Little ones make all kinds of weird noises as they are discovering their voices and learning how to regulate their tiny, new bodies. The grunts, squeals, coos, and gasps are all a normal part of infancy.

At times, you may have even noticed your baby panting much as a dog would. Is this normal?

Why does my baby keep panting? You can rest assured knowing that panting-like breathing is, in fact, a very normal breathing pattern for babies. A baby’s breathing can resemble a pant in times of excitement, arousal, or distress. As strange as it may be, it is not usually a reason for concern.

If you have noticed your baby panting or showing other abnormal breathing behavior, read on to see if we can give you some answers.

Baby Panting – What To Know

There are different types of “panting” that we see in babies, and each is usually triggered by something either externally or internally.

Why Babies Pant When Excited

You may have seen your little one begin to breathe more rapidly when they are noticeably excited about something. This is normal. Even in adults, breathing speeds up when emotions such as excitement are triggered.

Human emotions involve a number of physiological changes in the body, and respiration is one of the physiological processes that is altered by our emotions.

The relationship between emotions and respiration has shown more rapid breathing during an arousal state.

This relationship was further explained by a 2017 study that detected a tiny cluster of neurons in the brainstem that link respiration to excitement and other emotions.

These neurons detect changes in emotion that trigger an entire brain-body response. In simpler terms, when we get excited, the neurons act as messengers and tell our brains that we should be breathing faster.

So, why the panting sound? Why isn’t an increased respiration rate in babies quiet like it is in adults?

Younger babies can only breathe through their nose and, therefore, have very little airways, which makes for noisy breathing. If they are breathing rapidly, it could sound like panting.

Older babies that are able to breathe through their mouths may be making the panting sound because they are still discovering how their body works. They may be exploring making a new sound or may be doing it for a reaction.

Is It Normal for Babies To Pant?

More often than not, panting is normal behavior for babies. As long as your baby seems to be in good spirits and the panting is not accompanied by signs of respiratory distress or other symptoms of illness, the rapid breathing is normal.

When Is Panting Usually Seen in Babies?

You may begin to notice what seems like true “panting” between the age of 6 and 18 months. These are large developmental months with many significant milestones and bodily changes.

Beginning at 6 months, babies are usually beginning to crawl and are becoming more aware of their bodies.

They are discovering how to express certain emotions in order to communicate. They are also more interactive with those around them and may seek reactions from parents or caretakers.

Babies may begin to pant at this age when they begin crawling or when they get excited about something. Babies may use the panting sound to express their excitement or to elicit a reaction, such as a laugh, from their parent or caretaker.

A “panting” sound may also be heard from a newborn baby, which can be alarming for new parents.

Newborns naturally breathe more rapidly because they have a very small lung capacity. They will take a lot of rapid, shallow breaths as if they were panting.

This can happen randomly in infants or may be triggered by distress or emotional arousal.

Is Baby Panting Harmful?

Rapid breathing is only harmful for a baby if it becomes a sign of respiratory distress, meaning that the baby is struggling to get air.

At this point, rapid breathing will be accompanied by other signs, such as:

Flaring nostrils
Breathing louder than usual
Pulling in their chest muscles to breathe and making their ribs more visible
Clammy skin
Open mouth
Changes in behavior
Fever
Changes in the color of skin, lips, or tongue.

If you notice that your baby seems to be struggling to get air, is breathing rapidly, and displaying any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

Why Do Babies Pant When Hungry?

Your baby may begin to breathe more rapidly when they are having difficulty nursing or do not get a bottle right away.

In these cases, it is not likely the hunger that is triggering the panting but rather the emotional arousal of being distressed from not being able to get a good latch or get their bottle right away.

Why Do Babies Pant When Crawling?

It takes a lot of energy to crawl all over the place! When babies are crawling or beginning to walk, they are exerting themselves more and, thus, need more oxygen. This may result in them breathing more rapidly.

Also, as babies get older and begin to reach crawling age, they are also learning how to breathe through their mouths. This type of breathing, especially when accompanied by a lot of movement, could sound a lot like panting.

Periodic Breathing in Babies

Have you ever just been sitting there, admiring your newborn baby, and then all of a sudden it seems like they stop breathing for a few seconds? Your heart probably stopped for those seconds that may have felt like an eternity.

It is important to remember that babies breathe much more rapidly than adults and they also have very irregular breathing patterns.

It is very common for a baby to breathe rapidly for several breaths, pause for about 10 seconds, and then resume normal breathing. These repeated cycles of breathing and pausing are called periodic breathing.

Scientifically, periodic breathing is defined as three breathing pauses of at least 3 seconds within a 20-second breathing cycle. The pauses typically range from 3-10 seconds.

Any pauses over 20 seconds are considered apnea, which is a serious condition that needs medical attention. Periodic breathing, however, is very normal, and the events get fewer and farther apart as infants get older.

Baby Breathing Fast While Sleeping

If you have ever watched your baby sleep, you may have noticed that her sleep pattern is different from yours. She may twitch, move, and make a few noises while she tries to settle into a deep sleep.

