Hiccups are a common ailment in infants and babies. These hiccups can sometimes be incredibly annoying for the parents of the child. Especially if they do not know how to stop baby hiccups. Hiccups are a very common condition that is experienced by both adults and children alike.
Hiccups occur because of an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm. Which can be caused by irritation in the throat or stomach. Is your baby hiccuping? If so, you might be wondering how to get rid of the annoying condition. So, here we’ll discuss how to get rid of hiccups in babies and other important things about it.
In This Article
Why does babies get hiccups?
Hiccups are a quite common problem for infants, especially in the first month after birth. Babies get hiccups because they have been sucking in a lot of air when feeding on the mother. Their diaphragm gets to work, pulling down and pushing up. In this way, babies get rid of the extra air they have swallowed while feeding. At around one month old, most babies can drink from a cup or bottle. When they do this, their breathing pattern changes, and hiccups are less likely to occur.
Therefore, hiccups can also occur when babies get overexcited and breathe in too much air, just like adults do. For this reason, babies who suffer from colic are particularly prone to getting hiccups. And they get overexcited and start gulping down air when crying and kicking their legs about. Usually, when they get hiccups, babies seem to have no serious problems. But when they get it frequently or if any other symptoms accompany the spasm of the diaphragm then a paediatrician should be consulted immediately.
Are hiccups bad for newborns?
This is one of the most common questions asked by new parents. Sometimes babies with hiccups will appear to be in some discomfort. But there are no studies that show a direct link between hiccups and any kind of illness or disease in infants. Many new parents may be concerned that something is wrong with their baby’s breathing if they see hiccups. But there is no need to worry as long as your child is growing normally and is active.
The condition of having hiccups in new-borns is called neonatal hiccups. Neonatal means the child was born recently. So it specifically refers to baby upright to four weeks old. As long as your baby is healthy otherwise, there are no major health concerns with baby’s hiccups. Hiccups will not cause any harm and will not affect the ability of your burp baby to gain weight and grow normally.
How do you stop hiccups in newborns?
Newborn hiccups are most likely to occur right after birth or during the first feeding. Most of them subside within a couple of days, but there are some things you can do to stop it faster. Hiccup is caused by swallowing air when breastfeeding. So try breastfeeding your baby more slowly and see if that helps. When your newborn hiccups, stop breastfeeding and give another 2-3 minutes before you resume breastfeeding again. Try to hold off the feeding for a few minutes if the baby is very hungry.
How to get rid of hiccups in newborns? The hiccups can happen for various reasons, but it’s mainly due to the change of environment after birth. The body is trying to adapt to changes and find its stability. When they first start eating or drinking, some infants start hiccupping due to swallowing air bubbles. But for prevent hiccups you should make sure to not hold the baby in such a way that they feel like they are dangling. And keep the baby calm is best infant hiccup remedy. As the hiccups can be linked with some anxiety or tension of the newborn.
Although a small amount of sugar dissolved in a teaspoon of water will help to stop the hiccups, but a baby mustn’t choke. If you notice that your newborn has a case of hiccups that seems unusually strong. And if there are other problems such as fever or choking, consult your pediatrician immediately. And don’t forget to always follow the normal rules of hygiene. Since it is still not known what causes hiccups in babies.
What causes too much hiccups in baby?
Hiccups are spasmodic contractions of the diaphragm, the muscle just above the stomach. What causes hiccups in newborns? Hiccups generally start at one month old and can last for several minutes every hour. Many times hiccups stop by themselves within an hour or so. But sometimes they can persist longer than that. There are many causes for hiccups in infants. Some of the common causes include for cure baby hiccups:
1) Swallowing too much air or feeding too quickly:
If your baby gulps their food, they probably swallow a bunch of air along with it. And gas-producing foods can also lead to gassy hiccups. Because they create extra bubbles in the digestive system which can cause painful spasms in the diaphragm. This condition is called GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease. If your child has this condition you should consult with a physician because there are ways to treat it.
2) Feeding too much sugar/fruit juice:
Too much fruit juice can cause gassiness which leads to newborn hiccups. This would be another cause of hiccups in babies. Fruit juice is a common trigger of infant hiccups. And feeding too much sugar can also result in gassiness. Another way of treating this condition is to avoid giving your child any juice for at least 24 hours.
3) Feeding too quickly or feeding when upset:
If you feed your baby fast, the air they swallow doesn’t have time to escape through burping. And hiccups are often worse if your child is fussy while eating, especially at night. It medically reviewed that hiccups can be so severe that infants gulp more air and vomit it back up again. In such a case you can lay your baby down across your knees with baby’s head lower than their feet. Support the head and gently pat their back until they burp. If this doesn’t work, try giving your infant a pacifier dipped in sugar water.
4) Irritating movement:
If your infant is irritated, stressed, or overtired, hiccups may ensue. The baby’s nervous system triggers the spasms and it can be very frustrating for an infant. To have continued hiccups because they don’t understand why this is happening. As well as Breastfed babies hiccups tend to be more common because breastfeeding is a calm, soothing experience. As your baby suckles from the breast to remove milk, they swallow excess air along with it.
5) Sucking on a bottle too long:
Every time your baby sucks on the nipple of the bottle, they are swallowing air. This can be another cause of infant hiccups. And similarly, if your baby vomits forcefully, stomach fluids may splash up into baby’s esophagus and stimulate the nerves in that area, trigger hiccups. Bottle-fed babies are often gassy, so if your baby is getting hiccups only when they are drinking from a bottle, try burping them more frequently.
The Conclusion
In conclusion, it seems that baby hiccups are a harmless occurrence. It is important to keep in mind that there could be other underlying causes for the symptom. And you should always consult your doctor if these symptoms persist or worsen. It has medically reviewed that baby starts hiccuping when they suck on a nipple and swallow too much air which results in swelling inside the digestive system.
And this swelling triggers the muscles to contract. And there can be many other causes for baby hiccups such as feeding your baby fast, attacks of stomach acid, gassiness caused by fruit juice or sugar, feeding when upset, etc. Therefore, according to academic research institutions from prevent baby hiccups breastfeeding should be a better way. Well, if you have any query regarding the above context share with us through a comment below, respectively.
