In plain words
Periodic breathing is a normal pattern in newborns. The baby breathes in quick bursts, then pauses for a few seconds, then starts again. The pauses can last up to about 10 seconds. Often the baby is asleep, and the pattern can look scary to a parent. Healthy babies stay pink and their heart rate stays steady during these pauses. The pattern usually fades in the first weeks or months. Call your provider or emergency services if the baby looks blue or gray, is limp, or pauses for longer or does not start breathing again.
The deeper version
Periodic breathing is a respiratory pattern of cycles of breathing separated by pauses, typically under 10 seconds, without cyanosis or , and it is most common in preterm and early term infants during sleep. It is a recognized variant of control of breathing in early infancy and is distinguished from by duration and by the absence of desaturation or bradycardia. Pauses that are longer, or accompanied by color change or heart rate drop, are classified as apnea and require evaluation. The AAP recommendations address sleep environment and sleep position, which are the main modifiable factors in infant sleep-related deaths. Clinical assessment includes pulse oximetry and observation in the context of the infant's overall condition.
Where it comes up
- Newborn breathing, congestion, and the noseBaby Basics
- Newborn sleep and safe sleepBaby Basics
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What mothers here say about periodic breathing
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Sources
- Moon RY — AAP Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths, updated 2022 recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment. Pediatrics, 2022