There are four stages of baby sleep. As your baby moves through these four stages, you will notice changes in her breathing and movement.

You will see the most rapid breathing in Stage 2, which is REM, or active, sleep. It is usually during active sleep that you see periodic breathing in young infants.

Breathing will seem irregular with 5-10 seconds of non-breathing followed by rapid breathing for another 10-15 seconds. This is perfectly normal.

Once your baby reaches stage 4, deep non-REM sleep, her breathing will be more regular and slow to its normal rate.

Baby Breathing Stomach Rising

If you watch an adult breathe, you will see much more chest movement than stomach movement. That is because adults rely on the diaphragm and other chest muscles to breathe.

Babies, however, breathe through their noses and rely heavily on their abdominal muscles to take deep breaths. This causes their stomach to rise and fall while they are breathing.

Baby Breathing Fast With Fever

Your little one has a spiked fever, and you notice that she is breathing a little faster than normal. This is to be expected.

If your baby has a fever, it likely means that her body is fighting an infection. Fever makes every process in the body work a little harder to get the infection out — including respiration.

In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that respiratory rate is positively correlated with body temperature. As body temperature rises, breathing becomes more rapid.

When a child has a fever, they will breathe faster, and their heart rate will also increase.

A baby with a fever will look like they are having difficulty breathing because fever stimulates the respiratory muscles to work harder and increase both the rate and depth of breathing.

This is a normal reaction to a fever and as long as your baby’s respiratory rate does not exceed 60 breaths per minute, is not a huge reason for concern.

A young mother keeps her hand on her baby's chest while watching him sleep.

Normal Breathing Rate for Babies

A baby’s breathing rate will be the fastest during the newborn stage and will continue to decrease as she gets older.

Generally speaking, for babies younger than one year, a normal heart rate should not exceed 60 bpm or drop below 30 bpm. As they enter toddlerhood, their breathing will slow down.

Normal Breathing Rate for Newborns: 30-60 bpm
Normal Breathing Rate for Babies 3-6 Months: 33-55 bpm
Normal Breathing Rate for Babies 6-9 Months: 31-52 bpm
Normal Breathing Rate for Toddlers: 20-40 bpm

When To Be Concerned About Your Baby’s Breathing

We have discussed several instances where rapid breathing or panting in a baby is normal and not a cause for alarm. However, your little one’s breathing can also be an indicator that something is wrong.

It is important to be mindful of the signs of respiratory distress and watch for them in order to prevent any harm to your child.

Breathing That Is Too Fast

If you count more than 60 breaths per minute while monitoring your baby’s breathing, seek medical attention.

Breathing That Is Too Slow

The opposite of rapid breathing could also be potentially harmful.

Slow breathing is normal for a baby that is in deep sleep; however, if it slows to 22 breaths per minute and your baby does not wake easily, it is probably time to take a trip to the ER. Watch especially for blue color in the face, lips, and tongue.

Grunting, Wheezing, or Stridor

If a baby is grunting or wheezing, it could be an indicator of a bigger problem. Stridor, which is a high-pitched sound while breathing in, is also something to look out for. These could all be signs of a more serious underlying condition.

Labored Breathing

Labored breathing means that your baby is visibly struggling to breathe and each breath seems to require a lot of effort.

Indicators of labored breathing include flared nostrils, chest retractions (meaning that you can see the area beneath your baby’s ribs and neck sinking in with each attempt to inhale), head bobbing with breaths and sweating, drooling excessively, or leaning forward in the tripod position while having difficulty breathing.

Apnea

We’ve discussed that pauses in a baby’s breathing are perfectly normal. Long pauses are not normal. These pauses are an indicator of apnea (pauses lasting more than 20 seconds).

If your baby stops breathing for more than 20 seconds, seek medical attention.

Even if she resumes breathing normally afterward, it would still be wise to have a doctor determine the underlying cause of her long respiratory pauses. Apnea is usually accompanied with color change in the face and lips.

Other Funny Behaviors You May Notices as Your Baby Grows

Babies are hilarious and do some pretty wacky things. It will seem like there is a new thing every day.

You may notice a few of these behaviors and sounds as your little one continues to learn how to use her body and interact with the world around her:

Crossed eyes in newborns
Gagging sounds even if they are not eating or drinking
Touching their genitals
Flailing arms in their sleep or when startled
Standing and unable to sit back down
Shivers
Coughing to trigger a reaction from others

Final Thoughts

Try not to get too overwhelmed or concerned about a baby’s abnormal behaviors — there are too many of them! A baby’s breathing, especially, can be worrisome for new parents, and rightfully so.

It is important to be mindful and present and monitor your baby’s breathing. Look for warning signs and take action if necessary. However, it is also important to trust in your baby’s strong and miraculous little body.

Ashley Potter( Founder )

Mom of three (including identical twin boys), wife, and owner of Parents Wonder. This is my place to share my journey as a mother and the helpful insights I learn along the way.

Baby Panting When Excited | Is This Okay?