# 6 wk dd gasping for air and wheezing?



## Mearaina (May 3, 2005)

My 6 wk dd will occasionally wheeze while she is nursing or sleeping. It does not happen when she is awake and not eating. I have also noticed that when she sleeps she will stop breathing for a few seconds and then gasp really loudly and start breathing again. She only gasps and wheezes a few times a day but it is freaking me out. It is getting more frequent. Is this typical for an infant? My older dds never did this. Her checkup is on August 10th, should I take her in earlier? TIA


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## s_kristina (Aug 9, 2004)

It would worry me enough to at least call the nurse in the office and ask them about it. I know some babies are noisy sleepers, but I'm not sure it includes what you are talking about. There is a family history of asthma in my family so I worry about breathing problems.


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## starbarrett (Jun 16, 2004)

Okay, I don't know if it's the same thing, but when my first was about that old, I ran terrified to the ER for something that sounds similar. Turns out she needed to be burped. I felt so silly, but she was gasping for breathe and I was terrified!! My paramedic friend said he couldn't count the number of times he was woken inthe middle of the night because of a newborn that needed to be burped.

Try burping. If that doesn't help, definantly seek medical attention.


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## fuzzy (May 30, 2006)

I'd call her doctor just to make sure.

However, with that said, I remember my daughter making some odd wheezy noises when she was about that old, and being scared about it. She's fine now.


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## winnie (Aug 31, 2005)

I would also call, just to be sure....but DS definitely had periods of a couple seconds during sleep where he would stop breathing, and then the next breath would be more of a gasp. He did it all the time, and has grown out of it now.

winn


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## Joannarachel (Dec 10, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mearaina*
My 6 wk dd will occasionally wheeze while she is nursing or sleeping. It does not happen when she is awake and not eating. I have also noticed that when she sleeps she will stop breathing for a few seconds and then gasp really loudly and start breathing again. She only gasps and wheezes a few times a day but it is freaking me out. It is getting more frequent. Is this typical for an infant? My older dds never did this. Her checkup is on August 10th, should I take her in earlier? TIA

I would take her in earlier. These are not symptoms of a baby who needs to be burped (I actually am a paramedic).

You are lucky to have observed this, actually. Sleep apnea is a warning signal to parents.....knowing this about your baby may actually help you to prevent SIDS. Get it checked out ASAP. At the very least, they may want you to put baby on an apnea monitor at night.


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## Mearaina (May 3, 2005)

Thanks. I will check in with the doctor and see what happens.


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## Caroline248 (Nov 22, 2003)

I would get it checked out to be sure..but it sounds like reflux. My 6 week old also does this, as did my last two babies. When babies have reflux but do not tend to actually spit up too much, they can sound like that.

~C~


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## allycat (Apr 23, 2006)

5{\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0e248]I would get it checked out to be sure..but it sounds like reflux. My 6 week old also does this, as did my last two babies. When babies have reflux but do not tend to actually spit up too much, they can sound like that.

~C~[/QUOTE]

I agree. My LO would wheeze a lot as well. If feeding and they wheeze it might be a strong let down reflex, when sleeping I would say it was reflux.

He had a mild reflux but I would say he can control it now, and does not wheeze anymore. It sucks as you cannot put them down right away after feeding.

A.


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## BelgianSheepDog (Mar 31, 2006)

Not to scare you but when my daughter was born she had a congenital heart defect and gasping for air during feedings is one of the danger signs the cardiologist told me to watch out for. (It can indicate an enlarged heart taxing the lungs, amongst other things.) If this is her problem they would find it with a chest x-ray and/or echocardiogram.

Again I don't mean to scare you but that's an example of a serious problem that is VERY treatable if it is identified early!

ETA: 4-6 weeks is one of the most common ages of onset for problems eating and breathing related to a heart defect. I hope your baby's okay.


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## alphaomega2213 (Feb 11, 2006)

what heart defect? my son was also born with a heart defect and they told us to watch his color and for signs of not getting enough oxygen....i would take her to the doc. but then again she may just be getting used to breathing....


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## BelgianSheepDog (Mar 31, 2006)

VSD. The difficulty breathing during feedings is a sign of congestive heart failure, which can sometimes be a complication of VSDs. Turned out to be a non-issue for us as her defect closed itself by six weeks, but it was something they reiterated frequently in the early days. The cardiologist explained that feeding is the most difficult thing a newborn has to do, so if they are starting to have heart and lung problems you will most likely first notice symptoms while they are eating.


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## Caroline248 (Nov 22, 2003)

Did you take her in? Any news?

~C~


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

My .02---her bedding? Yours? Feather pillows/comforter? Have you dusted the nooks & crannies lately? Old mattress? Rugs/carpet? Many, many places for mold spores & dust & mites etc...could be allergies.


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## Mearaina (May 3, 2005)

We had an apt this afternoon, and she has reflux. I mentioned the heart thing to the doc and he said that her heart and lungs sounded great (big sigh of relief). He put her on Zantac. Not real sure if I want to give it. Also, he said the gasping thing is when she spits up but it pools in the back of her throat; there is a reflex or something that shuts down breathing for a few seconds and then makes the gasping sound when she starts to breathe. I guess this is so she doesn't inhale the spit up? She is eating well and is 12.5 pounds, so not huge but a good size, which apparently ruled out some other things with similar symptoms but cause poor feeding/growth. Thanks for the advice and support, ladies. This is why I love MDC







!

Anyone esle give their babes Zantac?

there are certainly a lot of allergens floating around our home...hmmm....


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## BelgianSheepDog (Mar 31, 2006)

Oh I'm glad her heart is fine, but I am also glad you had it checked!

I am in no way a medical professional, not even on tv, but my opinion is this: if you're reluctant to give her the meds, and she's growing fine, maybe you should wait a while and try some other solutions first. You can always go back and add the medicine later. If I were in your shoes I'd probably try some things like keeping her upright when feeding and directly afterwards. And I'd probably ask a midwife or naturopath about some natural remedies. I'd be really reluctant to take Zantac myself, personally, much less give it to a newborn, so I don't blame you for hesitating.


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## Caroline248 (Nov 22, 2003)

I gave my daughter the Zantac, and it didn't do a damn thing. It was just a stress trying to give it to her....in our case, not worth it.

I am tempted to try it this time around though because Williams seems to be pretty bad, and he is not eating a lot at once...he is ding that "snacking" thing...

You can always try it, see if it makes things better, and stop if you son't want to continue..

~C~


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## elsanne (Mar 10, 2004)

I wonder if there is some kind of reflux support thread? In my "homeroom" thread (maymamas04 on toddler board) there are two mamas dealing with this stuff and one did do zantac, can't remember how it all panned/is panning out.


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