Breathing of a newborn. How a child breathes in the womb: features of placental respiration. The role of the umbilical cord in the process of cellular respiration

03.08.2019

- mothers always listen carefully to the breathing of their newly born children, especially during their sleep. It seems to be barely audible, then somehow strange. Indeed, the respiratory system of a newborn has a number of features that it does not hurt to know, so as not to worry unnecessarily, but also not to be inactive when drastic measures are required.

Breath. How a newborn should breathe

Not only air, but also life itself - new, independent, outside the mother's womb - is received by the newborn along with the first independent breath. But in the previous 9 months, the child "extracted" oxygen exclusively from the mother's blood, while the role of the lungs was played by the placenta. The lungs of the unborn child did not yet function, just as there was no connection between them and the heart.

The baby can truly breathe only when it is born. Nevertheless, prudently begins to master this skill in the mother's womb.

After the 35th week, the fetus performs a kind of respiratory movement.

It looks like a slight expansion of the chest, which is replaced by a prolonged contraction. Then a pause follows - and everything repeats. Already a month before giving birth, within a minute, the fetus manages to make fifty such movements. However, when inhaling, his lungs do not expand, and the glottis is closed. Otherwise, the baby would have swallowed amniotic fluid.

Such training is very useful, it helps to accelerate blood flow, due to which all organs and systems of the fetus are better supplied with oxygen and other useful substances supplied by the mother's body.

The lungs of the fetus develop most intensively in the latter, when a sufficient amount of surfactant accumulates in them - a special film that lines the lungs and is 90% lipids and fats. Fats serve as a kind of framework, create surface tension, thanks to them, the lungs do not collapse on exhalation and do not overstretch on inhalation.

The specificity of breathing in a newborn

Natural birth is a very difficult, but in many ways a necessary exam for a new person. Passing through the birth canal, he experiences hypoxia, little oxygen enters the body, and a lot of carbon dioxide is produced. But in response to the accumulation of carbon dioxide, the respiratory center, located in the brain, is irritated, which has to start full-fledged work.

The lungs of the fetus are airless and filled with a special, reproduced by the cells of the respiratory epithelium, fetal, or pulmonary, fluid. A full-term baby has about 90-100 ml. At birth, the baby is under intense pressure. His chest is also compressed, and pulmonary fluid is forced out of the respiratory tract.

It is partially absorbed into the blood, the walls of the lungs, lymphatic vessels, partially exits through the nose and mouth, and the baby is born with a minimum amount of it. Stress hormones, catecholamines adrenaline and norepinephrine, which are released in the baby's body during his birth, also "wake up" the respiratory center.

The newborn has not yet had time to recover from the "test of birth" - and immediately a large number of external factors begin to act on him: gravity, temperature, tactile and sound stimuli. But all these moments together lead to the fact that the baby takes his first breath, and then lets out a cry.

Rate, pace and breathing patterns

First inhale-exhale

But what is it - the first breath of a newborn? Very deep. And exhalation is difficult, slow, under pressure, through a spasmodic glottis. These specifically respiratory movements, in medical terms, are carried out according to the "gasp" type and last for about the first 30 minutes of extrauterine existence.

A deep breath - the lungs are straightened, a slow exhalation - do not collapse. Nevertheless, the first portions of air fill only those corners of the lungs that have been completely freed from fetal fluid during childbirth. But then the air rushes into them and straightens them.

Breathing rate

The respiratory rate of a newborn in the first few hours of life, the first day, less often - two days is very high and can be more than 60 respiratory movements (one movement - inhalation-exhalation) per minute.

These breathing patterns are called transient hyperventilation. That is, a transitional, natural one, necessary in order to adapt to extrauterine existence - such when every minute a child passes through his lungs a larger volume of air than it will do in the future.

Such a high respiratory rate is necessary for a newborn in order to remove the harmful carbon dioxide accumulated in it during birth from the body as soon as possible. It takes most children no more than a few hours to do this. After that, the frequency slows down, already amounting to 40-46 respiratory movements (in an adult, the norm is 18-19).

The baby must also breathe intensively because his breathing is shallow, while the metabolism is much faster than that of an adult, which means that the need for oxygen is higher. The deficit in breathing depth is thus compensated by an increase in its frequency.

Breathing in the early days

In the first days of life - and this is absolutely normal - the child's breathing rhythm may be disturbed: uneven, uneven, then rapid, then reduced, sometimes weak, barely audible, sometimes with pauses of up to 5-10 seconds, which are replaced by rapid respiratory movements. This is what may worry parents. Sometimes it even seems that the baby simply forgets to breathe, the break between exhalation and next inhalation is so long. Such leaps are usually associated with the immaturity of the respiratory center.

What does it mean? For example, babies born at 37 and 42 weeks are considered equally full-term, but the degree of maturity of their organs and systems is very different: a person born earlier has a chance that some systems will not immediately be able to perform their functions at the required level. This is not a disease, but a special condition, and after a while everything will return to normal.

Causes of Respiratory Disorders

In adults and older children, breathing involves the muscles of the chest and abdominal muscles, as well as the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Breathing involving these muscles is called pectoral or abdominal breathing.

And in a baby, the respiratory muscles are poorly developed, he breathes mainly due to the contraction of the diaphragm (this is an abdominal or diaphragmatic type of breathing), which descends during inhalation and rises during exhalation. However, going down, the diaphragm overcomes the resistance of the abdominal organs, on which, in fact, "lies".

Therefore, in infants, respiratory dysfunctions often go along with digestive problems: with excessive gas formation, intestinal overflow and an increase in its volume occur. The contractile function of the diaphragm is impaired, and, therefore, breathing becomes difficult. Therefore, regular bowel movements and the absence of excessive gas formation are so important. The easiest way for the child's body to regulate these moments is when.

We have already found out that, making up for the lack of oxygen, the baby breathes often. Much more often than an adult. But this compensatory mechanism does not always give the desired result. Overheating, feeding, restlessness or screaming, any exertion can also make you breathe in and out faster.

If the accelerations do not go off scale excessively (no more than 60 respiratory movements per minute) and the child quickly returns to the permissible number of breaths and exhalations, he does not have difficulty breathing, blue skin, there is no need to worry.

