Why does my baby always hiccup at night?

Hiccups are not unfamiliar to us, and they occur frequently, especially after meals. Hiccups are particularly normal. But for some babies, they may not eat as much as we do in normal meals, and they are all breastfed, so they basically will not inhale cold air. In such a situation, the mother is very worried. So why does the baby always hiccup at night?

Newborn hiccups are mostly caused by three reasons:

One is due to improper care, external wind and cold, the cold and hot air are reversed and not smooth, as the saying goes, "drinking cold air" and inducing hiccups;

Second, it is due to improper feeding. If the feeding is not moderate, the food will not be digested, or if too much raw and cold milk is consumed or too much cold medicine is taken, the qi will stagnate, the spleen and stomach function will be weakened, and the qi movement will be abnormal, causing the stomach qi to rise up and move the diaphragm, thus inducing hiccups.

Third, eating too quickly or after crying can cause choking and hiccups.

If a person suddenly has hiccups without any other illness, and the hiccups are loud, powerful and continuous, it is usually caused by cold. You can give the person some hot water to drink, and cover the chest and abdomen with warm cotton clothes and quilts. In winter, you can also put a hot water bottle outside the clothes and quilts to keep them warm. Sometimes the hiccups can be cured without treatment.

If the attack lasts for a long time or occurs frequently, you can also soak a small amount of orange peel in boiling water (orange peel has the effect of unblocking Qi, resolving stomach turbidity, and regulating spleen qi), and drink it when the water temperature is suitable. The hiccups will stop if the water is cold enough.

If the hiccups are caused by undigested milk and food or the person has no appetite for milk and food, he or she may smell an undigested sour and rotten odor when hiccups occur. 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 drink hawthorn water to relieve ventilation and defecation (hawthorn tastes sour and can help digestion and strengthen the stomach, and increase the secretion of digestive enzymes). Once the food is digested and the air is flowing smoothly, the hiccups will stop.

Most hiccups in newborns are benign and self-limiting. They are not as uncomfortable as those in adults and will go away after a while. Of course, prevention should be the main focus for hiccups in newborns. Children should not eat when they are crying and have qi stagnation. They should have the correct posture and position when feeding. For newborns who are breastfed, if the breast milk is sufficient, they should avoid letting the milk flow too quickly when feeding.