Baby hiccups after every feed

Newborn Baby Hiccups: Causes, Cures and Prevention

From little coos to tiny yawns, babies do the most adorable things, but sometimes it’s hard to know if what they’re doing is a normal part of development. When your infant hiccups, it can sound cute and sweet, but you might be wondering—is it normal?

The short answer is yes. Baby and newborn hiccups are completely harmless and just one sign of baby’s growth and development. “Hiccups, which occur in the gastrointestinal tract, almost never indicate a problem in newborns or infants,” says Christal-Joy Forgenie, MD, a pediatrician with Soha Pediatrics in New York City. Still, they can be a little disturbing for you and your sweetheart. Wondering how to get rid of baby hiccups? Read on to learn possible causes and how long episodes may last—plus, how to stop baby hiccups or, better yet, prevent them altogether.

In this article:
Why do babies get hiccups?
How long do baby hiccups last?
How to get rid of baby hiccups

Why Do Babies Get Hiccups?

Just like in adults, infant hiccups are caused by spasms of baby’s tiny and developing diaphragm, the large muscle that runs across the bottom of the rib cage and moves up and down as we breathe. Though nobody knows for sure why we hiccup (it doesn’t seem to have any obvious, useful purpose), these spasms can be triggered by many things.

Newborn hiccups are most frequently caused by baby overfeeding, eating too quickly or swallowing a lot of air. “Any of these things can lead to stomach distention,” Forgenie says. When the stomach distends it actually pushes against the diaphragm, which causes it to spasm, and voilà—hiccups! Forgenie adds that it’s very common for newborn hiccups to set in after or even during a feeding.

Suffice to say, if baby starts hiccuping as you’re trying to offer more boob or bottle, consider it a hint to take a breather. Some experts believe baby hiccups can be the result of food and acid rising up from the stomach when baby is full. Baby hiccups can also be related to overeating or eating too quickly. To that end, you may be able prevent hiccups by feeding baby slowly and taking breaks for burping.

Baby hiccups can also be the result of sudden changes in stomach temperature. Say, for example, you give baby some cold milk and then a few minutes later feed them some warm rice cereal. According to Forgenie, this combination can actually trigger those baby hiccups.

In addition to feeding-related triggers, once in a while, a case of constant baby or newborn hiccups can be caused by something entirely different. The culprit is usually gastroesophageal reflux, or GER as it’s often called. When baby suffers from gastroesophageal reflux, partially digested food and acidic juices from the stomach flow back up into the esophagus causing burning and discomfort. Since the esophagus passes through the diaphragm, it can get irritated and lead to lots of baby hiccups. “It sounds intense, but it’s quite common and doesn’t always create problems for babies,” Forgenie says.

It’s important to note that hiccupping in and of itself isn’t a sign of reflux. Here are some other clues to look out for that could mean GER:

Baby is crying more frequently
Baby arches their back excessively during or after regular feedings
Baby is spitting up more than normal

If you notice several of these symptoms and suspect those baby or newborn hiccups may be due to gastroesophageal reflux, speak to your pediatrician. The good news is the condition is easily treated.

How Long Do Baby Hiccups Last?

Babies can have hiccups multiple times a day, lasting for 10 minutes or longer. As a general rule, if baby acts happy and doesn’t seem uncomfortable, baby hiccups aren’t a cause for concern. “It can be worrisome, especially for new moms and dads, but hiccups tend to go away after a few minutes,” says Robin Jacobson, MD, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone in New York City. You can just wait it out and allow the hiccups to resolve on their own. If the hiccups persist and seem to be causing baby distress, call your pediatrician to figure out the cause.

Can you put baby down with hiccups?

In most cases, it’s totally fine to put baby on their back when they have hiccups; those little diaphragm spasms don’t interfere with breathing so there’s no physical or medical reason not to. Of course, as you know, hiccups can be a pesky nuisance, and baby may find having a case annoying, disruptive or mildly uncomfortable, in which case, you may want to hold them upright until the hiccuping subsidies.

That said, babies who are hiccuping as a result of reflux may be prone to vomiting; if your little one seems to be having a painful GER episode, try keeping them upright. It’s always best to consult with your doctor if you have concerns.

How to Get Rid of Baby Hiccups

Now that you know why they can happen, you’re probably wondering: How do you get rid of baby hiccups? Even if baby hiccups are almost always harmless, it’s normal for you to want your child to get some relief from those incessant spasms. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the top tips for how to stop baby hiccups. (Hint: It has a lot to do with burping!)

