Newborn mouth chattering

My little girl is three and a half weeks and I notice when i pick her up sometimes her mouth will chatter like she gets a chill. Is this normal for a newborn? Thank you!

[Santosh Kondekar, MD]

Dear blondie12,

The chatter like movements that you describe is known as “jitteriness”.

Neonates have an immature nervous system which gradually develops as they grow. This might cause jittery movements in some infants for the first several weeks of birth.

If it is present occasionally since birth and your infant is otherwise healthy/active, I do not think this is something serious.

However, jitteriness can also be caused by some metabolic conditions such as calcium insufficiency. I would advise you to consult your neonatologist / pediatrician for a clinical examination of these movements to rule out metabolic conditions.

Hope that this information helps and hope that you will get better soon.

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Best Regards,
Dr. Santosh Kondekar

[blondie12]

its more like a mouth quiver i guess and it only happens when I pick her up sometimes.

[criscat111]

A related discussion, Infant was started.