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Babies do all kinds of weird and funny things which might freak out parents. Especially when it is your first child, even a little cry is enough for you to call the doctor.
Among all the unusual noises they make, have you noticed that sometimes your baby is panting when they are excited?
You might even see the baby breathing rapidly and making noises with their mouth and nose, like a dog or a puppy. This will raise a question in every parent’s mind, whether it is unusual for babies to pant like this.
In this post, Ill explain why babies pant when excited, if this is normal and should you be worried if it’s happening with your little one.
Is It Normal For Babies To Pant When Excited?
Youll be relieved to know that panting is a very normal thing babies do, when they are either excited or upset.
It is kind of cute if you see it that way.
Most babies pant when they feel hungry, thirsty or hot. Sometimes they will move hands and legs as a part of this newly learnt panting-exercise. Babies may also use these noises to seek attention and let mommy know that I am here too.
When a child learns that someone will feed or carry them when they cry, theyll keep doing that all the time. The same goes with panting when excited.
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That means the baby likes what you are doing or happening around them and they need it to keep it going. With time this rapid breathing may turn into a laugh or a giggle to show happiness.
Babies breathe more rapidly since their lungs are not yet developed like adults to hold a lot of oxygen. Hence they need to inhale and exhale (breathe in and out) more often.
A newborn takes about 40-60 breaths per minute when it is around 18-20 per minute for an adult (generally 3 times of an adults rate). Some parents may mistakenly see this as their baby is panting.
Why Do Babies Pant When Excited?
Babies are still learning to show their emotions towards the world. Crying is the first and the most commonly used way of letting us know that they feel or need something.
When they slowly grow up and start to sense joy, sorrow, fear and all the other feelings, kids need a way to express themselves.
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A lot of babies are panting when they are excited or happy. This can be the start of smiling, since they are learning to use their mouth and face to show how they react. Throwing hands to the air, moving the head around are some other common ways of showing off excitement.
Should I Be Worried If Baby Pants When Excited?
No, you dont need to be worried if your baby is panting when excited. Babies always love learning new things including controlling their body to show expressions.
Panting, coughing, grunting and groaning, also screaming and crying along with many other sounds and actions are actually how the baby communicates with others. Sometimes parents might have difficult times in understanding what their baby really wants.
Newborns are not very consistent with their breathing pattern. They might take some long breaths followed by short breaths, then hold it for a few seconds and even stop breathing for 2-3 seconds.
This is completely normal and their body will adopt a steady breathing pattern as time passes by.
A babys panting when excited and rapid breathing patterns are totally normal behaviors and you dont need to worry or be concerned about it.
However, you must consult a doctor if you feel like he/she is having breathing problems. Constant coughing and rapid breathing can be other common signs among newborns with respiratory illnesses.
FAQs
Why Is My Baby Panting When Crawling?
Babies put a considerable effort when crawling. They need to breathe more rapidly because the body needs more oxygen than usual to gain energy. This is very similar to an adult breathing heavily while working physically on something.
If the baby is not in any sort of pain and he/she is enjoying this new found activity, panting while crawling is not a reason to be worried.
Why Is My Baby Panting When Bottle Feeding?
When bottle feeding, your baby may find it a little bit difficult to coordinate sucking and swallowing along with breathing. Also the baby hasnt got used to a consistent breathing pattern yet.
Babies will hold a breath to drink some milk and take the missing breath afterwards rapidly. This is what most people see as panting while bottle feeding. This is completely normal and the baby will learn a feeding-breathing pattern when he/she is getting used to it.
But if you are still worried about how the child drinks or swallows milk, you should meet a pediatrician and get their opinion.