I remember playing with my cousins at a family picnic as a child. We were all running after each other, and I could hear my stomach sloshing. It sounded like water was in there, as though I’d swallowed an entire gallon of lemonade and gone running with it.
Of course, we all laughed and laughed.
It’s happened to me as an adult too. And I’m sure it has happened to you.
But when it happens to our babies, it can sound scary. Should we be worried?
Short answer: No!
But I’m sure you are, which is why you are here, so keep reading to find out why you hear the liquid sloshing in your baby’s belly!
Why do I hear all these strange sounds from my baby’s belly?
The fact is that digestive systems are rather noisy. You don’t worry when you hear yours, do you?
Baby tummies can make these noises too. They include grumbling, gurgling, tinkling, and, yes, sloshing liquid sounds. They may seem loud, but it’s no cause for concern.
In fact, hearing these sounds should bring you comfort. That’s the lower digestive system doing its job.
When you take your baby in for checkups, you’ll notice the doctor will listen to the belly to check out the digestive functioning. It should make noise!
Why do I hear the liquid sloshing in my baby’s belly?
Ok, so let’s talk about that watery liquid sloshing sound. What gives?
Growling or grumbling tummies often happen when the stomach is empty. As it contracts, it moves air around, which causes that kind of sound.
But the sloshing of liquid sound is akin to a jug of milk you’ve opened but only poured a small amount from. That leaves a little air at the top. When you pick it up and move it, that milk jug will now make a sloshing sound.
This is basically what is happening inside your baby’s belly. So, it’s all that precious breast milk or formula getting ready to be processed by the rest of the digestive system.
If you suspect it is due to breastfeeding, head over here to learn more, as I have discussed recently.
Stomachs, even for grownups, are the noisiest right before you eat and immediately following. You will likely notice this with your baby as well.
Your intestines (and baby, too) are hollow. Think of a cavernous hallway with nothing in it. Your footsteps would echo no matter how quiet you attempt to be.
So when digestion is happening for your baby, it can often sound like water going through pipes—or being shaken about in a jug.
It won’t happen all the time, of course, but when you hear the liquid sloshing in your baby’s stomach, you can breathe a sigh of relief. The digestive system is simply doing what it was made to do. And sometimes, it can be unapologetically noisy when it does what it does. For those moments, you can now laugh it off and check this off of your list of worries.
Leslie Berry lives with her husband and two young daughters in Los Altos, California, where she loves helping other moms get comfortable with motherhood and embracing the insanity with facts peppered with laughs.
She loves eating too much sushi, exercising, and jamming out on her Fender. Read more about Leslie here.
