Rapid eye movements in newborn

[mspickles]

Hi,

My baby is 3 weeks old and I've noticed when she is sleeping, her eyes move quite quickly (and seemingly involuntarily). She has been doing this from birth.

She doesn't do it when she's awake and her eyes are focused and alert when she's fully awake, though she hasn't started to 'follow' items placed in front of her eyes yet.

She also moves her arms quite a bit when she sleeps, though I haven't noticed any correlation between the eye movements and hand movements.

My friend said she thinks my baby is having little fits and now I'm really worried.

My baby seems healthy and is eating / feeding just fine, is putting on weight and has started to focus on my face when feeding and also now responds to noises when awake.

Should I take my baby to my GP? Or am I right to think this is just a baby sleeping?

Please help!

Sounds like REM - rapid eye movement - which happens when they dream. Sounds totally normal to me, but take her to the doctor if you're worried.

Sounds like REM everyone does this during sleep - its when we dream

Sounds like everyone else is right - it is REM, it's more noticeable in babies because
a. They spend longer in REM than we do and
b. We spend ages watching them sleep!
PS don't worry about her not 'fixing and following' yet either, she's still really young to be doing this.

Thanks for the replies - I knew I could trust MN!!

In my heart, I'm not worried. She doesn't look at all distressed or in pain and doesn't roll her eyes like this when she's awake.

I just needed a little reassurance.

Sounds like REM - looks freaky though, doesn't it? Swaddling helps with sudden arm movements (flailing) if it's waking her up. They like the snuggliness of it after being in the womb for so long.

That is not how fits show in newborns anyhow (believe me I know more about that than I like ).

REM indeed, like everyone else said. My 19 week old still does it. And don't worry, your lo is still too young to track, that starts around four-six weeks!

Arm movements are only of concern in terms of fits when they are jerky and rythmic. General waving about and throwing arms out as if startled (moro reflex) is normal.

My baby is 2.5 weeks old and, just like his sisters before him, he does exactly what you describe.

Does your friend have children???? I admit they do look like they are having a little fit but they all do this at that age and beyond