Our preemie makes jerky movements

[WantsALittle1]

Our daughter is almost 2 weeks old--she was born at 31+3 and is now 33+1. She has one period during every day when she's alert, and during this time her eye and facial movements are smooth and controlled. She looks at us, plays with her hands, fusses for food... basically she acts like a normal baby. The rest of the time she's usually sleeping.

But I've noticed that when she's dozing off to sleep after her alert time, she starts to do weird things with her face. Her eyes jolt all over the place, roll back into her head, then try to focus, then move up and down really quickly. While this is happening, she cycles through smile-frown-smile-frown-grimace-smile. Sometimes her arms and legs twitch too. This happens every single time she's falling asleep. I asked the neonatalogist about it and she said something to the effect of 'preemies don't have smooth muscle control,' but I wasn't satisfied with this answer.

Anyone else have a similar experience, and did it resolve itself as your preemie got older?

Thanks!

 

[inperfected]

Yup, it's honestly very normal. I've seen lots who do it, and to be honest, lots of term babies do it too. *hugs*

 

[AP]

I agree, its common in all babies, but certainly in preemie babies. Our term baby used to do it and wake herself up

 

[lozzy21]

My LO still does it, there called myclonic jerks. Most adults have them too, you know when your falling asleep and your body jerks and you wake up again? Its the same thing.

 

[maxxiandniko]

My 28 week twin boys did that when they were first born(one more than the other) and I used to get freaked out. They're over a year now and it's not happening at all. Totally normal.

 

[AP]

My LO still does it, there called myclonic jerks. Most adults have them too, you know when your falling asleep and your body jerks and you wake up again? Its the same thing.

I wondered if the were similar.

God I hate them when I have them

 

[WantsALittle1]

Thank you for the reassurance, everyone

I guess I was concerned because her eyes are open when she's doing this. Yes, the jerky movements/expressions are *always* followed by her falling to sleep, so it makes sense that it's part of a falling asleep routine, but the fact that her eyes are open when she's doing the jerky movements makes it seem like she's awake when it happens.

 

[lozzy21]

Some times children can fall asleep with their eyes open, one of my cousins does it.