Sleeping like a baby isn't e'er as peaceful as it sounds. Babies oftentimes moan, groan, and whimper in their sleep, which can be disconcerting to new parents, even though it's pretty normal. Only sometimes a baby'due south sleep behaviors tin can bespeak a more serious problem.

Your baby pauses betwixt breaths

Yous've probably noticed your baby's breathing rhythm changes every bit she sleeps. She might breathe chop-chop at first, and then more slowly, earlier pausing for 5 to 10 seconds and resuming rapid animate, and so on. Doctors telephone call this "periodic breathing," and it'due south common in babies until they're about half dozen months old. Your babe'south 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 Eye at Emory University School of Medicine.

Possible cause for business: Some infants experience central sleep apnea, which causes them to end breathing for up to 20 seconds. These episodes are normal and may be due to an immature brain stem, which regulates animate. But if pauses last longer than twenty seconds, your child's doctor may want to examine your baby and refer her to a specialist for evaluation. In about cases, a baby'southward irregular breathing is nothing to worry near.

It's also not unusual for a newborn's hands and feet to appear blue at times – it tin happen if your baby is crying or cough, or if she'south a scrap common cold. But if your baby's forehead, tongue, nails, lips, or the trunk of her body seems persistently blue, she may be having problem getting enough oxygen.

What to do nearly it: Putting your baby to sleep on her back is the single near helpful thing y'all can do to help her breathe easily. But if your babe stops breathing, impact or nudge her gently to see whether she responds. If she doesn't reply, she needs help immediately.

If your infant stops breathing and yous can't wake her up, starting time administering infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) right away and inquire someone to phone call 911 for assist. If yous're lone, call 911 yourself after two minutes of CPR and so resume CPR until aid arrives or your baby starts breathing again.

cartoon calendar

Your babe snores and snorts

If your infant occasionally snores or makes snorting sounds while he's sleeping, information technology'south probably nil to worry well-nigh. Many babies snore when they have a stuffy olfactory organ, and stuffy noses are mutual during the first few weeks of life. If your baby has a common cold, try a vaporizer or humidifier to brand breathing more comfy.

Possible crusade for business organisation: Persistent snoring can sometimes indicate a trouble.

What to practice nigh it: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that yous e'er mention your baby's snoring to his medico, just to be on the prophylactic side. Your baby's doctor can cheque for problems and may refer you to a specialist, such as an ear, nose, and throat doc or a sleep specialist, to see if testing or treatment is necessary.

Your baby sweats – a lot

Some babies sweat profusely during the deepest part of their nightly slumber wheel and terminate upwardly soaking wet. Because babies spend much more time in this deepest phase of sleep, they're more probable to sweat during the dark than adults or even older children.

Possible cause for concern: Sweating is very mutual, but excessive sweating could mean that something isn't right. For example, excessive sweating – especially when eating – tin can be a sign of congenital heart disease also as diverse infections and sleep apnea. Overheating is also a hazard cistron for sudden babe death syndrome (SIDS).

What to exercise about it: The room your baby sleeps in should be warm simply not hot. Gear up the room temperature to a range that feels comfortable to a lightly clothed developed. Dress your babe in the corporeality of wearable that you'd be comfy sleeping in without covers. Resist the urge to bundle her up and go on blankets, quilts, and comforters out of her crib.

As a dominion of thumb, remember that if you lot're likewise hot, your infant probably is too. If the house is cool and your baby is dressed lightly and nonetheless sweating, talk with her doctor.

Your babe rocks his trunk

Many babies are soothed by rhythmic back-and-forth movements, such as the gentle move of a rocking chair. Some babies volition rock on all fours or fifty-fifty while sitting upward. Body rocking starts at virtually 6 to 9 months erstwhile and may be accompanied past head banging or head rolling. It commonly isn't a sign of any behavioral or emotional problem.

What to do near it: It'southward best to take a depression-key approach to rocking. If your baby senses yous're trying to stop the rocking, he may have information technology as a challenge and persist in the beliefs. Move his crib abroad from the wall if the rocking is unusually loud. And tighten the screws and bolts on his crib regularly because all that motion may piece of work them loose.

Your infant bangs her caput

Like rocking, caput banging is a common behavior some babies use to condolement themselves. Strangely enough, your baby may bang her caput to distract herself from pain – if she's teething, for example, or has an ear infection. Head banging often starts afterward a infant turns 6 months one-time and may get on for several months or even years, just most children outgrow it by historic period 3 or 4. Information technology's seldom a sign of any emotional or developmental issue.

Possible crusade for concern: In rare instances, peculiarly if your baby has developmental delays, it could signal a problem.

What to do well-nigh it: Tell your doctor about information technology, just to be condom. 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 risk of SIDS and bumpers can cause serious injury.

Your baby grinds his teeth

More than one-half of babies grind their teeth, especially while asleep. Grinding tin occur at any age, but it'southward most common in babies who are getting their first teeth (commonly around 6 months). Although the sound may be nervus-racking, the grinding probably won't injure your baby's teeth.

Possible cause for concern: Reasons for teeth grinding in babies can include the sensation of new teeth, pain (from an earache or teething, for example), and animate problems, such as from a stuffy olfactory organ.

What to do nearly it: Mention it to his doctor and his dentist. (Your baby's first dentist visit should happen around the time he turns one.) The doctor and dentist can evaluate what'southward behind the grinding and check for harm to the tooth enamel. Few babies are such ardent grinders that they really article of clothing downwardly their teeth.