Hiccups in babies can be a real concern for the baby and the parent. Imagine if you are new to this world and your body isn’t working properly!
Some studies suggest that they can be a part of healthy development – learning to control the diaphragm.
Hiccups can actually happen in the womb, so of course it is impossible to help the baby at that time.
“In-utero hiccups may be a way to exercise the respiratory muscles since you don’t start to breathe until you’re born, but no one knows for sure,” says Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, a paediatrician at MPH
Once born, possible hiccup triggers include:
- Fast feedings (so try and moderate that)
- Breathing in excess air while feeding
- Reflux (which will typically also include spitting up, back arching, and signs of discomfort like crying more often or waking out of cycle)
It is very difficult to see you baby in any level of pain or discomfort, and our immediate response is to find a way to stop the hiccups. These might help:
Take breaks during breast-feeding, and if bottle-fed try a slower-flow nipple.
Keep your baby vertical. This can help any milk that is sitting in your baby’s stomach get through to their small intestine more readily, and so relieve pressure on the diaphragm.
Do not try things like scaring them, which allegedly work on adults.
In fact, if unsure, do nothing, and it will work out in the end