My 2 month old daughter is making noises like deep rumbling,she is also very sleepy.but her feed, potty and urine is normal
Reading File
Finding Sources
Finding Sources
Searching the Web
2 month old baby deep rumbling noises sleepy normal feeds causes
This is a very reassuring picture overall. Here is a thorough breakdown for you:
What's Likely Happening With Your 2-Month-Old
The Deep Rumbling Noises
This is almost certainly normal digestive activity. At 2 months, a baby's gastrointestinal system is still developing and actively learning to move milk through the intestines. As Cleveland Clinic explains, "digestion doesn't stop when babies are sleeping - that can mean rumbling or bubbling sounds coming from their bellies." Specifically, the noises can come from:
- Bowel sounds (intestinal gurgling) - food and gas moving through the gut makes audible sounds through a baby's thin abdominal wall
- Swallowed air being worked through the digestive tract
- Normal throat secretions - saliva or a small amount of refluxed milk sitting in the back of the throat creates a low, gurgling/rumbling sound
- Nasal congestion - babies are obligate nose breathers, and even a tiny bit of dried mucus in the nostrils can create a deep, rattling or snoring-like sound
As Seattle Children's notes, "gurgling or growling noises from the movement of food through the intestines" are completely normal at this age.
The Sleepiness
At 2 months, babies sleep a lot - typically 14 to 17 hours per day. More importantly, 2-month-olds spend a significant portion of their sleep in active (REM) sleep, during which they make many noises - grunts, groans, whimpers, and yes, rumbling sounds. This is expected and healthy.
Why You Don't Need to Worry Right Now
The three most reassuring signs you've described are:
| Sign | What it tells us |
|---|---|
| Normal feeds | No respiratory distress (a baby struggling to breathe cannot feed well) |
| Normal wet diapers | Well hydrated, kidneys working fine |
| Normal stools | Gut is functioning, no obstruction |
These three together are the strongest indicators that your baby is doing well.
When TO Call a Doctor (Warning Signs)
While your current situation sounds normal, contact your pediatrician promptly if you notice any of these:
- Breathing looks labored - ribs visibly pulling in (retractions), nostrils flaring, belly pumping hard with each breath
- Breathing rate is fast - more than 60 breaths per minute consistently
- Skin color changes - blue/grey around the lips or fingernails (cyanosis), or pale and mottled
- Fever - temperature above 38°C (100.4°F) in a baby this young is always an emergency
- Feeding drops off - refusing feeds, taking much less than usual, weak suck
- Unusually difficult to wake - sleepy is normal, but a baby who cannot be roused for feeds or doesn't respond to your voice/touch needs evaluation
- High-pitched or squeaky breathing (stridor) - a sound on breathing in that is sharp and musical is different from a rumble and should be checked
Simple Things You Can Try
- Burp more frequently during and after feeds - this releases swallowed air that causes tummy rumbling
- Tummy time when awake and supervised - helps move gas along
- Clear nasal passages gently with a saline nasal drop and a bulb syringe if she seems congested
- Hold her upright for 15-20 minutes after feeding to reduce reflux-related throat noises
Bottom line: A 2-month-old with deep rumbling sounds, normal sleepiness, and completely normal feeding and output is almost always just a normal, healthy, noisy baby. Babies this age are surprisingly loud! As long as the warning signs above are absent, this does not need an emergency visit. Do mention it at her next well-baby check so your pediatrician can listen and reassure you in person.
Reminder: This information is for general guidance only. Always consult your baby's pediatrician for personal medical advice, especially for a child this young.
Get a checklist of red flag warning signs for infant respiratory distress
Finding Sources
Searching the Web
infant respiratory distress red flag warning signs checklist pediatric
Finding Sources
Reading File
Reading File
Here is a thorough, clinically sourced checklist you can use as a reference:
🔴 Red Flag Checklist: Infant Respiratory Distress
Based on Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Boston Children's Hospital, and medical textbooks (Textbook of Family Medicine 9e; Medical Physiology).
CALL EMERGENCY SERVICES IMMEDIATELY if you see:
- Blue, purple, or grey lips or skin (cyanosis) - around the mouth, fingernails, or face - signals dangerously low oxygen
- Baby is unresponsive or cannot be woken - floppy, limp, or no reaction to your voice/touch
- Breathing has stopped or is gasping
- Seizures or abnormal jerking movements
- Non-blanching rash - purple/red spots that do NOT fade when you press a glass against them
GO TO A DOCTOR/ER URGENTLY if you notice:
Breathing Pattern
- Fast breathing (tachypnea) - more than 60 breaths per minute in an infant
- Grunting with every breath (a repeated "uh" sound on breathing OUT) - the body's attempt to keep airways open
- Persistent grunting beyond the first hour of life, or grunting that appears at 2 months with no previous pattern
- Stridor - a high-pitched, musical, or squeaky sound when breathing IN (different from normal rumbling)
- Wheezing - a tight, whistling sound heard with each breath
Visible Effort to Breathe
- Retractions - skin visibly pulling inward between the ribs, below the breastbone, or above the collarbone with each breath
- Nasal flaring - nostrils noticeably widening outward with each breath
- Head bobbing - head moving up and down in sync with breathing (use of neck muscles)
- See-saw breathing - belly goes in as chest goes out (abnormal coordination)
- Belly breathing using abdominal muscles as primary effort
Color & Circulation
- Skin looks pale, mottled (blotchy), or ashen
- Capillary refill > 2 seconds - press fingernail until white, color should return in under 2 seconds
- Cool or clammy skin with fast breathing
Behavior & Feeding
- Refusing to feed or very weak suck - a baby who cannot feed is often working too hard to breathe
- Cannot settle or is inconsolably crying
- Unusually floppy or lethargic beyond normal sleepiness - cannot be roused for feeds
Temperature
- Fever ≥ 38°C (100.4°F) in any baby under 3 months - always needs urgent assessment regardless of breathing
NORMAL sounds that are NOT red flags (for reassurance):
| Sound | Likely Cause |
|---|---|
| Belly rumbling / gurgling | Normal digestion |
| Soft throat gurgling | Saliva or small amount of reflux |
| Occasional snorting | Tiny nasal passages with mild mucus |
| Grunting only while pushing out a stool | Normal infant dyschezia |
| Irregular breathing rhythm during sleep | Normal REM sleep pattern |
| Hiccups | Swallowed air, very common |
Quick "Traffic Light" Rule
| Sign | Action |
|---|---|
| Baby is pink, feeding well, wet nappies, alert when awake | ✅ Monitor at home |
| Any single orange sign above | 🟡 Call your pediatrician same day |
| Any red sign, blue/grey colour, unresponsive | 🔴 Call emergency services NOW |
Tip for parents: Trust your gut. As noted by a BMJ Paediatrics Open review, parental concern and the feeling that something is "off" with your baby is itself considered a clinical red flag. If something feels wrong, seek help - you know your baby best.
⚠️ This checklist is for general guidance only. It does not replace assessment by a qualified healthcare provider.
This is a shared conversation. Sign in to Orris to start your own chat.