X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

How do babies breathe in your pregnant tummy

2 min read

It’s such a simple question, yet it’s totally reasonable to wonder: Is your baby breathing in your pregnant belly? The answer is: No — at least not like you think he is. When the baby is inside of the womb, his lungs are filled with amniotic fluid. This amniotic fluid is what helps develop lungs. During the third trimester, there may be times when your baby looks like he is breathing, but this is “practice baby breathing”.

Prenatal baby breathing

While your baby is in your stomach he receives all their nutrients through the umbilical cord, which includes oxygen and food. There may be times when it looks like your baby is actually breathing, and he may be — but just not the same way we do. It’s really just the amniotic fluid that it’s going in and out of his little lungs.

how do babies breathe

Getting ready for birth

Once the baby gets to the 24th thru 28th week, your body makes some drastic changes. The amniotic fluid starts to produce a substance called surfactant, which is commonly referred to as lung detergent. The surfactant will coat the lungs and keep the air sacs open. If your baby does not get enough of surfactant, his lungs can collapse when he is born.

Consequences of RDS

RDS, also known as Respiratory Distress Syndrome, is caused when a baby’s lungs collapse at birth, which as mentioned, is normally caused by a low amount of surfactant in the last few months of pregnancy. There are many other things that can cause RDS, including some infections and congenital conditions.

There has been major advancements since the 1950’s in the research of this replacement. Scientists have developed an artificial surfactant to help revert the effects of RDS and have been very successful in keeping the death toll from this disease down.

Many parents notice what looks to be like breathing from their stomach. It is confusing how a woman’s body works when she is pregnant. Experts, to this day, can not explain every little detail; it is just one of the miracles of life that can still surprise parents!

Partner Stories
8 Wonderful Effects of Coconut Water For Pregnancy
8 Wonderful Effects of Coconut Water For Pregnancy
The Complete Delivery Bag List For The Entire Family
The Complete Delivery Bag List For The Entire Family
Can Pregnant Women Eat Instant Noodles?
Can Pregnant Women Eat Instant Noodles?
Reducing The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: What You Should Know
Reducing The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: What You Should Know

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

ddc-calendar
Get ready for the baby’s arrival by adding your due date.
OR
Calculate your due date
img
Written by

Tina Hanna

  • Home
  • /
  • Pregnancy
  • /
  • How do babies breathe in your pregnant tummy
Share:
  • Should I buy a breathing monitor for my baby's safety?

    Should I buy a breathing monitor for my baby's safety?

  • Pregnancy and pollution – your child’s at risk

    Pregnancy and pollution – your child’s at risk

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

  • Should I buy a breathing monitor for my baby's safety?

    Should I buy a breathing monitor for my baby's safety?

  • Pregnancy and pollution – your child’s at risk

    Pregnancy and pollution – your child’s at risk

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on pregnancy.