My 2 week old son often jumps as if he is startled while he is sleeping. Is this normal?

Question

I know he should do so if he hears a noise, but he does this often when it is absolutely quiet. He does it when he is awake sometimes too.

Answer 1

He could be dreaming. We as adults do that too. And that jump you sometimes get right before you fall alseep lol.

Answer 2

Does it look like he throws his arms out for a hug when he gets startled? If so this is called the Moro Reflex, it's just the way babies react when they are startled. It's probably because he's still getting used to having his arms and legs so loose and free, and not all folded up inside mama any more... Imagine how disconcerting that must be, to feel like your arms and legs are flying away from you! lol.. my son did this, and he outgrew it by 3 or 4 months...

Answer 3

Swaddle ur baby as much as possible. That might make him feel secured. In the womb he was fully secured with soft walls around him that protected him and kept him cuddled that made him feel secured and protected. Now he is all of a sudden out of all that protection and its like you are in the air without any support and left alone to fly there or as if ure in a parachute with no practise. Kinda very insecured feeling. Wrap him tight until he kicks them away after a few months saying momma i dont need this any more.

Its normal and dont panic!!! Good luck :-)

Answer 4

This is called the 'startle reflex' and is completely normal even if it is perfectly quiet. It freaks us out sometimes but a way to stop it is to swaddle/wrap him so the arms are pinned down more and secure. they usually feel safer this way and can't startled themselves awake.

Best of luck and congrats!

Answer 5

ahh, congratulations . yeah it's normal. Baby puppys do that too .. when my daughter was one she screamed at the top of her lungs at a plastic spider . I thought that was weird . How did she know that she should be opposed to a spider at one?She was startled about ' who knows what ' as an infant too . Probably because it's a whole new world . ??

Answer 6

Don't Worry this is normal, but wrap the baby snugly in a blanket to simulate your womb for the first month.
baby's need the warmth and are not used to the noises it hears outside of the womb.

If you are concerned see a paediatrician.

Answer 7

It's called the startle reflex. It's perfectly normal for his age.

Answer 8

Yes it's the startle aka moro reflex. It goes away between four to six months.

Answer 9

Yes it is normal. My son is 9 weeks old and still does it now sometimes.

Answer 10

Probably he feels quite insecure afterall its only two weeks baby. While you are away from the baby try to keep something beside him so that he would feel secure. This is quite normal only so dont get worried. Slowly the child would get used to this outer world.