Hiccups are normal and usually don't hurt your baby. In younger babies, hiccups are usually a sign that they need to be seated upright during or after feeding, that feeding needs to be slower for them, or that they need more time before or after feeding to relax.
Sometimes feeding your baby will help stop the hiccups, but if not, don't worry. Fortunately, babies do not seem to be bothered by hiccups and they often can eat and sleep even while hiccuping.
Though in babies, hiccups are generally understood to be due to feeding. Hiccups are common in babies aged up to 12 months, especially in newborns just after they've been fed. Babies can even hiccup when they're in the womb before they are born.
“The activity resulting from a hiccup may be helping the baby's brain to learn how to monitor the breathing muscles so that eventually breathing can be voluntary controlled by moving the diaphragm up and down,” said the study's senior author, Dr Lorenzo Fabrizi (UCL Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology).
Hiccups in babies are normal and there is no need to stop them. In fact, experts suggest letting infant hiccups run their course. “Hiccups tend to bother parents more than they bother babies,” Dr. Hillary Sismondo, pediatrician and assistant professor at NYITCOM at Arkansas State University, told TODAY Parents.
Sometimes it seems like baby hiccuping starts for no reason. But it's very common for babies to get those annoying hiccups because of feeding. You may have noticed them coming up immediately after you do a baby feeding. But don't panic if you're experiencing hiccups from a newborn after breastfeeding.
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!
Your baby may also exhibit some “autonomic” signals that they're tired and these include: Sneezing. Hiccups. Sweaty palms.
Support your baby's head and neck, make sure their tummy and back is nice and straight (not curled up), and rub or pat their back gently. You don't need to spend ages burping your baby, a couple of minutes should be enough.
Some babies may be more prone to gas and discomfort if they go to sleep without being burped, while others may not have any issues. However, if a baby is already asleep and showing no signs of discomfort, it is generally safe to let them sleep without burping.
To help prevent the milk from coming back up, keep your baby upright after feeding for 10 to 15 minutes, or longer if your baby spits up or has GERD.
1-Week-Old-Baby Sleep
In their first day or two of life, your baby might be alert for about an hour, and then they may crash for 12 to 18 hours (what can I say, being born is an exhausting ordeal!). Soon, they'll become increasingly alert and settle into a pattern.
Some positioning tips: Feed your baby as upright as possible; lay your child on their back and pedal their legs with your hands to help expel gas from below; if your child is awake after a feeding, place them on their belly. Increase tummy time.
Position your baby upright and burp if needed.
It's possible that the hiccup functions to remove swallowed gas from the stomach—essentially “an evolved burping reflex.” Gently patting your baby's back while they're held upright may ease the presence of an air bubble in the stomach.
Neonatal danger signs are signs that sick neonates show as stated by World Health Organization (WHO), which include not able to feed, or stopped feeding well, convulsed or fitted since birth, fast breathing (two counts of 60 breaths or more in one minute), chest in drawing, high temperature (37.5°C or more), very low ...
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.
If your child seems to constantly get hiccups, then it could be a sign of colic. Colic can cause spitting up and reflux, which can lead to continuous hiccups. We always recommend talking to your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about your child's hiccups.
Very rarely, a baby's hiccups may interfere with their breathing, especially if they are a medically vulnerable baby. If your baby is having trouble breathing, call your doctor right away or call 911.
Babies burp, hiccup and spit up a lot, and most of these functions are very normal. However, it doesn't mean they can't cause some concerns among new parents—especially because these all tend to happen around feedings.
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) or Active Sleep
The vast majority of newborns' smiles during sleep appear to occur when the eyes are moving rapidly, as they would during a dream. Studies suggest that adults smile in response to positive dream imagery.
It took me a while to figure this out when I was a new mom, but sitting baby upright during feedings can ease hiccups. This position allows gas to rise and pass naturally, easing a distended tummy situation. By more upright, I mean hold her at a 30-45 degree angle instead of laying her down in the crook of your elbow.
Researchers believe that these earliest smiles represent the pleasure of the baby recognizing an object (such as Mommy or Daddy) [2]. By two months, infants begin to develop the smile that communicates their emotional experience of pleasure and contentment.