Mothers of newborn babies are constantly overcome by fears. Every five minutes they run up to the crib to listen to the breathing of the sleeping crumbs. A common question that young parents ask pediatricians is why does a baby breathe very often in a dream and is this normal? Before you panic, you need to understand the physiological characteristics of babies. This knowledge will help you not to worry from scratch and understand when something is really wrong with the baby.
Frequent breathing of the child during sleep: the norm or deviation?
When a newborn appears in the house, parents closely monitor his behavior, sometimes trying to find symptoms of dangerous diseases. They have a lot of questions, one of which is whether frequent breathing is normal for a baby. Usually it is the mother who begins to worry that the baby is breathing too fast.
An adult in a calm state inhales deeply and measuredly. In newborns, the upper and lower airways are not fully formed, so they are simply not able to take a full deep breath, like adults. But since the developing organism needs a large amount of oxygen, it compensates for its lack by an increased frequency of breaths.
The breathing rhythm of a baby is also different from an adult. A child up to a year breathes unevenly, taking two or three short breaths, and then one long one. Over time, breathing movements become more rhythmic.
If an infant breathes frequently during sleep, this is considered normal during the first month of life. In weakened, premature babies, breathing can remain frequent and intermittent for a very long time.
INTERESTING FACTS!
- The left lung of an adult and a child is slightly smaller in size compared to the right: this frees up space for the heart.
- The lungs of an infant differ in color from those of adults. Immediately after birth, they have a soft pink hue, which darkens more and more over time. This is due to airborne dust.
- Scientists believe that breathing is not the only function of the lungs. Their other purpose is additional protection of the heart from mechanical damage.
Norms of respiratory rate in children for months
To find out how many breaths a baby takes during sleep, you need to carefully monitor his chest and count the number of its movements. It is considered normal when a newborn takes 40 to 60 breaths per minute. For an adult, such breathing may seem too frequent. Then, gradually, the respiratory rate (RR) begins to decrease: a two-month-old baby takes from 35 to 45 breaths per minute, from 6 months to a year – from 30 to 40, from 2 to 4 years – 25–30, from 8 to 12 years – 20 -22, after 12 years – only 18-20 breaths. The rules can be seen in the table.
| Age | NPV per minute |
| Newborns (up to 28 days) | 40–60 |
| 2 weeks–3 months | 40–45 |
| 4–6 months | 35–40 |
| 7–12 months | 30–35 |
| 2–3 years | 25–30 |
| 5–6 years | 25 |
| 10–12 years old | 20–22 |
| 14–15 years old | 18–20 |
The main causes of rapid breathing. Why is the baby breathing like a dog?
Rapid breathing (tachypnea) of the newborn is associated with the imperfection of the respiratory system, because it continues to develop. Over the next two to three months, the lungs expand, and as a result, the number of inhalations and exhalations begins to decrease.
Tachypnea of the newborn is normal for both term and premature babies.
Rapid breathing is observed with increased physical activity. It happens that the baby, during wakefulness, begins to breathe often, with its mouth slightly open, like a dog. Usually this happens at moments when he experiences positive emotions: while playing with his mother, because of vivid impressions, new sensations. If a newborn suddenly breathes in a dream like a puppy, groans or sobs, most likely he dreamed something.
In other cases, tachypnea with a deviation of 20% from the age norm (see the plate above) indicates health problems in the child.
Diseases that cause rapid breathing
The list of diseases that may be the cause of increased NPV includes:
- Apnea. First, the child begins to wheeze, then he has a long breath hold. It comes back to normal by itself, but sometimes the baby’s legs, arms, lips become bluish, he loses consciousness, which indicates oxygen starvation. In this case, you need to quickly massage, sprinkle the child on the face with cold water and call an ambulance. Oxygen starvation for a newborn is very dangerous: it can lead to major health problems and developmental disabilities.
- Diseases of the respiratory system. These include colds, which are characterized by a runny nose, fever, cough, hoarse voice, general weakness. Due to swelling of the nasal mucosa, sniffling is heard, the baby’s breathing frequency is disturbed.
- Bronchial asthma. Rapid breathing in a dream appears before an attack.
- Allergy. It is not considered a direct disease of the respiratory organs, but can manifest itself through them. An increase in the number of breaths appears with swelling of the mucous membrane, the baby begins to sigh often, which indicates a lack of oxygen.
- Chronical bronchitis. The main signs of the disease are a prolonged cough (up to two months), wet in the morning, with purulent sputum discharge, and heavy breathing.
- Pneumonia. Difficulty inhaling, a slight increase in temperature, coughing are observed. Older children may complain that they have a hard time breathing.
- Tuberculosis. The main symptoms: loss of appetite, weakness, slight fever, constant coughing, noisy breaths and exhalations.
- Cardiovascular diseases. Tachypnea sometimes indicates a pathology of the heart, while the child often breathes, he has weight loss and shortness of breath even after minor physical exertion.
- Nervous tension. With severe stress, tantrums, the breathing process is disturbed. It becomes noisy, the child sighs heavily. Increases or, conversely, disappears appetite, headaches begin to disturb, irritability, tearfulness appear, sleep is disturbed.
Make it a rule for any ailment in an infant to immediately contact the local pediatrician.
How to help your child breathe properly
Difficulty breathing and a violation of its rhythm can cause colds, improper speech development, and lead to serious health problems. Parents are able to help the baby to normalize breathing and make it more complete. For this you need to pay attention to:
- massage and gymnastics;
- proper clothing;
- temperature and humidity in the room;
- the position of the child in sleep.
Let’s consider these points in more detail.
Massage and gymnastics
General massage has a positive effect not only on breathing, but also on the immune system, lymphatic system, and muscle tone. The easiest way to learn how to do gymnastics correctly is by watching a video and watching an experienced massage therapist.
Proper clothing
The respiratory rate is influenced not only by physiological processes, but also by external factors. When putting on pajamas for a child, you need to make sure that it is comfortable for the baby, does not hinder his movement, the collar is free. It is advisable to choose only natural fabrics. It is best to put on a new pajama for the first time during the day to watch the sleeping baby.
Temperature and humidity conditions
It is necessary to monitor the temperature and humidity in the room. Sniffing through the nose during a night’s sleep indicates dry air in the room. A comfortable temperature for both a newborn and older children is from 18 to 22 degrees, air humidity is from 50 to 60%. Under such conditions, the nasal mucosa will not dry out and the child will breathe freely.
With dry air, the baby begins to sniff, viruses accumulate in the nose. The result is a runny nose, difficulty breathing, lack of oxygen and poor sleep at night. A humidifier or wet towels laid out on batteries will help.
In the cold season, you need to ventilate the room twice a day, and in the summer leave the window open around the clock for good air circulation.
The position of the child in a dream
Pay special attention to the baby’s bed: the mattress should be hard, a pillow is not needed at all for up to a year.
A newborn in the first months should sleep only on his side. If he rolled over on his stomach, he must be returned to his previous position, since he himself cannot consciously turn his head during sleep so as not to suffocate. The child rests his nose on the mattress, begins to snore, the frequency and rhythm of breathing are disturbed from a lack of oxygen. The correct position will help support the pillow-positioner or a towel roll placed under the back.
If the baby is sleeping and breathing often, there is no need to panic ahead of time. It is worth observing his behavior and state of health, and if in doubt, consult a pediatrician for advice.