Motherhood is unpredictable, making it impossible to prepare for everything that could happen to our child.
The Experienced Mother is here to help you prepare for what’s to come, helping you with unexpected situations that you couldn’t predict.
Today’s article is about a very important subject, which is: baby cries and loses breath, is it normal?
Although it is not something that happens to many babies, it is normal, that is, it is not a disease or something abnormal that should be treated.
Want more useful information on the subject, keep reading this article and find out more!
Is Baby Crying and Losing Breath Normal?
It is normal for the baby to cry and lose breath in the sense that it is not an illness, nor does it require treatment.
Although it is recommended that you consult your pediatrician at the first occurrence to make sure there is no heart or respiratory problem.
This is not something common that happens to all babies, the so-called Loss of breath is perfectly normal and can occur in two ways.
Loss of breath crisis: pale
In the pale, or non-cyanotic, form, the child appears pale and may not even need to cry to lose breath.
This episode usually occurs due to a scare, be it an extremely loud noise, a fall, a crash, etc.
As a result, breathing becomes temporarily blocked, causing loss of breath and even fainting, but the child should wake up alone after a while.
Loss of breath crisis: cyanotic
In the cyanotic form, with loss of breath, the baby will turn purple instead of being pale.
This form is caused by an episode of stress, which in turn can be caused by a serious situation or a mere tantrum.
In this case, while crying, the child may end up interrupting their own breathing, without realizing it, resulting in loss of breath.
What are the Consequences of the Loss of Breath Crisis?
None. The loss of breath crisis can cause a fainting or a seizure, at most, but it will have no consequences.
If you are wondering if a baby can die from crying, the answer is also no.
Even in the case of fainting, the baby should wake up on its own after a while and will not have any problems, and may even start crying again afterwards.
In these cases, care should only be taken in case the baby faints or convulses, so as not to hurt himself by falling to the floor or something similar.
Otherwise, there should be no consequences and these crises should stop as your child grows and matures.
What to do when your baby has a breathlessness crisis?
As mentioned, the breath crisis resolves itself and you should just be careful that your child does not get hurt during the crisis, but it is not an illness and there is no treatment.
What you can do is distract the child while they cry to avoid fainting. You can distract the baby with a toy he likes, or something similar.
We must remember that a crisis can also occur due to a pure tantrum.
Therefore, it is important not to give in to everything your child wants in order to avoid the crisis, as this can serve as an incentive for him to do it again, even if it is not 100% conscious.
The crisis can, indeed, occur more frequently if the baby or child understands that it is enough to cry to get what they want.
With this in mind, there is the idea of placing a cold, damp towel on your child’s face, causing a distraction that could prevent the crisis.
A higher iron intake may also help.
Finally, you must calm the child and explain to him why he should not throw a tantrum.
At What Age Can Breath Loss Crisis Occur?
Loss of breath, also known as a tantrum, can occur in babies and even children. In general, it should stop until the age of 5, when the child is more mature and grown up.
In order for you to stop sooner, it is essential to educate your child, imposing limits and not giving in to everything, no matter how much he cries.
It is important that your child understands that not everything can be as he wants. With this emotional maturity, the chances of a crisis occurring will be lower.
What to Do When Your Baby Cries a Lot?
Forgetting the tantrum for a moment, it’s important to mention that babies tend to cry a lot.
Especially in the first months of life, when everything is new, especially this relationship with the parents they have just met.
You must remember that the baby does not yet know how to speak and anything that bothers him will be communicated, essentially, through crying, be it hunger, fear, pain, irritation, etc.
And the cries can be long, shrill and desperate, as well as frequent.
But over time you begin to understand the differences between each baby’s cry, the expressions and gestures that accompany it.
You begin to understand and get to know your child better, knowing how to resolve the discomfort that is causing the crying.
So don’t be discouraged, never shake your child, stay calm, take a deep breath and trust that it’s just a phase.
Some things that can calm the baby when he cries without anything wrong, that is, without pain or specific things, are:
- Riding by car
- Favourite music
- Favorite design
- Lap, especially with skin contact
- Breastfeed
- Pacifier (for those who are not against it)
- Gentle movements, such as slowly rocking a baby rocker
These are some things you can try when you can’t stand the crying anymore.
So, Is Baby Crying and Losing Breath Normal?
Yes, it’s normal, it’s called a loss of breath crisis, and although it’s rarer, it’s not a sign of any illness or problem.
It is recommended to take it to the pediatrician to make sure it is a loss of breath crisis.
This crisis can occur in two forms, pale and cyanotic. In the first case, the child turns pale, and is usually caused by a fright. In the second, the child turns purple and is caused by stress.
In both cases, in the worst case scenario, a fainting or seizure occurs and passes on its own, and just like the crisis, this leaves no consequences.
This crisis can occur from a baby to about 5 years of age.
If you have any questions, we suggest that you consult a doctor to resolve this issue.
And if your baby cries after breastfeeding, we have a complete article explaining the possible causes.
