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Why Do Babies Get Hiccups?

Why Do Babies Get Hiccups?

Babies get hiccups, even in the womb. Baby hiccups are a completely normal occurrence, but can be more concerning for the parent than the child. What causes baby hiccups and when should you be concerned?

What is normal?

Hiccups can occur even before the baby is born. If you’ve never felt a baby hiccupping in your womb, it is quite a peculiar sensation!

According to Brandi Ring, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Mile High OB-GYN in Denver, “fetal hiccups indicate the activation of the nerve that controls the diaphragm. They help confirm that the brain and spinal cord are intact and doing their job. In other words, fetal hiccups mean that baby is becoming neurologically developed enough to survive outside the womb,” Ring says.

Babies in the womb are also learning how to suck their thumb, sampling amniotic fluid, stretching, yawning, and more, all of which can cause fetal hiccups. Even though it may feel funny and lead you to question whether everything is ok with your baby, it turns out that fetal hiccups are an indication that everything is progressing as it should.

Once your baby is born, you may find yourself asking, what are normal baby hiccups? Should I be concerned? As new parents, we tend to worry about everything with a newborn, especially if it’s your first, and hiccups are no exception.

According to Healthline, “newborn hiccups are caused by a contraction of the diaphragm and the quick closing of the vocal cords. The rapid closing of the vocal cords is what creates the sound of hiccups.”

Newborn hiccups are quite common and not generally a cause for concern. Their little diaphragm is developing and has the potential to become irritated as they learn how to eat, drink, and breathe outside the womb. Baby or newborn hiccups can be triggered by inhaling too much air during feedings, laughing, or drinking and eating too fast. As long as they seem happy and comfortable, there’s no cause for worry.

When should I worry?

In extreme cases, baby hiccups, in addition to other accompanying symptoms, can be an indication of GERD, or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. GERD is essentially infant acid reflux, and causes an infant to consistently spit up liquid when they hiccup or burp, among other indicators. You can check out an article highlighting the 10 most common signs of GERD here. Essentially, the distinction is between a baby’s usual hiccups and accompanying spit-up, which should be painless and is common, versus when a baby is experiencing GERD symptoms and the spit-up is causing the baby to scream or cry in pain. If you feel your child is experiencing pain or severe discomfort when eating or drinking, you should consult your child’s doctor.

Getting rid of and preventing baby hiccups

Baby hiccups can be caused by a variety of things, and is most likely a product of babies simply learning how to live, not necessarily a reflection of what you are doing as a parent. That being said, here are a few best practices to follow if you find your baby consistently getting the hiccups, or if your little one is experiencing prolonged episodes:

  • Slow feedings down or take breaks during feeding (more difficult if you are breastfeeding)
  • Be sure to burp your baby frequently during feedings, not just at the end
  • Check or adjust your baby’s bottle or nipple attachment
  • Give your baby a pacifier
  • Use gripe water

In a case where the baby is clearly distressed or uncomfortable with hiccups, gripe water can be a reliever of a multitude of symptoms. Colic Calm, one of the first USA manufactured organic gripe waters, uses activated charcoal, which binds to gas bubbles and other impurities in your little one's tummy, breaks them down naturally, and allows them to pass through their digestive system without any absorption into their body. One of Colic Calm’s active ingredients, Chamomilla, is shown to relieve irritability and hiccups. Of course, sometimes the best thing you can do is to simply let the hiccups run their course. Babies are going to get hiccups, and chances are, it bothers you more than your baby.