Interesting fact: it turns out that newborns are completely unable to breathe through the mouth. Moreover, their nasal passages are very narrow and, like the rest of the upper respiratory tract, are abundantly supplied with blood, which means they can easily swell. For example, any inflammatory process in the baby's nasopharynx contributes to edema. This condition seriously disrupts both sleep and the feeding process.

Of course, ideally, it is better to prevent a runny nose, but since it has appeared, the main thing is to save the child from swelling of the nasopharyngeal mucosa and to ensure that the required amount of air enters the respiratory tract. Any therapy and procedure should be discussed with a doctor, whose consultation, when it comes to an infant, is necessary immediately at the slightest sign of a runny nose.

But young children never have either sinusitis or frontal sinusitis, since there are no paranasal sinuses (they begin to form only by the age of 3). Such is the feature!

In order for the baby to “remember” the need for such an important matter as breathing, he needs very frequent tactile contact: ideally with his mother or with one of the adults. This is especially true for children who have frequent pauses after exhalation. And during sleep, especially at night, any baby should not be left completely alone.

The following observation is interesting: when the child lies next to his mother, feels and hears her breathing, the rhythm (not to be confused with the tempo) of his own breathing is evened out, adjusting to the mother's breathing. That is, the mother serves the child as a kind of metronome.

Mothers often check if the baby is breathing by bringing a hand or a mirror to his nose. It is much easier to look at a small tummy or put your hand on it. If you feel movement, everything is in order!

Noisy exhalation

Syndrome of "wet lungs", or transient tachypnea of newborns, often (but not always) develops in full-term babies born as a result of a planned operation. They did not pass through the birth canal, did not experience stress, adrenaline and norepinephrine did not get into their blood, which means that the respiratory center of the brain did not receive proper stimulation. But most importantly, fluid remained in the lungs: after all, the fetus did not experience the pressure on the chest, which is inevitable at birth in a natural way and leading to the expulsion of the said fluid.

In addition to a cesarean section or with it, transient tachypnea can provoke endocrine pathologies in the mother (for example, diabetes mellitus), birth at 37-38 weeks, when the pregnancy is considered full-term, but the baby did not have enough time to feel more confident outside the mother bosom.

The main symptom of "wet lungs" is shortness of breath that appears from the first minutes of life and increases over several hours, when the baby makes 60 or more respiratory movements every minute in order to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the body caused by fluid retention in the lungs.

This condition is certainly accompanied by another symptom: special, noisy exhalations, which are necessary to expand the lungs.

By the end of the first (occasionally second or third) days of life, shortness of breath goes away on its own, which distinguishes transient tachypnea from other conditions. Moreover, it leaves no sequelae and rarely requires treatment.

Your baby may need an oxygen mask to deal with the problem faster. He will be under the supervision of a neonatologist for several days. Such increased attention to the baby is necessary because, like transient tachypnea, some infectious diseases can also begin.

Resounding breath

Even in the maternity hospital, a mother can pay attention: the baby is inhaling very noisily. The sound resembles a whistle, puffing, cock's squeak. Such roulades can be permanent, sometimes "accompanying" sleep, crying or screaming. Most likely, we are talking about stridor, or noisy inhalation.

There are several reasons for this condition. For example, the anatomical and physiological feature of any newborn is very soft laryngeal cartilage. When inhaled, they connect and begin to vibrate under the influence of air. Unusual sounds are made by babies who have weak muscles in the larynx. Another provocateur is an enlarged thymus gland, thymus.

If neonatologists see that the stridor does not interfere with normal eating, breathing, gaining weight, the child will be discharged home. But at 2-3 months it is worth showing the laura, since a noisy breath can be a symptom of a number of real diseases.

A baby with a stridor should be especially carefully protected from colds, since against their background this condition can progress. If it has developed due to a large thymus gland (thymus), children are categorically not shown to lie on their backs, since the thymus, figuratively speaking, will press, like a stone on the chest.

For whatever reason, noisy breathing develops, by the year it passes on its own in most children, otherwise additional examination is required.

It will take more than one year before the child's respiratory system becomes a streamlined, more perfect and less vulnerable mechanism. In the meantime, we, parents, will always be there, always listening to every breath of our child, not weakening our attention, but also not succumbing to panic.

From the moment of fertilization of the egg by the sperm, the process of rapid division of the cells of the embryo begins, ensuring its growth and the formation of all organs. This requires a continuous supply of a large variety of nutrients and oxygen. Where does the baby get them from, being in the womb until birth? How does he breathe and eat without having a direct connection with the external environment?

Features of nutrition of the embryo in the first two weeks after conception

The father's sperm have a small supply of nutrients that they need to maintain their own life for 4-5 days and move quickly through the uterus and tubes. Therefore, at the time of fertilization, they transmit only genetic information to their unborn child. And the egg, maturing in the mother's ovary, necessarily accumulates the necessary micro- and macroelements for the future fetus. As a result, after meeting with a sperm, it outwardly resembles a hen's egg without a shell: an actively dividing embryo floats inside the nutrient layer called the yolk sac, covered with a protective shell on the outside. It is thanks to this supply of building and energy material that the fertilized egg exists during the first two weeks after conception, while it drifts in the uterine cavity in search of a place for attachment. If the movement of the embryo slows down and the accumulated substances are insufficient, then it dies.

How does a baby eat up to 14 weeks of intrauterine development

Already from the third week of development of the embryo, its outer protective membrane begins to form outgrowths, which in the form of villi are introduced into the mucous-submucosal layer of the woman's uterus. Gradually expanding in depth and width, the placenta forms from them for about 10-12 weeks. During this period, the embryo still feeds on the depleting reserves of the yolk sac, but the role of the placenta in providing the baby with the substances necessary for its development increases every day. It is through the placenta that the fetus begins to receive oxygen from the mother's blood.

