When parents hear gurgling or rumbling noises coming from their newborn’s tummy, it’s natural to feel a bit of concern. These sounds, medically known as borborygmi, are common and often indicate a healthy, active digestive system at work.
Normal Newborn Tummy Noises
Borborygmi are the sounds produced by the movement of gas and fluid through the intestines. These noises are a normal part of digestion, occurring as the muscles of the digestive tract contract to mix and move food, liquids, and air. In newborns, these sounds can seem particularly prominent because their bodies have less fat to muffle the sounds.
A newborn’s digestive system is still undergoing significant development and maturation. The gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach and intestines, is growing and adapting to processing milk. This ongoing development means their digestive processes can be quite active and audible. The presence of these sounds is generally a reassuring sign that the baby’s gastrointestinal tract is functioning as it should, indicating healthy gut motility.
Common Reasons for Growling
Several common, non-concerning factors contribute to stomach growling in newborns. These sounds often relate directly to feeding and digestion.
One frequent reason for a growling tummy is hunger. Just as in adults, an empty stomach in a newborn can lead to increased muscle contractions as the body anticipates feeding. These contractions, along with the movement of any remaining fluids and air, produce audible rumbling sounds. The noises may become louder when the stomach is empty.
Digestion itself is another common cause of gurgling. After a feeding, milk moves through the digestive tract, and the intestinal walls contract in a wave-like motion called peristalsis to mix and push the contents along. This process, which involves the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, naturally generates sounds as liquids, solids, and gases interact within the intestines. The stomach also churns food, contributing to the noise.
Gas and swallowed air are also major contributors to tummy noises. Babies often swallow air during feeding, especially if the latch is not optimal or if the bottle nipple flow is too fast or too slow. Air can also be swallowed during crying. This trapped air, along with gas produced during digestion, moves through the intestines, creating gurgling sounds as it passes. Simple remedies like burping the baby after feedings can help release some of this swallowed air.
Rapid feeding or overfeeding can also lead to more pronounced stomach noises. When a baby consumes milk too quickly, they might swallow more air. If they are overfed, their immature digestive system may be overwhelmed, leading to increased activity and more audible gurgling to process the larger volume of milk.
When to Be Concerned
While most newborn stomach growling is normal, there are specific instances when these sounds, combined with other symptoms, warrant medical attention. Consult a pediatrician if stomach growling is accompanied by:
- Excessive fussiness or inconsolable crying that seems to indicate pain.
- Forceful or projectile vomiting, which is different from typical newborn spit-up.
- Persistent refusal to feed or poor feeding, where the baby is not taking in enough milk.
- Changes in stool consistency or frequency are important indicators. This includes very watery diarrhea, the presence of blood or mucus in the stool, or severe constipation where the baby struggles significantly to pass hard stools.
- Lethargy, such as unusual drowsiness or unresponsiveness.
- Fever, especially in babies under two months old.
- Abdominal distension, where the belly appears unusually swollen and feels hard, or tenderness when touching the abdomen.