Pregnant...Suddenly take a deep breath while sleeping?

Question

I'm about 7 weeks pregnant and have noticed that sometimes when I sleep (waiting to fall asleep), I'd need to take a deep breath all of a sudden. It happens quite automatically (I just notice it afterwards).

Is this normal and is there anything I need to do about it?

Answer 1

It's your nasal passages swelling. Just a little preview of all the swelling soon to come.

Answer 2

not neccesarily normal, but common with pregnancy. in women who become pregnant, the likelihood of developing sleep disordered breathing increases. sleep disordered breathing is an obstrutive repsiratory event while sleeping. what happens is the mass in the upper airway, the mass being the soft tissue in your upper airway, your oropharynx your uvula, and your tongue block or partially block your aiway. you have continued effort to breathe, but you are not pulling in air, because of the blockage. the respiratory event end's, typically with an arousal. with the arousal, you have a recovery breath, which causes an increase in your heart rate. this happens over & over throughout the night, leading most to believe they are not sleeping at all. with the increase of weight near your diaphragm, which is the muscle attached to the base of your lungs, which brings air into your lungs, causes a decrease in lung volume. if there is a decrease in volume you also will need to take a recovery breath. breathing and recovery breathing is autonomic, which means it is automatic, it is not something we have to think about to do. that is why when there is a change you notice it. have you ever noticed that when you tried to control your breathing it is more difficult, than when it is taking care of itself. look up breathing disorders and pregnancy at the American Board of Sleep Medicines website, or the Association of Polysomngraphic Technologists website or National Sleep Foundation, it will tell you more.

Answer 3

That early on it is probably due to hormonal changes. Early in pregnancy your hormones do strange things to the mucus membranes and to the lungs, all leading to strange breathing problems. I had the same thing when I was pregnant and there is nothing you can do about it. Round about the time that I was able to breath regularly again (about 15 weeks), I started showing and then once all your insides squish up to your lungs you can't breath again.

Good Luck and congrats!

Answer 4

I had this too, it seems to be in early pregnancy as I'm now 25 weeks, it wasn't just when I was sleeping - it was at any given time and felt like my heart was skipping a beat.

I worried about it too but asked my Dr and checked for answers on here to find out if anyone else had it, it appears to be fairly common and as I said, it does (well did for me) disapear later in your pregnancy. As long as you are not having trouble breathing and it returns to normal you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Answer 5

It's absouloutly normal becasue your body is trying to get ready forit and your hormons and everything will be weirid and you might have noticed that u pee a lot

Answer 6

This exact same thing happened to me. I am not sure exactly what cuases it. But i am not 40 weeks and 2 days pregnant, so im sure you will be fine:) goodluck hun

Answer 7

Talk to your dr. about possible sleep apnea.

Debbie

Answer 8

maybe im not a big girl to answer you but i think maybe it's a normal thing for pregnant woman.....................and it may just the baby in your stomach want a comfort..maybe so I JUST WANT WANT TO SAY IS DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHEN U NEED TO TAKE DEEP BREATH WHILE U WANT TO SLEEP OR U ARE SLEEPING............SO JUST TAKE CARE UR BABY NICELY AND ALWAYS LOVE UR BABY....A BABY OR CHILD NEEDS A MOTHER'S LOVE............so take care and bye ...tata

Answer 9

While it is probably nothing, you should mention it to your doctor, just in case.