Why Do Babies Get Hiccups ?

Most moms having their first child, get worried when they find their babies hiccupping often. But this is nothing to worry about and its nature’s way of getting the baby accustomed to the new world. In fact babies hiccup when they are in the womb too.

What causes baby hiccups ?

Hiccups occur when the diaphragm muscle at the bottom of the chest contracts due to stimulation. This happen mostly few common reasons as follows:

After feeding hiccups: Many babies hiccup after having a feed. This is because they suck in a lot of air along with milk when they are fed. The excess air causes the diaphragm to contract resulting in hiccups.

Temperature: Sudden temperature changes cause the babies to hiccups. When baby is exposed to too much cold they being to hiccup so it’s better to keep them warm always.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): It is also known as acid reflux disease. It occurs when the acid from baby’s tummy is released repeatedly into the esophagus. This happens very commonly in toddlers and babies too. But if it occurs too frequently, then it’s better to contact a doctor immediately.

Getting rid of baby hiccups

Hiccups in babies are not very serious issues, so there is no need to bother too much about it. Here are some ideas to stop them when they occur:

Pat on the Back: The simplest of all techniques is to pat the babies on the back. They should be held against the shoulder and patted gently but firmly on the back. This will make them burp and release the extra air which would in turn stop hiccups.

Gripe Water: Offering gripe water to babies will stop hiccups. 2.5ml is sufficient to stop hiccups.

Sugar: For babies on solids, placing little of sugar on the tongue will stop hiccups. The sweetness of the sugar will distract the nerves and stop them from contracting.

Nipple on the Feeding Bottle: If the nipple of the feeding bottle is too big, it will cause extra air to be sucked in while feeding. The milk should only drip from the bottle when turned upside down and not flow out.

Anise Seeds: An herbal remedy to stop hiccups is to give ‘Anise seeds juice’ to babies. One table spoon of aniseed should be added to a cup of hot water. The babies could be given up to one tablespoon of the mixture when needed.

Hiccups are only temporary and will go off automatically even if nothing is done. But of course, they are a bit annoying.