Sleeping like a baby isn't always every bit peaceful equally information technology sounds. Babies often moan, groan, and whimper in their sleep, which can be disconcerting to new parents, even though it's pretty normal. But sometimes a baby's sleep behaviors tin indicate a more than serious problem.

Your baby pauses between breaths

You've probably noticed your baby'due south breathing rhythm changes every bit she sleeps. She might breathe rapidly at commencement, so more slowly, before pausing for v to ten seconds and resuming rapid breathing, and so on. Doctors call this "periodic breathing," and information technology's mutual in babies until they're nigh 6 months old. Your infant's breathing may follow this pattern up to 5 percent of the time she'south asleep, says Gary E. Freed, professor of pediatrics and director of the Children's Apnea Center at Emory Academy School of Medicine.

Possible cause for business organization: Some infants feel key sleep apnea, which causes them to stop animate for up to xx seconds. These episodes are normal and may be due to an immature brain stalk, which regulates breathing. Merely if pauses terminal longer than xx seconds, your child'south doctor may desire to examine your baby and refer her to a specialist for evaluation. In virtually cases, a baby'due south irregular breathing is nothing to worry virtually.

It's besides not unusual for a newborn'due south easily and feet to appear bluish at times – it can happen if your baby is crying or coughing, or if she's a bit common cold. But if your baby's forehead, natural language, nails, lips, or the trunk of her trunk seems persistently blue, she may be having trouble getting plenty oxygen.

What to exercise about it: Putting your babe to sleep on her back is the unmarried most helpful thing yous can do to aid her exhale easily. But if your baby stops breathing, bear upon or nudge her gently to encounter whether she responds. If she doesn't answer, she needs help immediately.

If your baby stops animate and you tin can't wake her upwardly, start administering babe cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) right away and ask someone to call 911 for aid. If you're lonely, phone call 911 yourself after ii minutes of CPR and then resume CPR until help arrives or your baby starts animate again.

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Your baby snores and snorts

If your babe occasionally snores or makes snorting sounds while he's sleeping, it's probably goose egg to worry near. Many babies snore when they accept a stuffy olfactory organ, and stuffy noses are common during the start few weeks of life. If your baby has a common cold, endeavour a vaporizer or humidifier to brand breathing more comfy.

Possible cause for concern: Persistent snoring can sometimes indicate a problem.

What to practice near it: The American University of Pediatrics recommends that you always mention your baby's snoring to his dr., just to be on the safe side. Your infant's doctor can cheque for problems and may refer you to a specialist, such every bit an ear, nose, and throat dr. or a slumber specialist, to run into if testing or handling is necessary.

Your babe sweats – a lot

Some babies sweat profusely during the deepest part of their nightly sleep cycle and end up soaking wet. Because babies spend much more fourth dimension in this deepest stage of sleep, they're more than likely to sweat during the night than adults or even older children.

Possible cause for concern: Sweating is very common, but excessive sweating could mean that something isn't right. For instance, excessive sweating – especially when eating – can be a sign of built heart disease as well as various infections and slumber apnea. Overheating is also a risk gene for sudden infant decease syndrome (SIDS).

What to do about it: The room your baby sleeps in should be warm but non hot. Set the room temperature to a range that feels comfortable to a lightly clothed adult. Dress your baby in the amount of clothing that you'd be comfortable sleeping in without covers. Resist the urge to bundle her upwardly and keep blankets, quilts, and comforters out of her crib.

As a rule of thumb, recall that if you're too hot, your babe probably is besides. If the house is cool and your infant is dressed lightly and still sweating, talk with her doctor.

Your baby rocks his trunk

Many babies are soothed past rhythmic back-and-forth movements, such as the gentle motion of a rocking chair. Some babies volition rock on all fours or even while sitting up. Torso rocking starts at about 6 to 9 months quondam and may be accompanied by head banging or head rolling. It unremarkably isn't a sign of any behavioral or emotional problem.

What to do nearly information technology: Information technology'due south best to take a depression-key approach to rocking. If your baby senses yous're trying to end the rocking, he may take it as a challenge and persist in the behavior. Move his crib away from the wall if the rocking is unusually loud. And tighten the screws and bolts on his crib regularly because all that motion may work them loose.

Your baby bangs her head

Like rocking, caput banging is a common behavior some babies utilize to comfort themselves. Strangely enough, your baby may bang her head to distract herself from pain – if she'due south teething, for instance, or has an ear infection. Head banging oftentimes starts later a baby turns 6 months erstwhile and may keep for several months or fifty-fifty years, but most children outgrow it by historic period 3 or four. Information technology'due south seldom a sign of any emotional or developmental effect.

Possible cause for concern: In rare instances, especially if your baby has developmental delays, it could betoken a trouble.

What to do nearly information technology: Tell your doctor well-nigh it, just to exist safe. Tighten the screws and bolts on her crib regularly. And don't put pillows, bumpers, or blankets in the crib to cushion the blows – loose bedding raises the take a chance of SIDS and bumpers can crusade serious injury.

Your infant grinds his teeth

More than than half of babies grind their teeth, especially while comatose. Grinding tin occur at whatsoever age, but it'due south most mutual in babies who are getting their commencement teeth (ordinarily around 6 months). Although the sound may be nervus-racking, the grinding probably won't hurt your infant'south teeth.

Possible cause for concern: Reasons for teeth grinding in babies tin can include the sensation of new teeth, hurting (from an earache or teething, for instance), and breathing bug, such as from a stuffy nose.

What to practise about it: Mention it to his doctor and his dentist. (Your baby'southward outset dentist visit should happen around the time he turns 1.) The md and dentist can evaluate what'due south backside the grinding and check for damage to the tooth enamel. Few babies are such agog grinders that they really clothing down their teeth.