Why do babies get hiccups & 5 tips to stop them

Why do babies get hiccups

Are you ready to welcome newborn? Or are you a new mom? Whatever be the case, having babies and caring for them can be both exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. But it is the best feeling ever in the world. Babies are so delicate that we need to take care of them. If you are a new mom, you tend to get anxious even with the slightest things like a hiccups in newborns.

Do you wish to know why do babies get hiccups or newborn hiccups and how to stop hiccups in babies? This post will highlight everything you need to know about hiccups in newborns and how to stop hiccups in babies.

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Reason for hiccups in newborns

Hiccups in newborns is connected to do with the physiology of the human body.  Newborn babies usually have frequent episodes of non-stop hiccups. While some find it cute and beautiful, many new moms try to find solutions for the same since it could become concerning

Actually, hiccups are very common in babies, and they are not at all harmful, pediatrician Kylie Liermann says. While the cause of hiccups are not entirely known, here are some points to understand about baby hiccups, as explained by pediatric doctors.

  1. The diaphragm is the most likely cause of hiccups. The diaphragm is a tendon that runs along the bottom of the lungs. This muscle can spasm or cramp, forcing the vocal cords to clamp shut, producing the “hic!” sound, which most people are familiar with.
  • Interestingly, babies in the womb also get hiccups even before they’re born, and many pregnant women have said that they felt the telltale fluttering in their bellies.
  • No one knows precisely why do babies get hiccups? Some doctors say that it could be because of the excessive gas in the baby’s stomach or when babies overeat. It could also be when babies swallow air during eating, which could cause the stomach to expand and rub against the diaphragm. These are among the standard answers to the question of why do babies get hiccups.
  • Hiccups in newborns should not be a problem as it does not bother the babies at all. But please be aware that at times, it can be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). This may lead to the digestive acids in the stomach getting into the baby’s esophagus. However, there is an easy way to identify if your baby has GERD or not. In the case of GERD, the hiccups might not be the only symptom.

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How to stop hiccups in babies

If you find your baby getting hiccups frequently, do not panic and be confused. As long as your baby is normal and doing okay, apart from the frequent hiccups, you do not have to bother at all. In fact, pediatricians jokingly exclaim that hiccups do not bother the babies at all, at least not as much as it disturbs their parents.

Yet, if you are one of those parents who gets bothered by your baby’s continuous hics, then do not worry. Below are some tips that could help stop hiccups in newborns.

5 Tips to stop hiccups in babies

Here are few things you can try to do if you are wondering how to stop hiccups in babies
  1. Try to soothe it using pacifiers – Yes, you read that right. Pacifiers not only can soothe your crying baby and give some relief and calm to the baby and you. but they also help to stop those continuous and nagging hiccups. This works because the suckling action done by babies can make the baby’s diaphragm relax.
  2. Try to change the way you feed – Sometimes, parents may notice how they successfully ward off the irritating baby hiccups by changing the way and the pose in which they feed their babies. The more upright your baby is while they feed, the better it is for them, according to pediatricians.

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  1. Burping can bust it – The hiccups have got to do something with the gas in the stomach and the air movements. Making babies burp is one of the best ways to stop hiccups in babies. Making babies burp after feeding some amount of food will release the air in the stomach.The gentle tapping on the back to make your baby burp and the upright body posture of your baby can also help with the hiccups, as mentioned in the earlier points.
  2. Gripe water can be a savior – Gripe water is a very commonly used herbal medicine, trusted for many years now to be used with no prescription to solve all the tummy problems in babies. Sometimes it is also helpful to relieve baby hiccups.
  3. Prevention can be a better option – Ensure to make your babies calm before you feed them. You can also restrain yourself from indulging your baby in heavy activities during and after feeding. These are few things that are found to reduce the frequency of baby hiccups. Stopping them completely is not possible and may not be necessary too.

Conclusion

So, with all the knowledge you have just gained, baby hiccups are no longer a complex problem. Babies getting frequent hiccups is usual baby behavior. You can now take preventive measures rather than bothering about hiccups. With the tips shared above, you can easily help little ones who are suffering due to continuous hiccups with more ease and confidence.

However, every pediatric doctor reassures you that hiccups are a completely normal physiological process in babies and you can simply ignore. You will see that they go away on their own, and don’t require remedies or medicines.

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Why do babies get hiccups & 5 tips to stop them
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19 thoughts on “Why do babies get hiccups & 5 tips to stop them

  1. Aww the images have made my heart melt. When my 23-year-old was a baby we used gripe water for her hiccups. Though when they hiccup they are super cute with the little noise they make.

  2. I remember mine got hiccups a few times when they were babies. I didn’t know what to do so these tips would have come in handy.

  3. Oh! This is good to know. I wasn’t really sure why do babies get hiccups so, this is really appreciated. Thank you too for sharing the tips on how to stop hiccups. I learned something new today.

  4. Great post! I think it’s very useful for first time parents who have more questions than answers

  5. I was advised by someone to firmly but gently press the thumb of your right hand on the inner wrist of your left hand and leave it there until the hiccups stop. I believe it is a pressure point or meridian point or something. Anyway, this method usually works for me!

  6. I wish I knew about this when my son was born. He was always so gassy therefore, always crying and upset. We tried gripe water but that didn’t work for us. So, we stuck to the manual burp the baby after each feeding and that got us through for most of those several months.

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