BEING a parent can be daunting, especially when you’re looking after a newborn.
Often the stress doesn’t end when they fall asleep.
Sucking in at the neck each time they breath
Intercostal retractions looks like your child is sucking in air at the ribs or just beneath the ribs and is a sign your little one cannot breathe properly
You might feel like you spend endless nights watching your baby breathe to make sure they’re doing okay.
Watching their chests rise and fall can be comforting.
But knowing what healthy and unhealthy breathing looks like can be the difference between life and death.
Ex-paramedic, Nikki Jurcutz, has shared some tips on how to correctly assess your little ones breathing.
“This is a skill I wanted every parent to know,” she said in a video shared on the Tiny Hearts Education Instagram page.
“If your baby is showing signs that they are working hard to breathe, are in respiratory distress or you are concerned get them assessed by a health care professional,” she said.
Respiratory distress is a life-threatening condition that prevents enough oxygen from getting to the lungs and into the blood.
It’s usually a complication of a serious existing health condition, such as an infection like pneumonia, flu, respiratory syncytial virus, or sepsis.
Or a long-term health condition like asthma.
1. Sucking in at the neck
If your little one sucks at the neck each time they breathe in, this means they are experiencing tracheal tug which is a sign they are suffering from respiratory distress and are struggling to breathe.
2. Sucking in at or under the ribs
Intercostal retractions, which looks like your child is sucking in air at the ribs – or just beneath the ribs – is another sign your little one is finding it hard to breathe.
3. Nasal flaring
When your child’s nostrils widen when breathing in this also suggests they are suffering from respiratory distress.
4. Head bobbing
A bobbing head, medically know as sternomastoid contractions, might seem cute and look your little one looking around or responding to something.
But it actually suggests the baby’s lungs are having trouble getting enough oxygen to the lungs because of an infection or blockage.
5. Unusual sounds
You may think grunting is your baby’s way of expressing unhappiness.
But actually, grunting is the body’s as of keeping air in the lungs and build up the oxygen level, Nikki said.
“Look out for deep noises when breathing out,” she said.
Another sound may be a moan or sigh when exhaling or a high pitch sound when breathing in.