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.
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.
Babies may start hiccuping during feeding because they have excess gas that's irritating their stomach. Propping them upright and gently tapping their backs can help.
Wait Until Newborn Hiccups Stop on Their Own
If your baby doesn't seem to be bothered by the hiccups, you can simply let them run their course. Typically, they'll resolve without any intervention.
Take heart that when sleepy babies feed, they're usually so relaxed that they're less likely to intake extra air. If you find that he isn't fussy, wiggly, or restless at wake-up time, he may not need to burp each time. In short, it's okay to put him to sleep without burping.
Effective Latching – Too much milk can cause infant hiccups. But so can too much air. When too much milk and air get in the mix, it causes the stomach to expand into the diaphragm's area and create hiccups. So, make sure that the baby is latched on correctly.
Experts aren't sure why newborns tend to hiccup so much, but one hypothesis is that hiccups may help babies get excess air out of their tummies. According to a 2019 study in Clinical NeurophysiologyOpens a new window, preemies are especially prone to hiccups and spend roughly 15 minutes a day hiccupping.
They are caused by sudden contractions of the diaphragm triggered by irritation or stimulation of that muscle. Some leading pediatricians are of the opinion that infant hiccups are usually caused by feeding (breast, formula or other foods) or by a drop in temperature that causes the baby to get cold.
Place your baby face down on your lap or your forearm so they're looking sideways, supported by your knee or hand. Rub your baby's back gently with your other hand. Avoid this position if your baby brings up milk or vomits a lot. Some babies might be unsettled during and after a feed until they've been burped.
If your baby gets hiccups during feeding, stop and try to burp them or change their position. In general, try to help your little one relax. Hiccups usually go away on their own, but if they haven't gone away after about 5 or 10 minutes, begin feeding your baby again, which may help bring relief.
Your baby may also exhibit some “autonomic” signals that they're tired and these include: Sneezing. Hiccups. Sweaty palms.
The ways that you can overcome these hiccups while the baby is sleeping are nothing different. As suggested above, using a pacifier or seating your baby upright can stop the hiccups.
Older research has described infant smiles during sleep as reflex-like. Studies suggest that smiles during active sleep are generated in the cerebral cortex, the outer part of the brain. Researchers believe spontaneous smiles that occur during sleep may help develop the muscles used to smile.
Hiccups are especially common in newborns and infants. “We don't know exactly why, but hiccups may be caused by increased gas in the stomach,” Dr. Liermann says. “If babies overfeed or gulp air during eating, that could cause the stomach to expand and rub against the diaphragm, generating those hiccups.”
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.
Although overfeeding a baby is rare, it can happen. The most common cause of an overfed baby is a parent or caregiver misinterpreting a baby's hunger and fullness cues. When a baby has enough to eat, they turn away from the breast or bottle and do not want to suck.
It's generally okay for a baby to sleep without burping. But it depends on your baby, how they're feeling and what they need. So you'll have to decide on a case-by-case basis, recognizing if they are showing signs of discomfort. Feeding can often have a calming effect on a baby.
You do not need to spend ages winding your baby – a couple of minutes should be enough. There are a few ways to wind your baby. Try them all out and see which works best – or use a combination.
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. But don't worry if your baby spits sometimes. It's probably more unpleasant for you than it is for your baby. Sometimes your baby may awaken because of gas.
If the head of a baby is not well-controlled and you are forcing the baby to sit, the baby can be injured because the head will be flopping and can cause injuries. “Again, the muscles there are not strong enough and the brain will not respond to what you are doing. It is dangerous to start sitting a baby at two months.
It is best to hold the baby on demand up to the age of 12 months old. Babies up to this age are still developing emotionally and may require frequent attention and care from their parents. However, you may also try identifying the possible need of the baby.