I can see him breathing, so weird!

[Qbear'smama]

I posted about this a few weeks ago. I did not experience this with DD, but when this baby is in certain positions where I can only assume his back is against the outer wall of my uterus, I can see rhythmic up-and-down for long periods (not just a kick or two) and I wondered what the heck it was. My MW said she had no idea so today I was again trying to figure it out after an extended session of seeing this movement. I found this blog entry that describes what I am seeing/feeling:

http://talkbirth.wordpress.com/2010/...ice-breathing/

And it's def not hiccups, today he was actually hiccuping while doing what I am convinced is breathing. Anyone else gettin' this?

[Lauren82]

Yep! I've had mine do that before. It was really weird like my stomach had a life of it's own.

[CinCanada]

How cool is that! I've never heard of seeing such subtle movements before. I wonder, do you find yourself breathing in sync or trying to without realising it?

[Lauren82]

When it first started happening to me, I would hold my breath and watch it continue to breathe.

[Qbear'smama]

I just watch and rub his lil back.

[starbyfar7]

thats the coolest thing in the world!! i can't wait until im further along!

[kittywitty]

I also have had this at least with this baby and my last. I always wondered what it was! Thanks for sharing.

[Lisalee2]

I was just wondering about this. So the baby is practicing breathing, but not really "breathing" right? I mean, they're not inhaling amniotic fluid or anything, right?

[the janet]

Originally Posted by Lisalee2

I was just wondering about this. So the baby is practicing breathing, but not really "breathing" right? I mean, they're not inhaling amniotic fluid or anything, right?

They are indeed!

I prefer feeling practice breaths to hiccups. I don't like the feeling of spasming muscles, which is precisely what in utero hiccups feel like. :-/

[Megan73]

Your MW didn't know about practice breathing?

[Qbear'smama]

No, she really didn't and I am seeing her tomorrow and hoping that he'll do it when she's there. I saw the other MW last time (they work in teams of 2) and I showed her the movements but they were really minute and she said she didn't really see anything and that she had no idea what it could be either maybe they both missed the day that topic was covered at MW school?? Anyway, he still does it a lot and sometimes it's really noticable, I just rub his little back in case he's feeling panicky about something, sometimes it seems kinda frantic, even though that's prob just my perception...

[Megan73]

Originally Posted by Qbear'smama

No, she really didn't and I am seeing her tomorrow and hoping that he'll do it when she's there. I saw the other MW last time (they work in teams of 2) and I showed her the movements but they were really minute and she said she didn't really see anything and that she had no idea what it could be either maybe they both missed the day that topic was covered at MW school??

That's weird given that practice breathing is a pretty good sign of how baby is doing. It's one of the things scored in a biophysical profile, which is a good test (far superior to a NST) if a mama is concerned, for example, that baby isn't moving as much and something might to wrong.

[Qbear'smama]

But am I right in assuming most women can't see it themselves? I think I read that it is usually observed on an ultrasound, but that to see it from the outside of the belly is unusual. Of course the MWs know babies practice breathing, but it's possible they've never seen it outside the belly?...the article I linked at the beginning of this thread is a blog by a woman who had an OB and a MW who had no idea what it was when they saw it, so my assumption is that it's uncommon...I am going to print that blog post and bring it to my appt tomorrow and see what they say...

[Lisalee2]

Wow, you really do learn something new every day. I never thought that babies breathed amniotic fluid in the womb. I guess I always considered fluid in the lungs a bad thing...I guess it's okay when they're still inside though. Hmmm...interesting. So when they're born, all that fluid comes out and they start breathing air? Crazy!