question about involuntary gasps for air

folding

So for the past 2 weeks or so I have been having these random gasps for air.  Happens on average every 15 minutes or so.  Completely involuntary.  Kind of a cross between a burp and an extra breath.  Obviously it makes me very nervous. 

 I went to my midwife on Tuesday and she said she had never heard of it. She checked my lungs and heart and thyroid and said all was clear.  She thought it might be anxiety-related.  My MIL (a NP in an OB office) said she thought it might be that my uterus is touching up against my diaphragm and irritating it.  When I asked my midwife about that, she said it was "too early" for that (I'm 21 weeks.) 

Has anyone experienced this and know what it is? I am really confused and nervous about it.  It's one thing if I was told that there was no real rhyme or reason but that they'd heard of it before, but the fact that I stumped my midwife really caused me a lot of concern.

Thank you in advance for your help!

FreyaWin2382

I have had it happen recently during pregnancy. I spoke with my OB with it and she said that since your rib cage expands during pregnancy, and the hormones progesterone make your ligaments stretch, you naturally breath faster during pregnancy than you normally would. The thought it is that these gasps are just your body's way of adjusting to the increase oxygen demand. 

Mrs.DeliaMarieP

PetraStonegirl:

I've had that happen to me off and on for as long as I can remember. I've never seen a doctor for it, but I did notice that it tended to happen when I was inactive and concentrating on something, as a result, I had been breathing shallow. I took it as a physical reaction to needing more O2, like a yawn.nbsp;Your ute may not be touching your lungs yet, but the rest of your gut sure as hell is getting pressed up and into your diaphragm. I'd be willing to bet that the added pressure just means you've been breathing shallow lately.

this is what happens to me, and what I also think is the reason for it.