem to pant and suck his belly right in breathing really fast! He is fine now and breathes normal all the time bit if you are worried never be worried to ask!

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SashaSays · 27/11/2016 22:30

bippitybopityboo it's absolutely terrifying, i've been in tears today about it. The rational side of me knows she's fine but it is really scary to see. I keep forgetting she was in my belly for 9 months so she's adjusting to being out. I'm going to take her back to my gp tomorrow for my reassurance.

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bippitybopityboo · 27/11/2016 23:31

I was exactly the same, I'm sure she'll be absolutely fine and theyll say it's normal however i would definitely do the same and go back just for peace of mind. It honestly had me in tears too I know exactly how you're feeling Flowers

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robindeer · 27/11/2016 23:36

I took ds to a&e for this Blush

If it helps, they asked me to come in when I phoned the ward I'd been discharged from the week before.

Just so you know it's not just you OP, we've all been there. Congratulations on your new baby Flowers

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SashaSays · 28/11/2016 00:57

Yes I definitely think i'll take her for peace of mind. Its nice to know i'm not going crazy, its really unsettling to see. Its hard not to worry as she's so tiny and fragile atm, any little thing I've never seen before is worrying and that's most things since I've never had a newborn before.

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OzzieFem · 28/11/2016 14:41

It's called REM sleep and is perfectly normal.

definition: a kind of sleep that occurs at intervals during the night and is characterized by rapid eye movements, more dreaming and bodily movement, and faster pulse and breathing.

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SashaSays · 13/04/2017 03:52

Haha sorry just looking back at this. My baby is five months old now & it was normal lol. They need to warn parents about that!!

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FurryElephant · 13/04/2017 04:32

Baby breathing is terrifying isn't it! No body warned me it would be like having a drunk congested piglet sleeping next to my bed who doesn't breathe in a regular pattern! Many night were spent shining a torch on her to watch whenever she went quiet Blush

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