Generally, if it seems baby or newborn hiccups are related to overfeeding, belly distention or reflux, “you can help alleviate hiccups by feeding baby smaller amounts more often, and remember to burp baby frequently,” says Karen Fratantoni, MD, MPH, a pediatrician at Children’s National Health System.

How to stop baby hiccups in breastfed babies

When offering baby your breast, be sure to mind these tips to help curb hiccups:

• Burp baby as you switch from one breast to the other.

• If swallowing air seems to be the main issue, it’s a good idea to reevaluate the latch. Make sure baby’s lips are sealed around the areola of your breast, not just the nipple.

How to stop baby hiccups in bottle-fed babies

Giving your little one a bottle? Here’s how to get rid of any resulting baby hiccups:

• Forgenie recommends stopping halfway through a bottle to burp baby and then complete the feeding after a 5- to 10-minute break. “Completing the feeding while baby is relaxed can actually end the hiccupping,” she says.

• Try repositioning the bottle so the air isn’t near the nipple, but is instead at the bottom of the bottle.

How to stop baby hiccups for bottle-fed or breastfed babies

Regardless of whether you’re giving baby the bottle or the breast, these tips can help to stop baby hiccups:

• Sit baby upright for 20 to 30 minutes after each feeding.

• If there’s no identifiable cause of the hiccups, rubbing baby’s back or rocking them can also help.

What not to do for baby hiccups

While there are several ways to try and stop baby hiccups, there are a few things that should be avoided altogether:

• Never startle or scare baby to combat hiccups. “Really, none of that stuff works,” Jacobson says.

• Don’t put a wet cloth on their forehead, which doesn’t help either.

• Holding one’s breath is one remedy that should never be attempted on baby. It’s dangerous, plain and simple.

• Many people recommend pulling on baby’s tongue and pressing on their forehead or anterior fontanelle (the soft part of baby’s head), Forgenie says, but this can hurt baby. “Overall, the best thing to do is to wait it out and rest assured that the hiccups will resolve on their own,” she says.

How to Prevent Baby Hiccups

Of course, you may want to try a few tricks to prevent baby hiccups from happening in the first place. While there’s no guaranteed way to ward off hiccups, here are a few prevention tips to keep in mind:

• The key to preventing baby hiccups is to avoid overfeeding, Jacobson says. Take breaks during feedings to burp baby so the stomach doesn’t fill too much, too quickly.

• For bottle-fed babies, make sure to tip the bottle while feeding to limit the amount of air baby swallows.

• “Holding baby up for a few minutes after feedings before putting them down can help prevent baby hiccups,” Jacobson says, since how you position baby can impact any reflux.

Baby hiccups tend to happen less frequently as kids mature. “Usually by 6 months hiccups decrease a bit, but it’s not worrisome if, say, a baby of 9 months has the hiccups,” Jacobson says.

At the end of the day, remember that baby or newborn hiccups are rarely a cause for concern. “They’re a very common, benign occurrence in infants,” Fratantoni says. “You can try these remedies or just wait it out—they’re normal and will go away on their own.”

Yes, some infants are just prone to frequent hiccuping; in fact, plenty of babies get them in the womb too! (If you ever felt your bump jump in a rhythmic pattern, baby hiccups were likely the culprit!) Hiccups can be a minor disturbance, but that doesn’t mean they’re harmful. Nevertheless, if baby doesn’t stop hiccuping after a long period of time, don’t hesitate to contact your pediatrician. In the meantime, if your infant has the occasional episode here or there, try to worry less and enjoy the adorable little high-pitched sound while it lasts…

About the experts:

Christal-Joy Forgenie, MD, is a pediatrician with SoHa Pediatrics in New York City. Before joining SoHa, Forgenie worked at Montefiore Medical Center and then went on to work in private practice in Washington Heights. She earned her medical degree from Stonybrook University School of Medicine in New York.

Karen Fratantoni, MD, MPH, is a pediatrician at Children’s National Health System and the medical director of the Complex Care Program. She earned her medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Robin Jacobson, MD, is a pediatrician and clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone in New York City. She earned her medical degree from Tufts University.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Plus, more from The Bump:

What to Do for a Gassy Baby

Colic 101: How to Help Soothe Your Colicky Baby

What to Know About Using Gripe Water for Colic and Tummy Troubles

Stopping and preventing hiccups in babies and newborns

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Taking a break to burp the baby

When the stomach fills with air, it may push on the diaphragm, causing spasms. Taking a break from feeding to burp the baby may reduce the amount of air in their stomach. This can prevent hiccups.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is a good idea to burp bottle-fed babies every time they consume 2 to 3 ounces.

