Is it normal for my newborn to grunt and squirm all night?

Nobody warned you about the noise. You imagined a peaceful sleeping baby. Instead, from the bassinet beside your bed comes a running commentary of grunts, squeaks, sighs, snorts and little cries. Your baby wriggles, stretches, flings an arm out, goes red in the face and strains. Every time, you sit bolt upright, sure something is wrong. And by morning you've barely slept, even though your baby technically did.

Use the NHS signs of serious illness in babies as a safety reference. A baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or above needs prompt medical advice.

If this is your night, you are not alone. Many newborn sleep sounds are normal, but grunting with every breath or visible breathing effort is different and needs urgent assessment. Here's how to tell the difference.

Why newborn sleep is so noisy

Newborns spend a lot of time in active sleep

Adults spend most of the night in quiet, deep sleep. Newborns don't. They spend roughly half their sleep in a lighter, active stage, the newborn version of REM, or dreaming sleep. During active sleep, babies:

• twitch, jerk and stretch;
• flutter their eyelids or open their eyes briefly;
• make sucking movements;
• smile, frown and grimace;
• grunt, squeak, sigh and whimper;
• breathe irregularly.

All of that is normal. Active sleep is thought to be important for the rapid brain development happening in these weeks. Your baby may look and sound half awake, but they're asleep.

Their breathing is irregular

Newborns often breathe in an uneven pattern called periodic breathing. They breathe quickly for a few seconds, then slowly, then pause briefly, usually for under ten seconds, before starting again. It can be alarming to watch, but it's common in the first weeks and usually settles over the first few months as the breathing control centres in the brain mature.

They breathe through their nose

Newborns breathe mainly through their nose, and their nasal passages are tiny. A small amount of mucus or milk can create snuffles, whistles and snorts, even when your baby isn't ill.

Their digestion is still learning

A very common cause of grunting and straining is digestion. Many young babies grunt, go red and strain for minutes at a time, especially when trying to pass wind or poo. This is sometimes called infant dyschezia, or grunting baby syndrome. It happens because babies haven't yet learned to coordinate relaxing the muscles at the bottom of the pelvis with pushing with the tummy. So they push against a closed door. It looks uncomfortable, but it isn't usually a sign of constipation or illness, and it typically settles on its own within a few months.

Reflux noises

Milk often comes back up into the food pipe in young babies, because the muscle at the top of the stomach is still developing. Some babies gulp, swallow, or make little choking sounds as it does. In most babies, this is normal and harmless, especially if they're feeding and growing well.

The real problem: you're not sleeping

For most parents, the issue isn't the baby. It's that every grunt wakes you, and you spend the night half-listening. A few things can help:

Pause before you respond. When you hear a noise, wait a moment, listen and look. If your baby's eyes are closed, their limbs are moving, and they're making those squeaky, grunting sounds, they're probably in active sleep. Picking them up at that point can actually wake them fully.

Learn your baby's hungry sounds. A grunt is different from the rising, rhythmic cry of hunger, rooting, or hand-sucking. After a week or two, most parents can tell the difference.

Move the bassinet slightly further away, but keep it in your room. Safe sleep guidance recommends your baby sleeps in the same room as you for the first months. But a bassinet right beside your ear may amplify every noise. A little more distance, still within reach and sight, can help.

Use gentle white noise for yourself. A fan or white noise machine at a low level can blur the small sounds, while you'll still hear crying.

Take turns. If you have a partner, split the night so one of you sleeps somewhere quieter for a stretch, with earplugs if needed. A protected stretch of rest can help, as long as one sober, alert adult remains able to hear and respond to the baby.

Wind your baby well after feeds. Burping and holding your baby upright for a few minutes after feeding may reduce some of the noisy digestion.

Avoid overdressing. An overheated baby can be restless. Check the back of the neck, not the hands. Here's what to wear at each room temperature.

What's normal and what isn't

Usually normal

• Grunting, squeaking, sighing and snorting during sleep.
• Twitching, stretching and wriggling.
• Irregular breathing with brief pauses of less than ten seconds.
• Straining and going red while trying to poo, followed by a normal soft stool.
• Snuffling when your baby is otherwise well and feeding normally.
• Spitting up small amounts of milk, if your baby is feeding well and gaining weight.

Get urgent medical help (call your emergency number) if your baby

• stops breathing for 20 seconds or more;
• turns blue or very pale around the lips or face;
• is struggling to breathe, with the skin pulling in under the ribs or at the base of the throat;
• is grunting with every single breath, especially if breathing is fast;
• is floppy, unusually hard to wake, or unresponsive.

Contact your doctor or midwife promptly if your baby

• has a fever (38°C / 100.4°F or above in babies under three months);
• has fast breathing or flaring nostrils;
• is feeding poorly or has fewer wet nappies than usual;
• vomits forcefully, or brings up green or blood-stained vomit;
• seems in real pain, cries inconsolably, or arches strongly during or after feeds;
• has hard, pellet-like stools or blood in their stool;
• snores loudly every night or has noisy breathing when awake as well as asleep.

If something feels wrong, trust that instinct and get advice. You will never be wasting a professional's time.

Safe sleep reminders

Noisy sleep can make parents want to bring their baby into bed or prop them up. A few safety basics:

• Always put your baby down on their back.
• Use a firm, flat mattress with nothing else in the cot or bassinet.
• Don't prop the mattress up or use wedges to reduce reflux, unless a doctor has specifically advised it.
• Don't fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair.
• Keep the room at a comfortable temperature, around 16–20°C (61–68°F).

When does it get quieter?

Newborn sleep often becomes quieter over the first few months, but the timing varies. Active sleep makes up a smaller share of the night, breathing becomes more regular, and digestion settles. Digestive straining and active-sleep noises often lessen as coordination and sleep mature.

The short version

Grunting, squeaking and squirming can be part of normal newborn active sleep, tiny nasal passages and developing digestion, but only when your baby is otherwise breathing comfortably, feeding and behaving normally. Pause and look before you pick your baby up, learn their hungry cues, and protect your own sleep where you can. Know the warning signs, and if you're ever worried, get help.

For more on what to expect in the first months, see our newborn sleep guide. And if the evenings are the hardest part, read is the witching hour real.

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