Listening to your baby grunt can be concerning for any parents but it’s perfectly natural in the vast majority of cases. It might understandably still worry you but in the majority of cases, your baby will be fine.
Grunting baby syndrome is the professional name for this and it will usually be temporary so try not to panic too much. It simply means your baby is having some trouble digesting food or more commonly simply trying to have a bowel movement.
Babies have to learn to use their muscles to have a bowel movement and this can take a while for them to learn. This will differ from baby to baby in some cases your baby might stop grunting very quickly and you might never notice they even did.
So, while it might sound scary and a little worrying it’s usually nothing for you to worry about. If the grunting continues for a prolonged period or your baby is having trouble breathing or crying a lot, then you should visit your doctors right away as it could be a sign of another problem.
However, like I said in the vast majority of cases grunting baby syndrome will be temporary and not something you need to worry about. However, you can make it more comfortable for your child and in some cases, you might even be able to prevent grunting babying syndrome.
Smaller Meals
One of the best ways to help prevent or at the very least help alleviate grunting baby syndrome is to change your baby’s diet. Now you don’t have to make any drastic changes in fact I’d highly suggest you talk with a doctor first before making any changes just to be safe.
Grunting baby syndrome can be alleviated if you spread your baby’s meals a little bit. Instead of having one or two larger meals a day you can try to have more smaller meals throughout the day instead. This might help prevent grunting baby syndrome from happening but even it doesn’t it will at the very least help make your baby feel more comfortable and aid in digestion.
Keep Your Baby Upright
Well, you won’t be able to keep your baby upright, permanently will you? But don’t worry you don’t need to do anything like that this trick is very simple and a very effective way of preventing grunting baby syndrome.
All you need to do is keep your baby upright for about 30 minutes after feeding, this is a great trick to use in conjunction with our first tip as well. Be warned though this might sound simple, but it will really depend on your baby, so babies will want to go straight to sleep after eating so keeping them upright could be tricky.
Wind Your Baby Regularly
Winding your baby should be something anyone does with their child and I am sure you are. It’s a fundamental way to ensure your baby is safe and comfortable while eating and drinking but ask your self this are you winding your baby enough?
If you’re new parents, you might be being a little bit too cautious and that’s understandable you don’t want to risk accidentally hurting your baby, do you? But regular winding is a great way to help prevent grunting baby syndrome from even occurring, so make sure you wind your baby regularly especially after meals.
Change The Way Your Baby Sleeps
This tip is easier said than done we know but if you give it a little time and have some luck it’s a great way to help prevent grunting baby syndrome. Babies can move about a surprising amount while they sleep but a few little adjustments can help when it comes to preventing grunting baby syndrome.
So, what do you need to do? Adjust the angle of your baby’s cot slightly so that it is now at a 40-degree angle. And you might want to consider adding a small extra pillow, so your baby’s head is at a higher level when it sleeps. It might take a while for your baby to adjust to this new arrangement, but it will in time and it’s a great way to help alleviate or even prevent grunting baby syndrome.
Stimulation
Grunting baby syndrome is caused by your baby trying to make a bowel movement and while your baby is struggling heavy grunting and a red face are common side effects of your baby straining. This can be scary to witness and while our other tips can help prevent or at the very least alleviate these symptoms stimulation is a sure-fire way to help solve the problem if your baby is really struggling.
Stimulation can be done in a variety of ways and your doctor will be able to advise you on the best practice, but one common method is to use a baby wipe with a thin layer of Vaseline and gently wipe the baby’s anus to help stimulate movement.
Remember this should only be done if your baby is really struggling and you should consult a doctor first to ensure you are following proper technique. You should also not rely on this too much because your baby will need to learn to do it for themselves without your assistance.
Try Not To Worry And Be Patient
So, that’s my five tips to help combat and prevent grunting baby syndrome, in the majority of cases grunting baby syndrome is nothing to worry about and a natural part of your baby’s development. But it can still look a bit scary especially to new parents who haven’t been exposed to it before and while all our tips can be very helpful one of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to be patient.
As long as your baby isn’t showing any other symptoms or struggling for too long they will be fine and eventually their muscles will develop so it will no longer be a problem. Grunting baby syndrome may look scary but in the majority of cases, it is nothing serious and just a natural part of your baby’s development.