If a baby is breast-fed, it is a good idea to burp the baby while switching between breasts.

Using a pacifier

Sucking on a pacifier may help to relax the diaphragm and stop hiccupping.

Feeding them gripe water

Gripe water is a mixture of herbs and water. It is traditionally used to treat colic and other stomach problems.

The herbs usually contained in gripe water include:

ginger
fennel
chamomile
cinnamon

If stomach issues are responsible for hiccups, some people believe that gripe water may help. However, no scientific evidence currently supports this treatment.

Because the risks are low, a person may decide to give gripe water a try. Several brands are available for purchase online.

Rubbing the baby’s back

Rubbing their back and rocking the baby back and forth can help them to relax. This may stop the spasms that cause hiccups.

What not to do

Some well-known remedies for hiccups are entirely rooted in tradition and have no scientific basis. These include:

making a person jump
pulling their tongue
making them sip water while upside down

It is a bad idea to try these, and many other home remedies, on a baby. These supposed remedies can distress a baby and may even be dangerous. They are unlikely to stop the hiccups.

Hiccupping is generally not a cause for concern.

Authors of a study from 2012 suggest that the hiccup reflex may serve to remove excess air from the stomach. However, the medical community is still unsure whether hiccups have a purpose. So, what happens in the body to cause them?

Hiccups happen when something causes the diaphragm to spasm, and the vocal cords quickly shut. Air is forced out through the closed vocal chords, creating the hiccupping sound.

The diaphragm is a large muscle that runs across the bottom of the rib cage. It moves up and down as a person breathes.

Hiccups in babies tend to occur for no apparent reason, but feeding can occasionally cause the diaphragm to spasm. They may happen when a baby:

overfeeds
eats too quickly
swallows too much air

These factors can cause the baby’s stomach to expand. As it expands, it pushes against the diaphragm, triggering the spasms that lead to hiccups.

If hiccups happen frequently and cause distress, they may result from an underlying health condition, such as gastroesophageal reflux (GER). This occurs when partially digested food and stomach acid come back up through the food pipe. As these fluids pass the diaphragm, they may irritate it and trigger spasms.

Feeding or stomach issues may not always cause hiccups. The diaphragm may spasm for unknown reasons.

Hiccups are often not preventable, but following the strategies below may help:

feeding the baby before they become very hungry, to keep them calm
feeding the baby frequently in small amounts
sitting the baby upright for half an hour after each feeding
repositioning the bottle so that no air is near the teat
ensuring that the baby’s mouth is latched over the whole nipple

A doctor should be consulted if a baby frequently gets hiccups.

Hiccups are not normally a cause for concern in babies under 12 months old.

Speak with a doctor if hiccups are frequent or they seem to distress the baby because this can indicate an underlying health condition.

GER may cause frequent, uncomfortable hiccups. A baby may have GER if they also:

cry more often than usual, particularly around feedings
arch their back excessively during or after feedings
spit up more often than usual

Anyone who suspects that a baby may have GER should speak with a doctor. The condition is easy to treat.

Newborn hiccups are not usually a cause for concern. Most babies have hiccups in their first year. Many of the likely causes relate to feeding.

Following feeding best practices may reduce hiccupping, and some home remedies may also help.

If hiccupping is frequent, or if it causes distress or other symptoms, speak with a doctor. It is also a good idea to contact a doctor if hiccups frequently occur after a baby turns one year old.

Read the article in Spanish.

Hiccups in newborns

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Hiccups in newborns

Hiccups is a physiological process in which there is a convulsive contraction of the diaphragm, which is a muscular barrier between the abdominal and chest cavities. During hiccuping, the glottis is closed, which leads to the appearance of a characteristic sound and movement. In newborns, the diaphragm contraction mechanism is very excitable, and therefore children in the first months of life are often prone to hiccups.

Causes of hiccups in newborns: hypothermia, overeating, swallowing large amounts of air during feeding, or the rapid absorption of food.

As a rule, hiccups most often occur due to mistakes in feeding the baby. In the process of overeating, a large amount of food absorbed stretches the stomach walls, which leads to a contraction of the diaphragm and hiccups.

Prolonged hiccups that do not subside can be a dangerous signal. This condition often occurs with pneumonia, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, injuries of the spinal cord and chest. Sometimes the cause of hiccups can be helminthiasis and infectious pathologies.

A very common cause of hiccups is hypothermia. This is a kind of signal from the child's body for parents about the problem that has arisen.

