How many of us have gotten up in the middle of the night just to find out if our baby is breathing. It is a frequent concern, a ghost that looms in many households with young children at home. But the breathing changes of the little ones are not always alarm signals, know some curiosities about the breathing of babies It will allow you to feel calmer at night, without fear that something bad is happening.
Sudden death in newborns is of great concern to parents and that is why nights become distressing times for many of them. But we must know some basic questions about the breathing of babies.
Babies' breathing
Babies are born with an immature respiratory system and that is why we notice certain irregularities in their breathing. Until the system matures, newborn They may have irregular breathing, which can alternate rapid, deep sighs with moments of slower and shallower breathing. They can inhale very gently at times and very deeply at others.
This is not by chance, it is not until 6 months of age that the respiratory system of babies is mature enough to breathe regularly and slowly. This is when they also begin to breathe through their mouths, since until then babies only breathe through their noses. Why does this happen? Because up to 6 months, the air viaducts inside the mouth are sealed due to the development of the soft palate itself. The baby then breathes only through the nose, it is it that regulates the temperature and humidity of the inhaled air while filtering that same air. For this same reason, it is possible to register strange inhalations that lead us to talk about the curiosities of breathing in babies small.
When they reach this age, the muscles of the baby's face and palate develop, and consequently the epiglottis separates from the soft palate and a space opens, causing air circulation through the mouth. From that moment on, the breath changes.
Curiosities about breathing and snoring
The respiratory rate of a baby can range from 40 to 60 breaths per minute, children may have short pauses in their breathing and even stop breathing for 15 seconds or less, something very common in newborns, especially if it is treated premature babies.
Snoring is another curiosities about the breathing of babies of few months. It is common to feel them at night, they are often heard in the middle of silence and are related to the cold, which can obstruct the airways. The application of physiological saline is the best solution in these cases.
Of course, in some cases snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, although in these cases the baby also stops breathing for 20 seconds or more, sweats a lot or adopts different postures when sleeping.
When to worry about breathing
As we have seen so far, there are different types of snoring and a large number of expressions and curiosities about the breathing of babies. Well then, when is it time to worry?
Among the most important warning signs is if you stop breathing for 20 seconds or more or if you register that the lips, tongue or face turn blue. Also if you notice too fast breathing, in that case take your breath and if it exceeds 60 breaths per minute, consult the guard. Another point to take into account is if the baby breathes with difficulty but you also register that he is drowning, there are gasps or his ribs sink. So we no longer talk about curiosities about the breathing of babies but alerts that you should consider immediately.
In the most extreme cases and if you register that the child stops breathing, try to move him, if he does not respond, call the emergency department immediately and, while you wait for his arrival, begin CPR (cardiopulmonary) resuscitation and call the emergency department immediately.