What is the reason why babies often hiccup?

Hiccups in babies are a normal physiological phenomenon, just like hiccups in adults. Hiccups are the process of expelling gas from the stomach produced by digesting food through the vibration of a part of our body called the diaphragm. For us adults, if we have belching or poor gastric digestion function, we will have frequent hiccups. But what is the reason why newborn babies often hiccup?

What is the reason for the baby's hiccups?

Newborn hiccups are mostly benign, self-limiting hiccups that will go away after a while, but this will make the baby feel uncomfortable, so prevention should be the main focus for newborn hiccups. For example, children should not be fed when they are crying and feeling depressed; they should have the correct posture and position when feeding; for breastfed newborns, if the breast milk is sufficient, they should avoid letting the milk flow too quickly when feeding; for formula-fed children, they should also avoid eating hurried, fast, cold or scalding food, and should swallow less and slowly when sucking; when a newborn has hiccups, you can use toys to tease it or play soft music to distract it and reduce the frequency of hiccups. So, what is the reason why babies always hiccup? Let me introduce it to you below.

1. It often occurs when the baby has just finished drinking milk. It may be caused by the baby crying frequently or eating too quickly when feeding, and swallowing a lot of air.

2. Sometimes hiccups can occur when the stomach is cold or you eat raw or cold food.

3. Other less common causes are related to gastroesophageal reflux disease and diseases such as pneumonia, or to adverse reactions to drugs.

Some pregnant women may feel their baby burping in the second or third month of pregnancy, or see the baby burping in the mother's belly during a prenatal ultrasound examination. However, the most common age for babies to experience frequent hiccups is in the first few months after birth, and it usually improves after one year old.

Hiccups in babies are caused by a sudden and forceful contraction of the diaphragm muscles, accompanied by an involuntary "burp" sound. Compared with older children, most babies do not seem to feel any discomfort, unless the hiccups continue for too long, which will interfere with their normal life such as eating. Most baby hiccups are self-limiting and will go away after a while.

Life. Most baby hiccups are self-limiting and will go away after a while.

How to care for newborn hiccups

Newborns often hiccup. Mothers can burp their babies more often in daily life and provide good newborn care. Generally speaking, there are three main ways mothers use to burp their babies:

Upright

Try to hold your baby upright on your shoulders, hold the baby gently with the strength of your hands, and then pat the baby's upper back with your palms to induce burping.

TIPS:

1. To prevent the baby from spitting up milk, when using the upright position, the mother can put a small towel on her shoulders for easy cleaning.

2. Since the baby relies on the hands to support upright, when the baby faces you, be careful not to cover the baby's mouth and nose with your body to facilitate the baby's breathing.

3. If the baby does not hiccup after being patted several times, you can consider caressing the baby first and then patting him, or you can switch to another shoulder and pat him again.

Sitting

If you find the upright position too difficult, you can consider the sitting position. The mother can sit and let the baby sit on her lap facing her. The mother can support the baby's head with one hand and pat the baby's upper back with the other hand.

TIPS:

1. Prepare a small towel for your baby to prevent spitting up milk.

2. Similar to the upright position, if the baby does not hiccup after being patted several times, consider caressing first and then patting.

The mother sits up with her legs together, and places the baby horizontally, with the baby lying on his side on her legs, with the baby's head slightly facing downward. The mother can hold the baby's lower body with one hand and gently pat the baby's upper back with the other hand.

TIPS:

This position is more suitable for smaller babies. To prevent the baby from slipping, appropriate force should be used to secure the baby's body on the mother's thigh.

Kind tips

1. When patting, put five fingers together and close together, bend the palms into a water-collecting shape, and ensure that there is no air leakage when patting. At the same time, pay attention to the strength of the patting, generally causing the baby's back to vibrate but not causing the baby to feel pain.

2. Each time you burp the baby, you can do it 2-3 times while the baby is drinking milk. You don’t have to wait until the baby finishes drinking. This is very helpful for the baby's digestion, especially for babies who are prone to bloating, regurgitation, and spitting up. You should burp the baby shortly after starting feeding, which can effectively avoid bloating or spitting up.

3. The key to patting to relieve burping is to change positions frequently. The way to pat to relieve burping varies from person to person. Mothers can try many ways, such as patting the back, touching, massaging, etc. But mothers must understand that frequently changing positions and applying moderate pressure to the baby's abdomen are the key to burping the baby. As long as mothers practice more, they will find the burping tips that are suitable for their babies.