Breathing Problems
What might breathing problems mean in a newborn?
Babies breathe much faster than older children and adults. A newborn's normal breathing rate is about 40 to 60 times per minute. This may slow to 30 to 40 times per minute when the baby is sleeping. A baby’s breathing pattern may also be different. A baby may breathe fast several times, then have a brief rest for less than 10 seconds, then breathe again. This is often called periodic breathing and is normal. Babies normally use their diaphragm, the large muscle below the lungs, for breathing.
Changes in a baby's breathing rate or pattern, using other muscles and parts of the chest to breathe, or changes in color may mean the baby is having respiratory distress and needs immediate medical attention.
Signs of respiratory problems may include the following:
-
Rapid or irregular breathing. Rapid breathing is more than 60 breaths per minute. A baby who is overheated or upset and crying may breathe rapidly, but the rate should slow when the baby is no longer too hot or crying. Continuously rapid breathing is a sign of a problem. Breathing that stops longer than 20 seconds, called apnea, can be a serious problem.
-
Flaring nostrils. A baby who is having trouble taking in enough air will have nostrils that widen with each inhaled breath.
-
Retracting. Another sign of trouble taking in air is retracting, when the baby is pulling the chest in at the ribs, below the breastbone, or above the collarbones.
-
Grunting. This is a sound made by a baby who is having trouble breathing. The baby grunts to try to keep air in the lungs to help build up the oxygen level. Another sound may be a moan or sigh when exhaling.
-
Blue color. Cyanosis, a generalized blue coloring, can be a sign the baby is not getting enough oxygen. This is often seen in babies with heart defects, as well as respiratory problems.
-
Coughing. Occasionally, coughing or choking may occur when a baby takes in milk too quickly with feedings. Persistent coughing or choking may indicate a breathing problem, or a problem with digestion that should be examined by your baby's healthcare provider.
For any sign of respiratory problems, consult your baby's healthcare provider immediately.
Online Medical Reviewer: Donna Freeborn PhD CNM FNPHeather TrevinoLiora C Adler MD
Date Last Reviewed: 3/1/2019
© 2000-2019 The StayWell Company, LLC. 800 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
Related Conditions
- Anatomy of the Newborn Skull
- Assessments for Newborn Babies
- Baby's Care After Birth
- Breast Milk Collection and Storage
- Breastfeeding and Delayed Milk Production
- Breastfeeding at Work
- Breastfeeding Difficulties - Baby
- Breastfeeding Difficulties - Mother
- Breastfeeding: Getting Started
- Breastfeeding Your Baby
- Breastfeeding Your Premature Baby
- Care of the Baby in the Delivery Room
- Caring for Babies in the NICU
- Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Common Conditions and Complications
- Common Procedures
- Congenital Heart Disease Index
- Difficulty with Latching On or Sucking
- Digestive Disorders
- Fever in A Newborn
- Hearing Loss in Babies
- Hearing Screening Tests for Newborns
- Heart Disorders
- High-Risk Newborn Blood Disorders
- Infant Feeding Guide
- Infant of a Mother with Diabetes
- Infant Play
- Infant Sleep
- Infection in Babies
- Inguinal Hernia in Children
- Male Conditions
- Megaureter in Children
- Micropenis
- Neurological Disorders in the Newborn
- Newborn Appearance
- Newborn Babies: Getting Ready at Home
- Newborn Care
- Newborn Complications
- Newborn Crying
- Newborn Health Assessment
- Newborn Measurements
- Newborn Multiples
- Newborn Reflexes
- Newborn Screening Tests
- Newborn Senses
- Newborn Sleep Patterns
- Newborn Warning Signs
- Normal Newborn Behaviors and Activities
- Physical Exam of the Newborn
- Preparing for Your New Baby
- Preparing the Family
- Skin Color Changes
- Substance Exposure
- Taking Your Baby Home
- The Growing Child: Newborn
- The Respiratory System in Babies
- Thrush (Oral Candida Infection) in Children
- Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn
- Umbilical Cord Care
- Vision and Hearing
- Keeping Your Baby Warm
- When a Baby Has Difficulty After Birth
- When to Call Your Child's Healthcare Provider
- Basics About Your Newborn’s Body
- Birthmarks in Infants
- Mom and Baby Bond through Kangaroo Care