In this blog, I’ll shed light on the shocking fact that our cute little newborns actually sound like disgruntled old men when they sleep!!
I’ll also talk through the importance of room sharing with these noisy newborns and the warning signs of when these grunts and squirms need further investigation.
As always, these blogs are not medical advice. I urge parents to trust their instincts—if you want to have your newborn reviewed by a doctor or maternal nurse, never hesitate.
Most parents are shocked to find out newborn sleep is NOT quiet
Quite the contrary—healthy newborns grunt and squirm. They are noisy little things! The term “sleeping like a baby” was not coined by someone who has actually slept next to a newborn baby.
There are lots of reasons that are no cause for concern that babies grunt and squirm. The 4 key ones are:
- Reason 1: Inadequate burping or winding
- Reason 2: Active sleep
- Reason 3: Getting their muscles coordinated to poo (although this can still be distressing)
- Reason 4: Nose breathing and narrow nasal passages
Reason 1: Inadequate burping or winding
If you’re enrolled in my sleep programs or followed me for a while, you’ll know I’m passionate about winding and burping ALL babies. In my clinical experience, it’s the number one cause of unsettled behaviour.
Trapped wind can cause babies to grunt, gurgle, squirm, arch their backs, and cry out in pain. If this sounds like your baby, sign up for my baby sleep programs and try out the Dr Golly active winding technique.
Reason 2: Newborns can be noisy during active sleep
Newborns spend about half their sleep cycle in what we call “active sleep.” It’s really important for your baby’s brain development.
Active sleep is similar to REM sleep (rapid eye movement) for adults, but your baby isn’t paralysed like we are. During active sleep, the newborn may move, whimper, groan, open their eyes, cry out, or breathe noisily or irregularly. Newborn grunting and squirming while sleeping is very common—lots of parents accidentally wake their baby during this phase as they think they have woken up.
Conversely, during quiet sleep (the other half of their sleep cycles), they go into a deep sleep. They will lie relatively still, and their breathing will even out.
Reason 3: Your baby hasn’t learnt how to coordinate the muscles to poo
This is called infant dyschezia and is often referred to as “grunting baby syndrome.”
Infants with dyschezia appear to have difficulty pooping. They might strain, grunt, or cry for 10 to 30 minutes before they poo, but when they do eventually have a bowel movement, the stool is soft and normal.
This is a muscle coordination problem, requiring the necessary abdominal pressure to pass a poo. It can be upsetting for both baby and parents when this happens, as the baby is in obvious discomfort trying to get the poo out. Most don’t take long to learn this new skill, and it usually resolves on its own in a few weeks.
How to help a baby with infant dyschezia
You can help them focus their attention on their bottom (anus) by using the spike of a twisted tissue to ‘tickle’ their anus while they try to push.
Dyschezia vs constipation: It’s often mistaken
Parents of babies with infant dyschezia often mistake it for constipation. It’s fair enough—you see your baby straining to poo and assume that’s because the poo is too hard to pass.
Not being able to coordinate the muscles to poo and the associated straining looks the same as straining against hard poo.
…But you can tell what the problem is once the poo comes out. If the poo is hard or bloody, that’s a sign of constipation. If the poop looks normal and soft, constipation isn’t the problem.
If the poos are hard and your baby is constipated, please see my constipation blog: Foods that cause and relieve constipation in babies.
Reason 4: Grunting from nose breathing and narrow nasal passages
Most parents are shocked that babies don’t breathe through their mouths until they are closer to 12 months. That’s why newborn nasal congestion can be really concerning, especially when it impacts feeding at the breast or bottle.
Because of this and their tiny nasal passages, their breathing is impacted really quickly by any mucus or congestion. This snorting and gurgling can be cause for concern and also incredibly distressing for parents.
How to help a congested baby breathe and sleep easier
I’m incredibly passionate about snot-sucking (using an aspirator to clear your baby’s mucus) and relieving nasal congestion for babies. They can’t do it themselves, and it’s our job as parents to help them out.
For a full rundown on this, see my blog: Newborn Congestion – How To Help a Congested Baby Sleep & Feed.
When is newborn grunting cause for concern?
While most grunting and squirming is completely normal and expected, there are times when you’ll need to act and seek medical advice. Deciphering them is the key.
There are times when a grunt or a gurgle signals something more serious. Keep an eye and ear out for changes in breathing patterns:
- Breathing faster than usual, noisy breathing, or increased work of breathing
- Retractions: When the area between the ribs or below the neck sucks in when a child tries to inhale.
- Nasal flaring: The nostrils widen with each in-breath.
- Grunting: A grunt sound occurs with each out-breath.
- Head-bobbing: The head may bob up and down with each breath.
- Paradoxical breathing: The chest and abdomen may move in opposite directions.
- Abnormal breath sounds like wheezing, whistling, or high-pitched squeaks (stridor).
If you are ever concerned about your child’s breathing, seek medical attention.
When your baby’s grunting keeps you awake
I’m a proud Red Nose Safe Sleep Ambassador – aligned with Red Nose Australia and the American Academy of Pediatrics I recommend room sharing for at least the first 6 months of life. As we’ve been discussing, our babies are noisy and it can be hard to sleep with a noisy little one squirming in the bassinet next to you. The great news is the solution will help you and your baby sleep better! ….One of my key recommendations for setting up a great sleep environment for babies is white noise. This won’t stop your responsiveness to your child’s needs or cries but it’ll help you if you’re sensitive to the little noises they make.