Should I take care of my newborn baby's hiccups while sleeping?

It is very common for newborns to hiccup while sleeping. Most of these hiccups are caused by diaphragm spasm. This situation is normal and needs treatment. Parents can massage the baby's stomach to help the baby digest. However, hiccups may also be caused by poor digestive function. Parents need to learn to distinguish them. Parents can give the baby some probiotics to regulate the stomach.

Hiccups are a common symptom in neonates. Constant hiccups are caused by diaphragm spasm and continuous contraction of the diaphragm. The movement of the diaphragm is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. One or two months after a child is born, the autonomic nervous system that regulates the diaphragm is not yet fully developed. When the child is slightly stimulated, such as breathing in cold air or sucking milk too quickly, the diaphragm will suddenly contract, causing rapid inhalation and a "hiccup" sound.

If the hiccups are caused by undigested milk and food or the person has no appetite for milk and food, and may smell an undigested sour and rotten odor, you can use methods to help digestion and relieve stagnation, such as gentle massage of the chest and abdomen to guide the air downward, or drinking hawthorn water to ventilate and relieve constipation (hawthorn tastes sour, helps digestion and strengthens the stomach, and increases the secretion of digestive enzymes). Once the food is digested and the gas is smooth, the hiccups will naturally stop.

If the baby suddenly has hiccups without any other illness, there is generally no need to treat it. The hiccups will usually stop on their own after a while, unless the attack lasts for a long time, lasting 5-10 minutes. This is usually what happens when a baby hiccups: If the baby hiccups when he is laid down flat due to abdominal bloating after feeding, it is because the opening of the bottle is small. When the baby sucks milk, he swallows too much air due to strong suction, causing bloating.

Therefore, parents can hold the baby for a while longer after the baby finishes drinking milk, gently pat the baby's back, or gently massage the baby's abdomen to help expel gas and prevent the baby from burping and regurgitating milk. Try feeding small, frequent meals, or pick up your baby and pat his back after feeding to help pass gas. Feeding your baby some warm water or distracting him with interesting activities can also improve your baby's hiccups. However, if your baby hiccups frequently and is accompanied by a poor appetite, weight loss or frequent vomiting, you should take your baby to the hospital for a detailed examination.