Features of placental nutrition of the fetus from 15 weeks to childbirth

After 14 weeks of intrauterine development and until the moment of birth, the placenta becomes the only source of nutrition for the fetus and its lungs. It is a thick villi that has penetrated deep into the wall of the mother's uterus, which are constantly washed by the blood pouring out of the woman's uterine vessels, forming a kind of caves. It is here that the active absorption of nutrients and oxygen into the vessels of the villi takes place and the removal of toxic metabolic products, unnecessary for the child, and carbon dioxide from them.

The blood, rich in nutrients and vital oxygen for the baby, moves from the small blood vessels of the villi of the placenta to the fetus, gradually combining and enlarging in size. As a result, through the two largest veins of the umbilical cord, blood enters the circulatory system of the embryo and flows to all its organs, down to the smallest cell, giving them oxygen and nutrients and taking away waste waste and accumulating carbon dioxide. Blood flows from the body of the fetus to the villi of the placenta along the large artery of the umbilical cord.

The placenta is a unique organ, designed by nature in such a way as to supply the substances necessary for the embryo, even if they are lacking in the mother's blood. Therefore, there are frequent cases of premature loss of teeth, muscle cramps or thinning of bone tissue in a pregnant woman with a lack of calcium in her diet, the development of anemia - with a deficiency of iron in the diet. In addition, the outer membrane of the villi is completely impervious and does not allow the blood of the mother and fetus to mix. Thanks to this phenomenon, a woman can endure and provide food for her child even when he has a different blood group from her.

During pregnancy, a mother provides oxygen not only to herself, but also to her baby. That is why she is very sensitive to the lack of fresh air, up to the development of fainting conditions.

What happens to a baby after birth

After removing the baby from the uterus for a few more minutes, blood flow continues through the vessels of the placenta, thanks to which the baby who took his first breath and screamed is still supported by his mother. Obstetricians usually do not rush to clamp and ligate the umbilical cord as long as its pulsation is felt. But this maternal help and safety net at decisive moments in the child's life ceases after the contracted uterus rejects the placenta. From this moment, the baby begins a completely independent life. Now he himself has to breathe and learn to eat.

The newborn is breathing frequently - this is due to the anatomy and physiology of the infant. The breathing rate of a healthy child is much higher than that of an adult, and this is normal. But there are a number of signs that can indicate what, in certain cases, is a sign of a disease.

Features of breathing in infants

In the first days, the newborn's body adapts to new living conditions, incl. to breathing independently. The entire body of an infant is still imperfect, it is far from physiological and anatomical maturity. The features of the respiratory system of a newborn are:

very short nasal passages and nasopharynx in comparison with adults;
narrow airway clearance;
undeveloped weak respiratory muscles;
insufficient chest volume.

Adults take more rare and deep breaths to provide the body with a sufficient amount of oxygen, and the baby, due to the insufficiently formed respiratory system, cannot breathe deeply, therefore, the newborn child breathes frequently in order to inhale the amount of oxygen necessary for normal life.

If an adult makes a maximum of 20 respiratory movements per minute, then a baby up to one month of age should make up to 60 such movements during the same time in order to ensure good ventilation of the lungs.

In addition to the frequency, the breathing of a newborn is characterized by:

curtness;
shortness of breath;
irregularity;
superficiality;
tension.

A newborn may have difficulty with nasal breathing at the slightest cold: the body instantly turns on the defense mechanism, and the nasal mucosa swells. Due to hyperemia, the already narrow lumen of the nasal passages narrows even more. These changes can make breastfeeding difficult because the baby has to release the breast to breathe through the mouth.

Increased secretion of nasal mucus can also be caused by ordinary dust particles, pollen and other small foreign particles inhaled with the air. In this case, sneezing is a protective reaction. So that the baby does not experience difficulties, you need to regularly clean his nose with a cotton flag or other delicate methods.

Pace

A newborn in the first days of life breathes very unevenly, he has one deep (relatively) breath for two or three frequent ones. This rate will hold for an infant up to 3-4 months. As it grows, the pace will gradually level out, and by one year old the baby is already breathing smoothly, rhythmically, evenly and without interruption. The development of rhythmic breathing can be slightly delayed in children born prematurely or with low weight.

During sleep, newborns can hold their breath. This condition should be distinguished from apnea syndrome (temporary respiratory arrest). The delay can last up to 10 seconds, after which everything is restored. If breathing is absent for more than 10 seconds and the chest remains in a sunken state, the newborn must be awakened and raised, then laid on its side and turned over every hour.

With frequent recurrence of this condition, you should consult a doctor. Most often, apnea occurs in premature and frail infants.

The organs that take part in the respiratory process are fully formed in children by the age of 6-7 years.

Frequency

The frequency is calculated by the number of breathing movements (inhalation and exhalation) that the newborn makes at rest. The easiest way to count inspirations and exhalations is by the movement of the chest and tummy. During the waking period, the baby breathes more often: it is noted that the newborn often breathes like a dog in those moments when he experiences positive emotions (play, affection, new impressions, sensations, etc.).

Respiratory rate (RR) is a quantity needed to determine the type, depth and rhythm. By calculating this value, the pediatrician can analyze the work of the respiratory organs, chest and abdominal wall, as well as the cardiovascular system. For parents, the data given in the table (this is the norm for the respective ages) must be compared with their own calculations: deviations from these values may indicate the development of diseases or pathological processes.

Breathing increases significantly in cases where the newborn is very hot (heated room, wrapped too warmly) or the room where he sleeps is poorly ventilated. When overheated, the baby can breathe often like a dog with his mouth open, which may also indicate dry air in the room.

Breath type

There are three types of breathing:

breast;
abdominal;
mixed.

In the chest type, air enters the lungs due to the expansion of the chest, while in the abdominal type, its volume increases due to the movement of the diaphragm. In both cases, there is a risk of developing congestion in the upper (abdominal type) or lower (chest) parts of the lungs due to insufficient pulmonary ventilation.

Mixed breathing is optimal for a child, when both the abdominal wall and the chest are involved in the respiratory movements. In this case, all lobes of the lung are evenly filled and well ventilated.

Norm

Rapid breathing in newborns is called tachypnea. Smooth and clean breathing is considered normal. Cleanliness implies the absence of:

wheezing;
hissing;
strained whistling sounds during nasal breathing.

