Final answer:
The term for the air that babies swallow when they eat is aerophagia, which can lead to discomfort due to gas and other gastrointestinal issues. The provided information deals with the role of amniotic fluid and meconium in fetal development and birth rather than the act of swallowing air.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for the air that babies tend to swallow when they eat is known as aerophagia. This is quite common during bottle or breastfeeding when the baby takes in air along with the milk. This can lead to discomfort due to gas and potential problems such as burping or gastrointestinal issues. However, the subject matter provided relating to amniotic fluid and meconium does not directly describe this process but rather details the function of amniotic fluid during fetal development and potential complications at birth such as meconium aspiration. Babies practice breathing movements with amniotic fluid in-utero, but do not actually breathe air until they are born. Upon birth, several factors stimulate newborns to take their first breath, which inflates the lungs and expels the remaining fluid.