Baby Snoring

Little Noisy Breathers - Baby snoring

If you're a parent of a noisy newborn, it's really nothing that should cause any alarm. Like most parts of their bodies, which are still immature, babies are noisy breathers in general because their nasal passages are still narrow and usual are filled with bubbly secretions. When air passes through these puddles of secretions, a vibratory sound is produced - making us think our baby is "snoring". Baby snoring is basically just a sound produced by the soft tissues as air passes in. As the baby grows older, as well as his nasal passages, and as he learns to swallow excess saliva these vibratory sounds or baby snoring should subside.

Some ways to get home relief for these little snores is to clear the baby's air passages. If you think the baby's nose seems partly obstructed, spurt a few drops (be careful not to drown your baby) of saltwater in you baby's nose. Some drugstores recommend saline nose sprays but you can make your home-made version by diluting ¼ teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of clean or pre-boiled water. Use a nasal aspirator (available in drugstores and baby's sections) to gently suck out the secretions out of your baby's nose.

Another home remedy for baby snoring is to clean nasal passages using steam. Do this in the evening, before bedtime usually occurs during this time. Give your baby a warm shower (or you can stand with you baby) to loosen excess secretions. Another thing to avoid baby snoring is to clear your baby's room of allergens like dust collectors or animal dander. These allergens cause the excess production of mucus as the body's natural defenses to clean the air entering the body.

In instances, though, when baby snoring still persists, as your baby grows older, it's best to pay a visit to your pediatrician. Some infant snoring is caused by an abnormal structure in his nasal passages. Enlarged tonsils are also cause of snoring in older children but rarely does this happen to infants. Enlarged tonsils may be corrected by a simple outpatient operation. Pediatricians may also check for cysts or if there are no abnormal movements in your baby's palate.

One more cause for baby snoring is laryngomalacia. Laryngomalacia is a condition in which your baby's cartilage, that opens as air passes in, has not fully matured yet but this should subside by the sixth month.

Baby's weight may also contribute to baby snoring. Frequent baby snoring may already be a sign of sleep apnea. If your baby has this condition, his breathing may stop for about 10 seconds (due to the obstruction in the nasal passages). Baby's and toddlers experiencing sleep apnea tend to be sleepy and tired during the day.