Newborn hiccups are common, but many times parents feel nervous. There are various questions in parents’ minds, such as what causes infant hiccups and how to get rid of newborn hiccups. There are various myths regarding infant hiccups. It is necessary to follow the best way to cope with newborn hiccups.
We can prevent infant hiccups in various ways. Parents can give some breaks from feeding, burping, and using pacifiers. Baby hiccups are more in the first year of their birth. There is no need to worry about newborn hiccups. When it makes a baby uncomfortable, there is a need to worry.
Here, we check various factors that are responsible for hiccup triggers in infants.
How to stop newborn hiccups
There are various methods to stop infant hiccups. It helps in reducing episodes of hiccups. When a baby sucks a pacifier, it helps to stop or prevent hiccups. Adults become worried about newborn hiccups, but there are no harmful effects on the baby. If there are regular hiccups in newborns and the baby feels discomfort, there is a need to consult a doctor. These facts help us to know how to get rid of newborn hiccups.
Burping Baby
An overfilled stomach can push on the diaphragm, causing spasms. It is necessary to take some break from breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Newborn bumping helps in relieving the amount of air in their stomach. It helps with hiccups in babies. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is a need to burp babies when they consume 2 to 3 ounces of bottle feed. It is effective to burp the baby at the time of switching between breasts.
Pacifier
When infants suck pacifiers, it helps to relax the diaphragm. It helps to stop hiccuping. There is a need to use high-quality pacifiers so that there is no harm to newborns.
Gripe water
It is a mixture of various herbs and water. We use gripe water to treat colic and stomach-related problems. There is ginger, fennel, cinnamon, and chamomile in gripe water. People think gripe water helps with infant hiccups because it relates to the stomach. There is no scientific evidence of this treatment. Many brands offer gripe water. It has become popular because of its low risk of side effects. It becomes the primary way to get rid of infant hiccups.
Rubbing Back of Baby
Experts also suggest rubbing the baby’s back. It is good to rock the baby back and forth, which helps to relax the baby. It also helps to reduce or stop spasms in the stomach that cause infant hiccups.
Colic Calm
Parents prefer to do colic calm to cure hiccups. Chamomilla is an herb that is used to calm colic and get relief from hiccups. It also helps in relieving irritability in babies. It is also useful for gas, upset stomach, and many others.
Massage Baby’s Back
Massage also helps to relieve the baby from hiccups. When there is an episode of hiccups, there is a need to put a baby on a bed and move around on their tummy. There is pressure on the body that helps to stop hiccups immediately. We can also gently massage the baby’s back so that it gives relief from triggering spasms.
Things Not To Do
Some people prefer to do some home remedies. There is a scientific basis for home treatment. Basic home cures such as pulling their tongue, making a person jump, and sipping water while upside down. It is necessary without harming the baby. There are no proven results of these treatments in how to get rid of newborn hiccups. These remedies are also dangerous for infants.
Reasons for Infant Hiccups
There is a spasm in the diaphragm of a baby. The diaphragm is a type of large muscle it runs in the bottom of the ribs. It moves up and down during the baby’s breathing. It causes hiccups in babies. No one knows the actual reason for infant hiccups. Many times there is overfeeding, bolting, or swallowing air in babies. It becomes the cause of hiccups. It is a symbol of development in babies.
The various factors expand stomachs in babies. When there is gastroesophageal reflux (GER), it causes more trouble in babies. The partial food is not digested, so the acid in the stomach comes back up through the food pipe. It irritates the diaphragm and triggers spasms. As a result, there are infant hiccups. Breastfeeding or stomach issues don’t need to cause hiccups. When we know the reasons for newborn hiccups, it becomes easy to understand how to get rid of newborn hiccups.
How to prevent baby hiccups
We know that causes of newborn hiccups are not clear. There is no need to worry about hiccups in babies. We can use simple tips to prevent their episodes in babies.
- When feeding your baby, make sure he or she is calm.
- When feeding your baby, don’t wait until they become so hungry that they cry.
- Immediately after feeding, avoid high-energy play and bouncing.
- Each time your baby eats, hold him or her upright for 20 to 30 minutes.
- We give small amounts of food to the baby.
- Never overfeed your baby.
- Make sure there is no air near the teat by repositioning the bottle
- Latching the baby’s mouth over the entire nipple
You can also take advice from Nurse Elena Thénard RN. She gives expert advice with videos, documents, news, and many more.
How to know when to see a doctor
Infant hiccups are normal under a 12-month baby. When a baby has regular episodes of hiccups, it is not stopped. It makes the baby irritable, so there is a need to take advice from your doctor. Many times babies have these symptoms, such as
- Baby cries more, especially at the time of breastfeeding
- It arches their back, particularly during or after breastfeeding or bottle feeding.
- Newborns spit up more.
If there are these symptoms, there is a need to take advice from a baby so that it suffers less. It is necessary to use effective ways to get rid of newborn hiccups.
Sum Up
New parents become nervous when their baby has regular hiccups. It is interesting to know that it is also a sign of the development of a baby. There is no need to get excited at the time of hiccups. It is crucial to use an effective way to get rid of newborn hiccups. There is a need to avoid home remedies that are not proven. Most of the time, the baby feels relaxed after hiccuping.