Normally, the newborn breathes through the nose, while the mouth is closed, although in the very first days, nasal breathing can alternate with oral breathing. If later the child begins to breathe through the mouth, this means that the nasal passages are blocked either due to narrowing of the lumen due to swelling of the mucous membrane, or due to the ingress of a foreign body into the nose.

Alarming signs are moaning, flaring of the wings of the nose, discoloration of the face, and heavy and loud breathing. But the sounds that periodically accompany the child's sleep (gurgling, snoring, grunting, etc.) should not frighten the parents: this is a normal phenomenon caused by the still imperfect structure of the respiratory tract. By the age of one and a half, babies tend to outgrow it. If, after a year and a half, the child continues to make sounds at night, this is a sign of abnormalities or diseases of the respiratory or cardiovascular system.

Causes and consequences

The baby often breathes in sleep and during wakefulness, such a functional feature of his body is due to the imperfection of systems and organs. This is normal, and a certain number (frequency) of respiratory movements per minute for each age corresponds to the norm. As the child grows, the volume of the lungs will increase, and for sufficient ventilation of this organ, fewer respiratory movements will already be enough.

If a newborn is breathing faster and heavily, breathing is accompanied by strange sounds and movements (he can twitch, throw his head back, take unnatural positions), this indicates the development of the disease. In this case, you need to urgently seek medical help.

Diseases that provoke rapid breathing

If the baby breathes too often, and along with this, there are other warning signs, this indicates that the baby is sick.

Rapid breathing can be caused by:

colds;
rhinitis, incl. allergic;
bronchitis;
bronchial asthma;
pneumonia;
tuberculosis.

Uneven breathing accompanies hysterical and stressful conditions (severe fright, unusual surroundings, strangers, etc.). In diseases of the cardiovascular system, the respiratory rate is also disturbed.

Symptoms

In acute respiratory diseases, hoarseness, a runny nose, the temperature rises to subfebrile, the newborn is weak, lethargic. Later, a cough appears, the voice becomes hoarse. An untreated cold can develop into bronchitis or pneumonia.

The harbinger of an attack of bronchial asthma is increased breathing during sleep.
Rhinitis, which appears without other cold symptoms, can be an allergic reaction, in severe cases with the addition of an asthmatic component. At the same time, the baby begins to sigh often and strangely, he does not have enough oxygen.
The main symptom of bronchitis is cough, with chronic disease - persistent (up to 2 months), with profuse sputum upon awakening. The child breathes loudly and heavily.
Pneumonia is dangerous for newborns because its symptoms are not pronounced: the temperature rises slightly, the child coughs, breathes unevenly, breathing is difficult.
With tuberculosis, the newborn is weakened, the temperature may not rise or rise slightly. Noisy breathing is accompanied by constant coughing.
Frequent breathing during sleep is characteristic of cardiovascular diseases; the newborn suffers from shortness of breath. In severe cases, the so-called heart cough develops, lips, nails, wings of the nose become cyanotic.

If a child has a fit of hysterics or a stressful reaction, breathing becomes frequent, uneven, may freeze, accompanied by strange sounds.

How to teach a child to breathe correctly - methods

You can teach a child to breathe correctly only when he grows up a little and will not unconsciously imitate, but meaningfully repeat someone's actions. Strengthening exercises can be done with a newborn baby, which promotes the development of the muscular system and stimulates ventilation of the lungs.

Mom can do the exercise to improve breathing on her own, or maybe with someone else's help. The newborn should be laid on his back, his arms should be spread to the sides, then brought to the chest. Alternate these movements with flexion and extension of the legs, pressing the knees to the stomach. This exercise is more effective if it is done with four hands: the arms are pulled apart, at this time the knees are brought to the stomach, after which the legs are lowered, and at this time the arms are brought to the chest.

When the child is a little older, you can do breathing yoga with him. Even one-year-old babies can lie on their tummy, resting on bent arms, at the command of an adult to rise on their elbows, take a deep breath, and then exhale sharply when mom or dad counts to three. Exercise that stimulates ventilation of the lungs: invite the child to imagine that he is smelling a flower, and after a deep breath, exhale strongly.

To make the exercises more interesting, you can cut out butterflies from colored paper, lay them on the table and let the child blow so that the butterfly flew away as far as possible.

The opinion of pediatricians

A newborn child must breathe frequently, and adults must create all conditions for breathing to be healthy.

The respiratory rate of a newborn is influenced not only by the anatomical and physiological imperfection of its functional systems. Other factors can also affect respiratory activity:

overheating of the baby;
insufficient oxygen content in the room;
dry air;
tight uncomfortable clothes;
uncomfortable bed.

Temperature conditions of 18-22 ° C are considered comfortable for a newborn, humidity is about 50%. The room should be well ventilated, there should be no strong extraneous odors (perfume, tobacco, etc.). The little one's clothes should be soft and loose, made from natural materials. The bed should not be too soft, and proper sleep should not be on the side.

If a newborn has breathing problems, he breathes too often and is heavy, or has developed prolonged breath holding, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician.

Frequent breathing in newborns is normal from a physiological point of view, caused by imperfect airways. As you grow, the breathing rate decreases, the breaths become deeper. Deviations (rapidity, heavy and loud breathing) can be symptoms of diseases, if they appear, it is imperative to consult a doctor.

A newborn baby is a source of happiness and joy for his parents and grandparents. And at the same time, it is the cause of constant anxiety and anxiety: is everything all right with the baby, who himself cannot say about his condition. A smile or cry, deep restful sleep, temperature, skin color become the object of close attention. Various signs tell adults that everything is in order with the child or, conversely, he needs help.

Baby's breathing is one of the important symptoms of baby's well-being.

How does a healthy child breathe?

The baby's respiratory system is formed approximately seven years after birth. During the formation of the respiratory system, babies are characterized by shallow breathing. Inhalation-exhalation of healthy children is frequent, shallow. Frequent, rapid breathing should not worry the parents. After all, it is a feature of the respiratory system of children.

