Why is My Baby Blowing Raspberries?
Blowing raspberries is a fun, healthy milestone that most babies start between 4 and 6 months. It signals early language development and growing curiosity.
When my baby was around 5 months old, he started blowing raspberries out of nowhere. My husband and I thought it was hilarious and couldn’t figure out why he kept doing it. As it turns out, this adorable behavior wasn’t random at all.
Blowing raspberries isn’t just a cute habit — it’s actually an important developmental milestone. It’s linked to early language skills and curiosity.
In this guide, I’ll share why babies do it, when it typically begins, and how you can support your baby during this fun stage.
What is Blowing Raspberries?
When babies blow raspberries, they’re forcing air through their lips to create a buzzing or fluttering sound. It usually comes with a smile and a bit of drool. This playful noise is one of the first ways babies experiment with using their mouth and voice.
When Do Babies Start Blowing Raspberries?
Most babies begin blowing raspberries between 4 and 6 months of age. This timing isn’t random. It often lines up with several other exciting developmental milestones happening at the same time.
Around this age, babies gain better head and neck control, which helps them coordinate breathing and mouth movements (1). They’re also becoming more vocal, and experiment with sounds like cooing, squealing, and early babbling. Increased hand-to-mouth exploration is common, too, as babies are discovering how different movements create sounds.
You may also notice more drooling, which tends to peak during this stage. While drooling is sometimes linked to teething, it’s also a sign that babies are actively using their mouths more.
Together, these milestones — improved motor control, growing curiosity, and expanding vocal play — make the 4–6 month window the perfect time for raspberries to appear.
It’s a normal and healthy sign that your baby is developing communication and oral motor skills right on track.
Why is My Baby Blowing Raspberries?
Babies blow raspberries for several important developmental reasons. Knowing what’s behind this behavior helps parents respond in meaningful ways. Below, we’ll walk through each one.
Language development
Blowing raspberries is an early form of speech. When babies practice pushing air through their lips, they’re strengthening the same oral muscles needed for babbling and, later, talking.
Research on early speech development shows that vocal play (such as raspberries, squeals, and babbles) supports the development of speech sounds by helping babies coordinate breathing, lip movement, and vocalization. These early experiments lay the groundwork for consonant sounds like p, b, and m (2).
Experimenting with their mouths
Around 4–6 months, babies become curious about how their bodies work, especially their mouths. Blowing raspberries allows them to explore new sensations and movements, such as how their lips, tongue, and breath work together (3).
This stage is a time of increased sensorimotor exploration, where babies learn through repeated trial and error. In short, raspberries are babies figuring out, “What happens if I do this?”
Increased saliva
You may notice that raspberry-blowing often comes with plenty of drool. Increased saliva is common at this age and is linked to oral development, not just teething (4).
Studies note that as babies become more aware of their mouths and produce more sounds, saliva production increases naturally. The extra drool makes it easier to create those bubbly, vibrating sounds.
For fun and entertainment
Sometimes, babies blow raspberries simply because it’s fun. They enjoy the sound, the feeling, and the reactions they get from parents. Babies are highly motivated by interaction, such as smiles, laughter, and eye contact. When you smile or laugh in response, your baby learns that this sound gets attention.
What to Do When Your Baby Blows Raspberries
Playful back-and-forth interactions promote shared communication. Try these easy, parent-friendly responses:
Blow them back
When your baby blows a raspberry, try copying them. For example, if your baby makes a “brrr” sound with their lips, lean in, smile, and gently blow a raspberry back.
You don’t need to do it perfectly. Just a soft, playful attempt is enough! Pause afterward and watch your baby’s reaction. Many babies will smile, squeal, or try to do it again.
Make eye contact
When your baby blows a raspberry, pause what you’re doing and look at them with a warm, attentive expression. For example, you might lean in, make eye contact, smile, and say something like, “I hear you!” or “That was fun!”
Even without words, your focused gaze lets your baby know you’re interested. This can help support their social and emotional development.
Make other sounds
Another way to respond to their raspberries is by making other sounds. You might say “ba-ba-ba,” “ahhh,” or “ooo,” hum gently, or make soft animal or silly noises. Doing this exposes them to a wider range of noises and patterns. You’re showing them that there are many ways to use their voice.
Redirect their attention.
Sometimes babies blow raspberries over and over because they’re tired, overstimulated, or need a short break. If raspberry-blowing becomes intense or fussy, try offering a teething toy, a soft rattle, or another safe object they can explore with their hands or mouth.
You might also change positions, move to a quieter space, or sing a calm song. These small shifts give your baby a chance to pause and regulate.
Should I Worry If My Baby Isn’t Blowing Raspberries Yet?
Blowing raspberries is one of several early signs of communication development. When a baby isn’t blowing raspberries and also shows few or no vocal sounds, limited interest in social interaction, or minimal response to voices and faces, it may suggest they’re having difficulty developing early language skills.
It may be helpful to bring it up with your pediatrician. They can determine whether your baby is simply developing at their own pace or whether further evaluation or support is needed.
The Takeaway
Blowing raspberries is a normal, healthy milestone that most babies reach between 4 and 6 months of age. While it may seem like simple silliness, this playful behavior supports important areas of development, including early language skills. Remember to respond with warmth and engagement.
If you ever have concerns about your baby’s development, trusting your instincts and checking in with your pediatrician is always a good step.
Sources:
- Osagie IE, Givler DN. Infant Head Lag. [Updated 2023 Jan 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567782/
- Elsevier. (n.d.). Vocal play. In ScienceDirect (Topic). Retrieved December 15, 2025, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/vocal-play
- UNICEF. (n.d.). Your baby’s developmental milestones: 4 months. UNICEF. Retrieved December 15, 2025, from https://www.unicef.org/parenting/child-development/your-babys-developmental-milestones-4-months
- Van Hulst, K., Van den Engel-Hoek, L., Geurts, A., Jongerius, P., Van der Burg, J., Feuth, T., Van den Hoogen, F., & Erasmus, C. (2018). Development of the Drooling Infants and Preschoolers Scale (DRIPS) and reference charts for monitoring saliva control in children aged 0–4 years. Infant Behavior and Development, 50, 247-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2018.01.004