Hiccups in the newborn baby: why it occurs and how to relieve it
Hiccups are very common in newborn babies, but in most cases it does not indicate a health problem.
Hiccups often become a cause for concern for parents , especially when it appears very frequently in babies . Does your newborn hiccup several times a day? You may not know that up to 80% of children suffer from it during their first months of life. You should not worry, in most cases it does not indicate a health problem , and our advice will also help you alleviate it.
Index
WHAT IS HICCUP
We have all suffered from it at some point, however it is common to ignore what it consists of and what is its cause , because we hardly give it any importance. The truth is that as the years go by, hiccups are increasingly uncomfortable for adults and that when our babies suffer from it, doubts begin to arise .
WITH HICCUPS THE DIAPHRAGM CONTRACTS SHARPLY
Although it can be a symptom of serious illness , it is not common. In adults, this abnormal behavior of the nerve usually occurs after eating a lot or very quickly, drinking carbonated drinks or very dry food, although it can also appear if we laugh for a long time, abuse alcohol or even if we suffer from anxiety or a nervous disorder. But in newborn children it is much more frequent, why?
WHY HICCUPS ARE SO COMMON IN A NEWBORN BABY
After birth, neither the nervous system nor the digestive system of our baby have reached maturity, so if hiccups occur daily we should not be alarmed . The probability increases if the child is premature, as it may suffer up to forty minutes a day. But what exactly triggers hiccups in the newborn?
Babies ingest a large amount of milk with each feeding , so it is easy for the stomach to compress the walls of the abdomen, especially the left side, and stimulate the phrenic nerve. This stimulus will cause spasmodic contractions of the diaphragm , although other situations may also favor their appearance, which ones?
CAUSES OF HICCUPS IN THE BABY
In rare cases, hiccups are caused by a chronic or serious condition . This involuntary contraction of the diaphragm that lasts between ten and thirty minutes can occur simply when the stomach fills, although it will be favored if the child retains gas, swallows air when feeding or is exposed to cold , so we must take some precautions to avoid it .
PREVENT YOUR BABY FROM ACCUMULATING GAS
Do not let the child suckle quickly or eagerly . It is advisable to pause if this happens, so you can slow down its rhythm. You should take advantage of this break or the change of breast to help him expel the gases, and do not forget to never do it when you finish giving him his food. Remember also that, for the sake of his health, you should not give him foods that are not suitable for his age.
A drop in temperature in the environment can also cause hiccups, so avoid drafts especially when bathing him and make sure that he is always warm and that his bottle does not get cold so that he drinks it at the ideal temperature. Also make sure that her diaper is always dry .
HOW TO REMOVE HICCUPS IN A NEWBORN
Your newborn does not feel pain or discomfort when he has hiccups , so you should not try by all means to remove it, especially with medication. If your baby is ever so uncomfortable that he or she starts crying, soothe him with belly and back massages until it goes away.
GIVING A SCARE IS NOT GOOD ADVICE
Children under twelve months should not ingest honey and it is not convenient to give them sugar or lemon, so you should discard any of these remedies. Many recommend infusions to mitigate their gases, but if your child has not reached six months, he should not drink other liquids , only his milk. If the gases cause you too much discomfort it is best to tell your pediatrician.
So that the baby’s stomach does not press on the side, we must lie it on its right side , this may reduce the duration of the hiccup or prevent it from appearing. If it occurs when the baby is taking his food or has already digested his last feeding , the best way to remove it is to feed him with warm milk if he takes a bottle . If he has just eaten and has already passed his gas, put his pacifier on him and it will go away.
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Did you know that a baby can hiccup long before it is born? It is so normal in newborns that you should not make it a cause for uneasiness, as you can pass it on to your child. If he tends to hiccup when you feed him, put on some nice music to do so and relax.
If your child takes the bottle, do not lay it down; the baby should be in the same position as when offering the breast . Don’t forget to fill the nipple with food before putting it in his mouth to prevent him from swallowing air. It is also important that you clean his nose first so that he does not let go of the nipple or nipple to breathe, and if you always keep his nose clean you will also prevent the air from getting cold and impure.
DEDICATE 15MIN FOR YOUR BABY TO PASS GAS
WHEN TO GO TO THE DOCTOR
Although it appears several times a day and lasts about half an hour , if the hiccups do not cause discomfort to your child or prevent him from feeding or sleeping, do not worry. You should discuss it with your pediatrician if it lasts more than three hours a day, if it is so annoying that the child always ends up crying or if he has a fever.
Go with your child to the doctor or to the emergency room if there is no consultation when the hiccups persist for more than 24 hours, as it could be otitis, asthma or bronchitis, and in some isolated cases of meningitis or brain tumors. The introduction of a foreign body in the ear can also cause acute hiccups.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.