Unusual breathing in sleep (9 months)

[babylann]

Last night, about 12:30am, we heard DD making some unusual noises over the baby monitor. I've heard her do it once before, but I was half asleep at the time and by the time I forced myself awake enough to listen, she stopped so I wondered whether I was hearing things. However, last night we were still very much awake and confirmed she does occasionally breath weirdly in her sleep.

It sounded like she'd hold her breath for about 5 seconds and then suddenly gasp for air for a few seconds, with a little squeak noises. We snuck into her room and watched, and it actually made her head shake a bit when it happened. But it seemed more like she was whimpering in her sleep.

But when we woke her up, she carried on doing it for about 10 minutes. After about an hour, when we were sure she was calm and so on, we gave her a bottle and then put her back to bed. But I'm wondering whether or not I should take her to the doctor?

Sounds like sleep apnoea. Does she have a cold?

My DD used to do this, and would often stop breathing for up to 10 seconds before gasping. This obviously caused her to have very disturbed sleep, making her really quite miserable during the day. Her sleep apnoea was caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which would always be worse with a cold.

She had the removed aged 3 and has been so, so much better ever since.

I would make an appointment with your GP if you are worried, but stopping breathing is never a good thing!

HTH

dd2 had sleep apnoea, sounds very much like that. It could just be when she's a bit congested, and if its occasional is probably no problem - but if its frequent/constant, or gets worse, then it may be down to large adenoids and/or tonsils.

dd2's got steadily worse over a couple of years (especially in winter, when colds didn't help) and she ended up needing both out at just over 24 months. She's been fine ever since.

Hopefully your dd's is temporary!

have just noticed this with my DD (4). She was ill recently so I slept with her & noticed it then. I remember her doing it when she was a baby. I suffer from it too and I don't think it's because I'm congested - to me it feels like I 'forget' to breathe . I think I will take DD to doctors though just to get it checked out