Why is my baby breathing so fast?

The baby is breathing faster and the breathing rate exceeds that of an adult. Generally, when parents find that the baby has this condition, they will definitely be nervous. Because as parents, no matter what abnormalities they find in the baby, they will worry that such a condition will bring more impact to his health. So let me first introduce the reasons and problems that cause the baby to breathe faster.

The breathing movements of newborns are shallow and irregular, and the breathing rate is relatively fast. In the first two weeks after birth, the respiratory rate is about 40 times per minute, and some newborns may breathe as much as 80 times per minute. These are all normal phenomena. This is because the intercostal muscles of newborns are relatively soft, the nasopharynx and trachea are narrow, and the alveolar compliance is poor. Since respiratory movements mainly rely on the rise and fall of the diaphragm muscles, newborns mainly breathe abdominally and their thoracic breathing is weaker. Because the amount of air exhaled and inhaled by a newborn each time is small and insufficient to meet the body's needs, the breathing frequency is relatively fast, which is a normal physiological phenomenon.

Note: If a premature baby or a baby with poor lung development turns blue due to lack of oxygen, you can stimulate the baby to cry, which will cause the alveoli to open and increase ventilation.

Further reading: Tips for a comfortable life for your newborn baby

A newborn baby lives a life without distinction between day and night. Even if he is awake, he mostly spends it lying in a comfortable crib. Therefore, the quality of bedding is particularly important.

1-2 sets of bedding should be prepared separately for newborns, which should be suitable for use in small beds. The quilts should be made of light-colored cotton or thin flannel, and the cotton batting should be made of new cotton, because old cotton is not warm and not hygienic. It is best not to use old cotton batting for modification.