Sometimes hiccups can occur in case of emotional shock, stress or fear. Loud music, bright lights, screams and other “noisy” manifestations of the life of those around the baby can be to blame for everything.

Symptoms of hiccups in newborns. As a rule, bouts of hiccups last about 10-15 minutes and do not cause much discomfort to the baby (at the same time, he behaves quite calmly). But sometimes this condition can be longer, as a result of which the access of oxygen is difficult and it becomes difficult for the child to breathe. In this case, urgent consultation with a specialist is required.

First of all, parents need to know - if the baby has hiccups regularly for two weeks and does not subside for a long time, it must be shown to the pediatrician to exclude the occurrence of various pathologies.

To rid the child of hiccups, first of all, it is necessary to remove the provoking factor. It must be warmed in case of hypothermia, watered in case of thirst and calmed in case of excitement. Also, in the process of feeding, the baby's head must be placed so that he cannot swallow air with food.

To eliminate hiccups, a baby can drop a drop of lemon juice or chamomile infusion under the tongue. If the hiccups do not go away, the child should be allowed to drink water, and then attach it to the chest.

How to properly feed a newborn: some useful tips.

The main rule is that the child should be fed only when he is really hungry. during this period, the baby should be calm. In the process of feeding, you need to make sure that the newborn does not swallow too quickly. With very active sucking, it needs to be removed from the chest for some insignificant time and held in a “column” so that all the excess air that has accumulated in the stomach comes out. For children who are bottle-fed, it is necessary to monitor the hole in the nipple. It shouldn't be very big. After feeding the baby, you need to hold it in an upright position with your tummy towards you.

If a child’s hiccups appear due to stress, he must be protected in every possible way from emotional shocks.

That's all the simple tips with which you can defeat hiccups in newborns and thereby eliminate the worries of their parents. After all, the greatest happiness is a healthy baby.

Newborn baby hiccups after feeding: what to do and how to help him

One of the causes of concern for the mother is the baby's hiccups. Most often, it occurs after feeding, passes quickly and does not cause much alarm, but sometimes the child hiccups for quite a long time. Elena Bondareva, a pediatrician and leading specialist of the Semeynaya clinic network, spoke about whether it is necessary to worry and how to help the baby in her Gazeta. Ru column.

Why newborn babies hiccup

Even during pregnancy, a woman can feel that her baby hiccups. This is due to the child swallowing amniotic fluid or preparing for respiratory movements.

Hiccups are caused by synchronous contractions of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, which imitate inhalation, but no air enters, as the airways are closed by the epiglottis, and a strangled sound occurs due to the sharp closing of the glottis.

Most often, hiccups occur when the vagus and phrenic nerves are irritated, which cause contractions of the diaphragm.
With fast, hasty, restless sucking of the breast, if the child is breastfed, or bottles, if he is on mixed or artificial feeding, he can swallow air and overeat, this causes distension of the stomach and irritates the vagus nerve.

With regular regurgitation in a newborn, the contents of the stomach can irritate the esophageal mucosa and also stimulate the nearby vagus nerve.

Another reason may be hypothermia.

Is hiccups dangerous for a child?

It must be understood that such a condition does not harm the child. If the baby is active, feels good, you should not worry.
If the child cries, feels unwell, sleep and appetite are disturbed, if hiccups accompany vomiting, it is necessary to contact a pediatrician to determine the causes of the ailment.

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If a newborn spits up due to overeating and this is accompanied by hiccups, this is not dangerous and is not a problem. If, against the background of regurgitation, the child is healthy, gains weight and height well, this is a variant of the norm. If regurgitation is abundant, regular, vomiting occurs, the baby is not gaining weight well, you should definitely consult a doctor.

In case of hypothermia, if the child is wet or cold, he can also hiccup, then it is enough to change clothes and warm the baby so that the hiccups stop.

Other causes can also cause hiccups, including diseases of various organs, but this still applies more to adults, in children such conditions are very rare, only if the hiccups last for a long time, you can’t stop it, it makes sense to be examined by a pediatrician.

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How to stop hiccups in a newborn baby

First check if the child is wet or cold. The legs and arms may be cool, this is normal, so touch the body in the chest area, the skin should be warm. If this is the reason, the child needs to be changed and warmed up. If the child has overeaten or air has entered the stomach during feeding, hold it in a column, pat lightly on the back until the air bubble is discharged.

If the abdomen is swollen due to increased growth, a clockwise massage of the abdomen can be done to help the gas pass.