Lifestyle

Baby Hiccups: Possible Causes And 6 Ways To Stop Them

Sudeshna Chakravarti | Sep 19, 2022

Whether you felt your baby hiccupping inside the womb during pregnancy, or they are a whole new experience, newborn hiccups may come as a surprise to you, and your baby. But here’s the thing—newborn hiccups are common, occur frequently, and are usually not a matter of concern until your little one is a year old.

The hiccups are just repeated contractions of the diaphragm that cause the vocal cords to shut, creating the characteristic ‘hic’ sound. They only last for a minute or two, and your baby might not be even bothered with them. But if this frequent occurrence concerns you, and makes you wonder “how to stop baby hiccups” then fret not, as we’ve got you covered with some effective solutions.

Keep reading to know a few tricks to keep newborn hiccups at bay, and also ways to prevent them in the future.

Why Do Babies Hiccup?

Hiccups are a normal occurrence in your baby and may last until the first year of their life / Image credit: Pexels

The exact cause of newborn hiccups is not yet known. But, there are several conditions that may trigger hiccups in your baby. Let’s understand why hiccups occur and then get into the remedial methodsl.

Hiccups fundamentally occur due to the trigger of the hiccup reflex, which is constituted of the simultaneous actions of the muscles that control the trachea, diaphragm, and nerves. When the nerves involved in this reflex are irritated or triggered, hiccups may occur, which are then regulated by parts of the brain and spinal cord.

Oftentimes, this nerve is triggered in newborns when they swallow excess air while feeding or are overfed, resulting in hiccups. Also, since this is a common occurrence in the first few months of your newborn’s life, some babies may have hiccups without any noticeable triggers.

How Long Do Hiccups Last In Babies?

Your little one can have hiccups multiple times a day, with each episode lasting for about 10 minutes or longer. We understand that it can be worrisome, especially for new mums and dads, but don’t worry your baby’s hiccups will usually resolve in a few minutes. As long as your little one seems happy and not in any kind of distress, hiccups aren’t a cause for concern.

How To Stop Baby Hiccups?

You can consider feeding your baby slowly or giving them a pacifier to relieve hiccups

As discussed, hiccups are mostly short-lived and go away by themselves. In most cases, you don’t have to intervene. However, if you find it concerning, you may consider the following interventions to soothe hiccups in your newborn:

Change Their Feeding Positions

If your baby is bottle-fed, consider changing their feeding position, and feeding them in an upright position to prevent extra air from entering their stomachs, thus reducing the occurrence of hiccups.

Hold Your Baby Upright After Feeding

Holding your baby upright immediately after bottle-feeding or breastfeeding can help the gulped air escape their tummy and prevent the risk of gas building up, which may further lead to hiccups.

Feed Your Little One Slowly

If your baby is bottle-fed at a fast pace, there are chances that their stomach will expand swiftly, and push against the diaphragm, causing hiccups. You may consider trying slow-bottle feeding techniques, such as paced-bottle feeding to reduce hiccups.

Take A Break Between Feeding And Burp Them

Burp your baby in between feeds to release the trapped gas from your little one’s tummy and prevent hiccups. You should follow this tip right from the beginning to prevent discomfort in your little one while they feed.

Use A Pacifier To Relieve Hiccups

You can also give a pacifier to your hiccuping baby to relax their diaphragm and soothe hiccups. However, don’t force your baby to have the pacifier if they are repeatedly declining it.

Give Your Baby Gripe Water

Grips water is a mixture of several herbs and is often available as an OTC (over-the-counter) medicine. This water is especially recommended for babies with colic or gastrointestinal disorders. You can consider giving gripe water to your baby to soothe their hiccups, but make sure to consult the paediatrician before.

These remedies can come in handy if your baby is hiccuping too much and too frequently. But remember, your baby might be unbothered by these hiccups and may continue to eat and sleep well even with them.

Doctors suggest that hiccups benefit infants since the reflex triggers a large wave of brain signals. These signals may help your baby’s brain to monitor and voluntarily control their breathing muscles. Therefore, if your baby seems unbothered with the hiccups, you may even leave them alone, and wait for the hiccups to resolve naturally in a few minutes.

What Not To Do To Stop Your Baby’s Hiccups?

There are various solutions available online related to reducing baby hiccups. However, some of these remedies may be harmful, and you should never try them on your baby. The techniques that you should absolutely avoid include:

Letting a spoonful of sugar dissolve in your baby’s tongue
Startling your baby suddenly to overwhelm the vagus nerve (nerve from the brain to the abdomen)
Tickling the roof of your baby’s mouth with a Q-tip or a similar object

How To Prevent Hiccups In Your Baby?

Image caption: Make sure to burp your baby in between and after feeds to reduce hiccups

Now that we have discussed how to stop baby hiccups, let’s look at the techniques that help avoid potential triggers of hiccups in babies:

Do not position your baby’s feeding bottle vertically, as it may cause them to gulp large quantities of milk and air.
Avoid feeding your baby at a fast pace.
Burp your baby often during and after a feed.
Do not overfeed your baby.
Do not lay your baby down right after feeding them.

When To Seek Medical Help?

You should seek medical help from a doctor in the following scenarios.

If the hiccups are accompanied by spitting up, coughing, and arching their back especially after feeding. These signs may indicate acid reflux in your baby.
If the hiccups are persistent and interfere with your baby’s eating and sleeping pattern.
If your baby has frequent hiccups even after the age of one year.

Conclusion

Now that you have got all your doubts answered on how to stop baby hiccups, soothing your baby’s hiccups will be easier for you. Your baby may have frequent hiccups during the initial months of their birth, but using the measures that we discussed above, like changing their feeding positions, and feeding them slowly can help reduce and prevent this occurrence in the long run.

In case, your baby’s hiccups are persistent even after a year, and you notice them spitting up after hiccuping, then you may consider consulting a paediatrician for advice and treatment methods.