Abdominal breathing is the right type of breathing for infants and children. In adults, diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing is still retained but chest breathing will become the involuntary norm.
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Abdominal breathing in children and in infants is normal. In fact, it is the natural instinct of infants and babies to do diaphragmatic breathing.
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As kids grow up, however, they will learn to chest breathe more and forget about diaphragmatic breathing unless voluntary willed to do so.
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Abdominal breathing is beneficial for babies and kids as it gives them a lot more oxygen intake than chest breathing.
Here are some reasons why abdominal breathing is prominently observable in babies:
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The abdominal muscles have not been fully developed yet.
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Chest expansion is not that noticeable in infants and there isn’t much space for the lungs to expand in the chest.
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The belly develops fats as the baby develops, this makes it more prominent and breathing is more easily observable.
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As babies spend a lot of time on their back, a large volume of the lungs are found on mid-back just above the kidneys.
This way, when the baby breathes, it is the belly that expands. -
Integrated breathing, using all the muscles of the chest and the abdominal area has not yet developed in young infants.
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The soft tissues of the belly area are more likely to give than the chest so breathing is most observable there.
Abdominal Breathing in Children: Will it Hurt the Baby?
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No, it will not harm the baby
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It is normal for babies and young kids to breathe this way.
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With development, babies are going to learn how to breathe with the chest.
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This is a foundation type of breathing and it will not harm the babies in any way.
What Parents Should Look Out For
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Of course, even when this kind of breathing is normal in infants and little children, parents should always be vigilant about any possible problem occurring.
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Parents should look out for abnormally high chest expansion in their babies during activity or non-activity.
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The abnormal involvement of the chest could signify disease like COPD, bronchitis, and asthma.
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It is also important to check if the breathing suddenly becomes shallow or faster if the child is at rest. Either way, there could be a medical emergency waiting to happen.