Why Does My Newborn Grunt in Their Sleep?
Newborns can be surprisingly noisy sleepers. Here’s what those little grunts may mean — and when parents should pay closer attention.
You finally get your newborn to sleep. The room becomes quiet. Then suddenly you hear:
If you’re a new parent, those tiny noises can sound surprisingly worrying. You may find yourself looking at your little one and wondering, “Is this normal?”
The reassuring part is that newborns can be surprisingly noisy sleepers. Their breathing, sleep patterns and digestive systems are still developing, so sleep doesn’t always look — or sound — as peaceful as we expect.
Newborn Sleep Can Be Noisy
Newborns don't sleep exactly like adults. Their breathing may naturally be less regular while they sleep, and they can make all kinds of little sounds without actually waking up.
You may notice your baby:
- Grunting
- Squirming
- Stretching
- Making little squeaking sounds
- Moving their arms and legs
- Pulling funny faces
- Briefly sounding as though they are waking up
And then, just as suddenly, they may settle and continue sleeping.
Sometimes It's Their Tummy
Babies are also learning how to coordinate the muscles involved in passing gas and having a bowel movement.
You might see your newborn grunt, push, kick their legs or turn red before eventually passing gas or stool.
If your baby is otherwise comfortable, feeding normally and passing soft stools, occasional straining can simply be part of their digestive system learning how to work.
When Grunting Is Different
There is an important difference between occasional sleepy noises and a newborn who is grunting while having difficulty breathing.
Instead of focusing only on the sound, look at how your baby appears overall.
- Grunting with each breath
- Difficulty breathing
- Very fast breathing
- Nostrils flaring
- The chest pulling inward around the ribs
- Blue or grey lips, tongue or skin
- Your baby being unusually difficult to wake
- Poor feeding or refusing feeds
Grunting associated with breathing effort can be a warning sign of respiratory distress in a newborn and should not be treated as an ordinary sleep noise.
Getting to Know Your Baby's Sounds
If your baby looks comfortable, has their usual skin colour, is breathing without obvious effort and is otherwise feeding and behaving normally, sometimes the best thing to do is simply watch for a moment.
New parents often hear a grunt, squeak or tiny cry and immediately think their baby is awake — only to discover that the baby is still sleeping.
Over time, you may start recognising your own baby's little collection of sounds.
“That’s the hungry sound.”
“That usually means someone is about to wake up.”
Getting familiar with what is normal for your own baby can make those middle-of-the-night noises feel much less mysterious.
The Simple Answer
Why does a newborn grunt in their sleep?
Often, it is simply because newborn sleep, breathing and digestion can be noisier and less coordinated than those of adults.
Occasional grunting from an otherwise comfortable baby may be normal.
However, persistent grunting together with breathing difficulty is different and should be assessed by a healthcare professional.
Parenthood has a funny way of making even the smallest sound feel important.
And sometimes, at 3 a.m., one tiny grunt is enough to have us searching the internet with one eye open. 💜
Malik's World is here to make some of those little parenting questions feel a little easier.