Parents can count the number of breaths in and out of the baby per minute to correlate with normal breathing. Please note: with age and, accordingly, the degree of development of the respiratory system, the indicators of normal breathing change, the child begins to breathe more calmly:

1-2 weeks of life - from 40 to 60 breaths in and out;
From 3 weeks to 3 months - from 40 to 45 breaths and exhalations;
4 - 6 months of life - from 35 to 40 breaths and exhalations;
7 - 12 months of life - from 30 to 36 breaths in and out.

The counting is done while the child is sleeping. For accurate counting, the adult places his warm hand on the infant's chest.

Heavy breathing is a sign of malaise

Loving adults notice any changes not only in the behavior of the baby. They pay no less attention to how the baby breathes. Heavy breathing in a baby should alert others. Especially when it is accompanied by a change in the usual rhythm and frequency of inhalation and exhalation, it becomes confusing. Often this is complemented by specific sounds. By moans, whistling, wheezing, it also becomes clear that the baby's condition has changed.

If the baby's breathing rate is disturbed, changes in the depth of inhalation and exhalation are noticeable, there is a feeling that the baby does not have enough air, which means that the child has shortness of breath.

Consider what may be causing the baby to have difficulty breathing and causing shortness of breath.

The atmosphere in the nursery is a guarantee of the baby's health

When it comes to creating a comfortable environment for a newborn, many mothers and even grandmothers make some mistakes. Having ensured sterile cleanliness, they do not always attach importance to the observance of the desired air regime. But the developing respiratory system of the baby requires compliance with certain conditions.

Compliance with the required air humidity

Excessively dry air will cause the newborn's mucous membranes to dry out, leading to heavy breathing with possible wheezing. The child breathes calmly and easily when the humidity in the room reaches 50 to 70%. To achieve this, it is necessary not only to frequently perform wet cleaning, but also to specially humidify the air. Aquariums with water are good for this, but if not, fill any container with clean water.

But it is better to refuse carpets, a large number of books, houseplants: they can become a source of allergies and lead to heavy breathing of the child.

Clean air is the norm for a baby

There is no doubt in any of the adults that the baby should breathe clean air. Systematic ventilation of the room will fill the children's freshness. Equally important is not only close to the child (even on a walk), but also communication with the baby immediately after a cigarette. A child who is involuntarily forced to inhale tobacco smoke or air mixed with tobacco tar has breathing problems.

But even under ideal conditions, babies' breathing often becomes difficult.

Causes of heavy breathing

Experts name several main reasons for heavy breathing in newborns:

Disease;
Allergy;
Foreign body.

In each case, heavy breathing is accompanied by additional manifestations that help to more accurately determine the reason that the child is breathing heavily. Having identified what led to heavy breathing in each case, medical specialists prescribe a comprehensive treatment.

We will tell you about each reason in more detail so that the parents of the baby can timely and correctly respond to changes in the baby's breathing.

Foreign body

Every day, a healthy baby, growing up and developing, becomes more active and mobile. Getting acquainted with the world around him, he examines the world around him with curiosity, manipulates objects that are in his palms. An adult is required to be extremely collected and attentive and not to allow small objects to fall into the child's hands.

Often it is they who become the causes of the baby's heavy breathing. Once in the baby's mouth, they can then move into the respiratory tract during inhalation, becoming an obstacle to the air flow.

It is also dangerous for small parts to enter the baby's nasal cavity. His breathing becomes hard, wheezing appears, sometimes quite strong. If the child a few minutes before was healthy and played cheerfully, and then breathed with heavy wheezing, a possible cause of the changes was a foreign body in the nasopharynx.

The main thing that parents should remember in this case: do not waste time, wait for everything to "pass by itself" and the baby will return to the game. An immediate appeal to a specialist is the right decision!

Allergy

Young parents may be surprised when experienced grandmothers, noticing that the baby is breathing heavily, ask if the baby has allergies. Don't be surprised. Indeed, in addition to such manifestations of food or other environmental factors as redness of the skin, peeling, rash, allergies can also be a problem for the normal functioning of the respiratory system.

Heavy breathing with wheezing, shortness of breath, tears, constant transparent discharge from the nose is a reason to urgently consult a pediatrician. Allergies are dangerous and insidious not only for their sudden onset, but also for their very rapid development. It is impossible to hesitate in clarifying the diagnosis - allergy is not a cold disease, without timely help, the baby may experience a state of shock.

Disease

In addition to a foreign object that has entered the respiratory system and an allergic reaction, a variety of colds and infectious diseases are accompanied by heavy breathing of the baby.

Colds

Often, even a small cold illness (colds, acute respiratory viral infections, bronchial lesions) becomes the cause of shortness of breath in a small child. The mucus that accumulates during coughing and a runny nose clogs the narrow nasal passages, the baby begins to breathe more often, inhales and exhales through the mouth.

Asthma

Inflammation of the airways, known as asthma, is no coincidence in Greek for suffocation. An adult notices that the baby is breathing with difficulty, there is a feeling that the baby does not have enough air. This is due to the fact that the child takes a small breath and exhales air for a long time. During physical activity or during sleep, an attack of severe coughing may occur.

Pneumonia

A serious illness, which is a serious problem for adults as well, becomes a real challenge for newborns. The sooner the professionals take up the treatment, the faster the baby will recover. Therefore, a mother should immediately call a doctor if she notices signs of illness. Inflammation of the lungs is characterized by heavy breathing of the baby, accompanied by a severe cough.

The general condition of the baby is also indicative of a serious illness. The temperature rises, sick children become noticeably paler, in some cases the child refuses breast milk or other food, becomes restless.

Other children continue to suckle, albeit sluggishly, but at the same time the mother should be alerted by such a change in the skin. The triangle formed by the nose and lips of the baby takes on a bluish tint, especially during feeding or when the baby cries. This is evidence of oxygen starvation. And at the same time - an indication of the need for urgent intervention of specialists.

Helping a child who breathes heavily

Dyspnea that occurs in children with various diseases requires consultation and intervention of professional physicians. What can the parents of the baby do when the doctor has already been called, but is not yet near the baby.

First, calm down so as not to transmit your anxiety to the little person.

