Whether you felt those baby hiccups during pregnancy or you have only noticed them since your little bundle arrived, newborn hiccups may come as a surprise to you — and your baby.
As off-putting as baby hiccups can be at first, they’re likely bothering you more than your newborn. That said, there are a few tricks to know to keep these noisy spasms at bay.
How do you get rid of newborn hiccups?
You probably know about a dozen “cures” for a case of the hiccups as an adult, but these tricks won’t work on your newborn (offering water, for instance, can be dangerous for babies under 6 months old — plus babies can’t yet consciously regulate their breathing or swallowing the way an adult can).
“Babies’ immature kidneys can’t filter a lot of water properly, which means they could excrete sodium with water, leading to drowsiness, lethargy and seizures,” warns What to Expect Medical Review Board Member Dr. Kyle Monk, a board-certified pediatrician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
So what’s the best way to deal with newborn hiccups? Wait them out. If you’re worried that your baby’s hiccups are bothering him, you can try feeding him or letting him suck on a pacifier, which may quell the attack.
Some parents find that giving gripe water helps. Gripe water is an over-the-counter liquid supplement of sodium bicarbonate and herbs that may help ease baby gas and tummy troubles.
How to stop newborn hiccups during feedings
If you notice your baby gets hiccups more frequently during breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, there are a couple of tricks you can try:
- Take a break. A change of positions, a burp or even just a little relaxation can help calm hiccups. If, after a few minutes, your baby’s hiccups haven’t eased up, feeding your baby again may calm him down.
- Switch up your routine. If your baby hiccups frequently, try feeding your baby smaller amounts at more frequent intervals, which can help keep him from swallowing as much air during each feeding time.
- Try a new position. According to the Cleveland Clinic, holding your baby a bit more vertically could help. The reason: Your little guy won’t be lying as flat and may gulp less air as he swallows.[1]
- Burp more frequently. If you're bottle-feeding, try burping your baby more frequently, such as after every 1 or 2 ounces of milk.
Why do newborn babies get hiccups?
It’s perfectly normal for a newborn to get a case of the hiccups. In fact, some babies even get the hiccups before they’re born, starting around month 6 of your pregnancy, when your baby’s lungs begin developing (if you ever noticed regular little spasms in your abdomen, that’s what they likely were).
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Chances are, if your baby hiccupped a lot on the inside, he’ll hiccup plenty in the first few months on the outside too. But even if you didn’t notice your baby practicing his hiccups before he was born, newborn hiccups are not uncommon and are not a cause for concern.
“Hiccups may be triggered in an infant who is upset or fussy prior to eating, so they end up swallowing air before taking the milk,” says Dr. Hailey Nelson, a board-certified pediatrician at Valley Children’s Healthcare in Madera, California, and a clinical instructor at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Just like with adults, there’s no single cause behind newborn hiccups — although there are theories. Hiccups may be brought on by air trapped in little stomachs during a feeding. They may also be yet another in baby’s repertoire of reflexes. Later on, baby giggles may bring on the hiccups.
Sometimes, hiccups can be a sign of infant GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), or acid reflux, where stomach acid flows back up the esophagus. But babies with GERD will have other symptoms too, such as arching of the back while feeding, crying while feeding, being irritable in general, spitting up, and coughing.[2]
If you notice these symptoms; if the spitting up is projectile or green in color; or if your baby seems to be in pain, says Dr. Nelson, contact your pediatrician.
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