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How to get rid of baby hiccups

by AlexisH
get rid of bebay hiccups

Up to one year old, hiccups are very frequent in children and can last several minutes… What are the causes? Which solutions to use? Here is the answer.

Table of contents

Baby hiccups, already in the belly of mom

Hiccups are very common in children, especially among infants where they can be impressive. They can last for half an hour or even an hour. Fortunately, they are not painful for the baby and they do not bother them at all since they are used to them since his first months of intrauterine life. And yes, it is a sensation that your child already felt in your belly! In fact, from the twentieth week of pregnancy, the foetus has hiccups. So you don’t have to worry.

These episodes become rarer and rarer as the months go by. However, we give you the trick of the Italian “mammas” to relieve Baby: a small drop of lemon squeezed on the tongue of the baby! The recipe is, it seems, 100% effective.

Causes of baby hiccups

Hiccups are due to a sudden and involuntary spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm.  It occurs when the stomach, filled with air or liquid, expands. This causes the nerve controlling the diaphragm to stretch, resulting in a kind of “dysfunction” of this muscle. The diaphragm then contracts uncontrollably and repeatedly, causing the vocal cords to vibrate. The characteristic guttural sound of hiccups is caused by the brutal closure of the glottis following each spasm.

How to calm baby hiccups

Hiccups are not painful for the child and disappear on their own. It is therefore necessary to be patient. However, if it continues, it can be annoying to your baby. Hiccups sometimes occur when your child is over-stimulated. To calm them, take them in your arms, walk them by patting his back, rock them… You can also give them pure water, sugar water or milk to suckle. There are also homeopathic remedies against hiccups, including for infants… Ask your paediatrician for more information. Hiccups can also appear after a meal. So don’t hesitate to take your baby on your lap for about 20 minutes after feeding them. Another way to prevent hiccups is to sequence your baby’s meals more often, giving smaller amounts of food more often. If you give your baby a bottle, burp them every two to three minutes.

Hiccups and regurgitation

Your baby may have hiccups after eating or spitting up. In most cases, it’s reflux, which is quite common in toddlers. The reason is that at this stage of development, the muscular valve at the end of the oesophagus, which helps keep food in the stomach, is not yet mature. Once the stomach is full, food and acidic contents can back up. Although reflux and hiccups are common in babies, don’t hesitate to talk to your paediatrician if they become too severe.

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