And secondly, try to calm down the baby, because in a calm state it will not be so difficult for him to breathe. To do this, you can perform the following procedures:

Ventilation of the room

Fresh air will make breathing easier for the newborn.

Ensuring freedom of movement

If the child is dressed, it should be ensured that he can move and breathe freely. It is better to take off tight, constricting clothes, or at least unbutton them.

Washing

Washing is helpful for many children. The water should be comfortable, preferably cool water that is pleasant for the baby.

Drink

You can give your child a drink. In many cases, with heavy breathing in children, the mouth becomes dry, the liquid will relieve this symptom.

The pediatrician will determine the causes of the baby's heavy breathing and make the necessary appointments. Finding out why your baby began to breathe heavily and having received recommendations to alleviate the child's condition, you can help him. Strict adherence to the procedures prescribed by the doctor will restore your baby to breathing freely, he will continue to delight you every day.

Instructions

The fetus inside the mother is constantly breathing, starting from the second trimester of pregnancy. At the same time, his glottis is tightly closed to avoid the ingress of amniotic fluid into the underdeveloped unopened lungs. Imitation of breathing movements during this period is nothing more than training the pectoral muscles to work on providing the baby with oxygen immediately after birth.

He is not able to use his lungs before giving birth, since they open only at the moment of his first cry. In children born prematurely, serious breathing problems may be observed, since a special substance - surfactant, which also provides surface tension of the lung tissue, begins to be produced by the fetus only at 34 weeks of gestation. There are special drugs that accelerate the synthesis of this substance, as well as an artificial surfactant, but it only helps premature babies survive without affecting intrauterine respiration.

Since the lungs do not participate in the intrauterine breathing of the child, it means that he breathes in a completely different way. Already in the first weeks of pregnancy, a completely unique organ develops - the placenta, which is able to provide the fetus with everything necessary for life, including oxygen. It is through the placenta that oxygen flows from the mother's circulatory system into the blood of her baby. In fact, a pregnant woman breathes for two; it is her lungs that saturate both organisms with air.

The placenta is designed in such a way that it maintains a comfortable existence for the baby even when the mother's oxygen consumption is limited for any reason. That is why women are more prone to fainting due to insufficient oxygen supply to the brain. In stuffy or smoky rooms, there is much less oxygen in the air, but the breathing volume remains the same, and in order to provide the baby, the placenta takes oxygen to the detriment of the mother.

Sources:

how does a baby breathe in the womb

Long before the birth of a baby, parents are interested in what the baby feels, what he hears, which of the parents will look like, how tall he is and how much he weighs. Such interest is due not only to the love of the parents, but also to concern about the health of the baby, whether it is developing correctly. To find out the weight of the baby in the womb, you can refer to the statistics or to a specialist at the local clinic, or you can calculate the indicative values yourself in an uncomplicated way.

You will need

- tape measure;
- a sheet of paper and a pen;
- calculator.

Instructions

Check with your doctor for the height of your fundus. This value is the distance from the upper edge of the pubic articulation to the fundus of the uterus (its upper part). Fix this value, for calculations call it Bm.

Take the required measurements. Measure the circumference at waist level with a tape measure. Fix the obtained value, designate the obtained value as Ozh. Measure the circumference of your wrist on your non-working hand. If the obtained value is less than 16 cm, then the coefficient A will be 12, if more than 16 cm - the coefficient A will be 11.

For the accuracy of the desired result, perform according to three formulas, and calculate the arithmetic mean. The first value for calculation: multiply the value of Bm by the value of Oh, fix the result obtained as the value of P1. Calculate the value according to the second formula: divide the sum of Bm and Ozh by 4 and multiply by 100, write down the resulting value as P2. To calculate by the method (value P3), subtract the value of the coefficient A from the value of Bm, multiply the resulting number by 155.

note

Calculation by this method gives a reliable result only in late pregnancy, closer to week 37, that is, when the amount of amniotic fluid becomes less.

Helpful advice

If your pregnancy is at least 11 weeks, you can find out the approximate weight of the baby by contacting a specialist at the clinic. Based on the results of the ultrasound, the doctor will determine the size of the fetus (biparietal head size, thigh length and chest diameter), and, knowing the gestational age, he will be able to calculate all fetuses using the Hadlock method, taking into account the number of weeks.

Throughout your pregnancy, you are preparing for natural childbirth, reading literature, studying relaxation postures, practicing correct breathing, when suddenly, at the next examination, the doctor informs you that your baby is in no hurry to take the correct position in the uterus.

Instructions

Do not be intimidated by the entry "breech presentation" in the exchange card, you have about 10 weeks left, especially since sometimes babies turn over literally a day or two before birth. How can you help your child?

First of all, you need to remember that the child most often himself seeks to take the correct position in the uterus, you just need to give him a little more room to maneuver. There are a number of exercises that can help your baby free up the space they need.

Yoga for pregnant women, especially inverted asanas, gives an excellent effect even in the later stages. But this method can only be used by those women who practiced yoga before pregnancy and continued during it. Performing such asanas without preparation is not only undesirable, but also very dangerous to health.

Indian Bridge is an exercise suitable for women without special training. To perform it, you need to bend your knees while lying on the floor so that your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line. You need to do the exercise regularly, for 15 minutes a day. If you find it difficult to keep your hips suspended, you need to place several pillows under the pelvis. Many children roll over the very first time thanks to the Indian bridge.

Knee posture. It is advised by many obstetricians-gynecologists in the case of breech presentation. In this case, the shoulders must be below the pelvis. The exercise should be performed for 10-15 minutes, in the morning and in the evening.

If all of the above methods did not help the baby to take the correct position, the obstetrician may offer to carry out an external obstetric turn. During this procedure, the doctor tries to turn the child around with his hands on the patient's abdomen. In this case, constant monitoring of the child's heartbeat must be carried out, during and after the procedure. If something goes wrong, the obstetric turn can lead to an emergency caesarean section, so it is carried out only after 36 weeks, when the baby is already ready to see the light. However, it is worth knowing that according to German doctors, half of those who managed to turn in this way turn back before giving birth.

