This back up of blood is what we refer to as congestion. Congestive heart failure occurs gradually. If your child has congestive heart failure, you will notice some signs and symptoms that happen over a period of time. The type and number of symptoms are different in each child. The best time to observe your child's breathing is while they are sleeping.
Children naturally breathe faster when awake or crying.
After a feeding it is sometimes helpful to place babies in an infant seat since this makes breathing easier with a full stomach. There may be some widening of the nostrils when your child breathes in. You may also hear a grunting noise or wheezing sound with breathing. Some children may have more trouble breathing when they are lying down. Infants in congestive heart failure may develop feeding difficulties.