If you do not have any of the above methods, perhaps the baby has his own to stay in this position, for example, a short umbilical cord or a narrow pelvis for a mother. In this case, obstetricians are advised to agree to the section. Nevertheless, even with a breech presentation, it remains possible to give birth to a child naturally under the supervision of an experienced obstetrician.

A baby develops in utero in about 40 weeks. In the early stages, the human embryo bears many similarities to animal embryos. In its further development, it undergoes a small evolution.

1-10 weeks

First week: the embryo intensively divides and descends into the uterus, implanted in its wall, connecting with the blood vessels of the organ. At 2 weeks, the umbilical cord, placenta and neural tube begin to form. At 3 - the respiratory, digestive, excretion, circulatory and nervous systems begin to form. By the end of 3 weeks, the heart may be pulsating. At 4 weeks, the notochord appears - the future spine, the neural tube is formed. The limbs are highlighted, muscle tissue is gradually formed.

At week 5, organ formation continues. There is an upper lip, nasal cavity on the face. At 6 - the brain continues to develop, eyes that are not covered by eyelids are visible. The upper limbs are extended. The heart has already been divided into chambers, there are primary kidneys, the gastrointestinal tract is gradually divided into sections. At 7 - the umbilical cord is formed, and blood circulation is established between the embryo and the placenta. On the upper limbs there are connected fingers, the eyes are protected by eyelids. The nose and ears begin to form.

At 8 - the improvement of organ systems continues. The body of the embryo grows rapidly. At week 9, the musculoskeletal system develops, joints and cartilage tissue are formed. There are only erythrocytes in the blood, the brain is improving, the endocrine system is developing. The tail disappears, buttocks are formed. The fetus responds to stimuli with movements, the formation of the diaphragm ends.

11-20 weeks

At 11 weeks, the organ of vision improves. At 12 - the genitals develop, the intestines are stretched, the brain approaches the brain in structure. Leukocytes appear in the blood, the fetus imitates breathing movements. At 13 weeks, the body becomes more proportional. At 14 - a face is already visible, a fluff appears on the body. The excretory system is formed, the endocrine and reproductive systems are being improved, it is already possible to determine the sex of the baby.

At 15 weeks, blood vessels grow and strengthen, fingers are formed. At 16 - all organs and systems complete their formation. The child's skin is very thin, there are eyebrows and eyelashes, nails, and facial muscles are developed. At 17 weeks, the fetus reacts to sound. At 18 - a sleep and wakefulness regime is formed, basically the fetus is asleep. At 19 - the body overtakes the head in growth, the fetus often moves, the blood composition improves. At week 20, the blinking reflex appears, the fetal movements are already more coordinated.

21-30 weeks

At 21 weeks, the layer of subcutaneous fat increases, the fetus sleeps less. At 22 weeks, his body becomes proportional, the spine is already fully formed. At 23 - skin pigment is produced, the skin is covered with lubricant. The fetus actively swallows amniotic fluid. At week 24, hearing and vision are well developed, an emotional connection with the mother is established. On 25 - the skin is elastic, fewer folds, more subcutaneous fat. The bone marrow develops, the lungs are formed. At the 26th week, the sense of smell appears, the girls' genitals finish forming.

At week 27, metabolism begins to work. At 28 weeks, a prematurely born fetus is considered viable. The fluff remains on the back and shoulders, the hair darkens. One of them is more active. At the 29th week, the child begins to experience a shortage of free space, the improvement of organs continues. At 30 - he occupies a certain position, the lungs and cerebral cortex continue to develop.

31-40 weeks

The fetus sleeps a lot again, the volume of its brain increases. At 32 - the skin brightens, folds disappear. The layer of adipose tissue continues to increase, the brain completes its formation. At 34 weeks hair grows intensively, bones become stronger.

The child is gaining weight intensively. At 36 - all his organs and systems are completely ready for extrauterine existence. At 37 - the skin thickens, there is more and more fatty tissue. Cartilage is more elastic. At 38 weeks, the baby is ready for birth. At 39 - the lowering of the fetus begins, metabolic processes in the placenta worsen. Weight gain - 30 g per day. Childbirth occurs at 40 weeks.

Traditional ways of giving birth

The most convenient, according to doctors, is the birth of a child in a maternity hospital in a supine position.

Discomfort in the lower back and pulling sensations in the lower abdomen in the last weeks of pregnancy can symbolize the onset of contractions.

Contractions are paroxysmal contractions of the uterus. One contraction lasts on average 40 seconds, and the breaks between contractions at first reach 15-20 minutes, or even more.

You can call an ambulance or ride in when the break between contractions is 8-10 minutes.

You must have the following documents with you: passport, insurance policy, medical card of the pregnant woman. Be sure to collect your bag in advance, where you will put: a nightgown, toiletries, a towel, slippers, dishes, a warm jacket in case of drafts, diapers, a few things for a newborn and a cosmetic bag (to make beautiful makeup on the day of discharge, because you will be photographed or even removed at the camera). If you forgot something, do not despair! Ask your relatives to bring everything you need.

In the emergency room of the maternity hospital at the place of registration, you will be examined by an obstetrician-gynecologist to determine whether the uterus has dilated and by how many centimeters.

Next, you will be given an enema to avoid unpleasant situations and will be sent to the ward for women in labor. There you will wait for the contractions to reach the 5 minute interval. Contractions all feel differently. For some, they can be incredibly painful, so you need to ask the nurse for a pain reliever injection. Also, the husband will help to calm the pain from the contractions with a caring massage in the lumbar region.

Immediately before childbirth, amniotic fluid leaves. In some cases, the plug for the discharge of amniotic fluid is pierced, this is an absolutely painless procedure. Usually, amniotic fluid is colorless and odorless. The greenish color and unpleasant odor of amniotic fluid can diagnose oxygen starvation of the fetus and various disorders in its development.

As soon as the amniotic fluid, you will be literally escorted to the delivery room. You cannot hesitate, since the amniotic fluid was a kind of protective shell, and without them the child is susceptible to various intrauterine infections and injuries.

Everybody gives birth in different ways. The average duration of the first birth can reach 10 to 15 hours from the moment of the first contraction.
Caring doctors can tell you how to breathe properly between contractions.

After the contractions have reached the required intermediate time interval, attempts begin. Attempts are muscle contractions of the abdominal press. It feels like pushing is like an intolerable urge to empty the intestines. The attempts last 10-15 seconds on average and, together with the contractions, help push the child out naturally. During pushing, the diaphragm also contracts and slightly presses on the fetus, pushing it towards the exit.

With a prolonged absence of attempts or weakness, a woman can be injected with drugs that stimulate labor.

During contractions, the cervical pharynx opens. When dilated with a diameter of 10 centimeters, the edges of the cervix become thinner and are ready to miss the head and trunk of the fetus. This disclosure is deemed complete.

The baby is born head or legs forward, depending on the position in which he was in the womb. This is called the cephalic presentation of the fetus. Breech presentation is rare, only in 3% of women out of a hundred. The most common fetal presentation is cephalic presentation.

As soon as the cervical pharynx has opened by 10 centimeters, the attempts become more intense, the head and shoulders of the child appear. Doctors carefully accept the newborn and cut the umbilical cord - a kind of rope that connects the mother and the fetus during 9 months of pregnancy. The umbilical cord contains no nerve endings, so cutting it does not hurt.

In the womb, the baby does not breathe, but receives oxygen. In order for the child to breathe and, the doctors hold his head down for a few seconds and lightly slap him on the bottom. The crying baby can then be placed on the mother's shoulder so that he can catch her native scent and calm down. Some doctors even practice latching on to the breast immediately after birth. After that, the child is attached a tag with the mother's full name, date and time of birth on a handle or leg and taken away for weighing and examination by the necessary specialists. You can get your baby after all the necessary examinations and procedures. Depending on the maternity hospital, the maintenance of the child provides for either cohabitation with the mother in the ward in a separate bed, or in a separate box (the child is brought only for feeding).

And you still have to "give birth" to the afterbirth - a kind of bag in which the child was throughout the pregnancy. The afterbirth leaves on average 5-30 minutes after the birth of the child. At the end of labor, you will be washed and small tears in the cervical tissue, if any, will be sutured. Ruptures can usually be due to insufficient dilatation of the cervical pharynx.

After you will be sent to the ward for those who have already given birth. Regardless of the course of childbirth, after the birth of a child, a woman usually has bloody discharge - lochia. They look like heavy menstruation and go away within a few weeks. An unpleasant odor and dark color of discharge, as well as an increase in body temperature, can signal the presence of inflammation and various postpartum pathologies and require an immediate call to the medical staff.

Do not forget to rest between contractions, do not think about anything bad, and natural childbirth will go smoothly.

In cases where natural childbirth is medically impossible, you will be given a caesarean section. This is a small incision in the lower abdomen, performed under general or local anesthesia. The cut can be longitudinal and transverse. The ever-growing professionalism of doctors allows you to make the suture from a cesarean section neat so that you do not experience complexes about this.

Unconventional ways of giving birth to a child

Common non-traditional methods of childbirth include birth in water. In Russia, not a single maternity hospital is yet equipped with special pools and baths for such childbirth, so women who decide to give birth in water give birth at home. Be sure to notify your gynecologist about your intention to give birth at home in water.

Women who gave birth in water claim that this method is much more comfortable for both the woman herself and the newborn (from the aquatic environment of the mother's abdomen, the child again enters the aquatic environment and does not experience stress at birth). Water helps to relieve pain. However, it is not always possible to have time to get to the hospital and receive qualified medical care if something goes wrong during a water birth. In addition, you will need to pay to have a midwife attend your birth at home.

Having decided to give birth in water, women first wait 5-7 cm. In advance, they fill a small pool or bath with water at a comfortable temperature. You need to immerse yourself in the water as you see fit. Some sit in the water up to the waist, someone prefers to dive to shoulder level. There are women who gave birth on all fours in the water.

Otherwise, a birth in water is no different from a classic birth - you must also push and breathe correctly, remembering to rest in between contractions.

Disease symptoms and diagnosis

Atelectasis occurs as a result of impaired ventilation of the alveoli as a result of compression of the lung or impaired patency of the segmental bronchi. Depending on the occurrence, congenital and acquired diseases are distinguished. Congenital atelectasis occurs as a result of the penetration of fluids into the lungs during its development in the womb. Acquired atelectasis occurs in people with chronic bronchial disease. The disease is characterized by the fact that the lungs are clogged with a mucous plug, and therefore the air gradually ceases to enter the body.

The main symptoms of the disease are shortness of breath and severe chest pain. Doctors also distinguish a pulse, a decrease in blood pressure and the appearance of cyanosis - a bluish color of the skin and mucous membrane caused by darkening of capillary blood. It becomes more and more difficult for the patient to breathe every day. With a slow course, atelectasis can be asymptomatic, but then it can cause pneumonia and lung abscess. Respiratory function of the affected area is lost over time, and the bronchi are filled with thick mucus. If the patient begins, showing any of the above symptoms, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance to transport the patient from home to the hospital for the necessary measures.

If you have symptoms of chest tightness, you should see a doctor right away.

Treatment of the disease

Treatment of atelectasis is aimed at restoring the patency of the bronchi and respiratory function of the lungs. Depending on the causes of the disease, appropriate medical procedures are carried out. So, if atelectasis appears due to a malignant or benign tumor formation, they resort to surgical treatment. Also, surgery is performed if the disease has arisen due to the formation of scar or cysts. If the disease has arisen as a result of getting into a foreign body, it is carried out in the process of bronchoscopy.

In the course of treatment, percussion massage is used, which causes a cough and thereby promotes the discharge of sputum, and also prevents blockage of the bronchi.

If the disease has not yet progressed into a severe stage, the treatment involves a procedure of coughing through the installation of a catheter inserted into the lung through the mouth or nose. Sometimes a drainage procedure is done if the disease has arisen due to compression of the lung as a result of an injury and subsequent or pneumothorax. During the operation, excess air is pumped out, as a result of which the lung is straightened. Also, in the treatment of the disease, antibiotics are prescribed.