Babies often have hiccups, especially during or after feeding. Without any seriousness, these crises due to the immaturity of their digestive system will be spaced out as they grow.
Already in mom’s womb
If these repeated hiccups baffle you, this phenomenon is nothing new for babies! He already had it in your belly, since about the 20th of pregnancy. According to specialists, having hiccups would occupy even 1% of the fetus’ time in the last weeks.
One difference, however: his spasms were then due to the amniotic fluid that he sometimes swallowed crooked when he drank it to practice swallowing.
The causes: why does the baby have so many hiccups?
The explanation is simple, it is related to the immaturity of his digestive system. His stomach, when filled with milk, increases significantly in volume. And by dilating it causes the stretching of the phrenic nerve that controls the diaphragm. But during the first weeks, even the first months of life, all these beautiful mechanics still lacks precision.
The phrenic nerve reacts a little too excessively to stimuli. And when it is tickled by its neighbor the stomach, it instantly causes uncontrolled and repetitive contractions of the diaphragm. Hence these seizures at the time of digestion. And when you know that a baby can eat up to 6 times a day… As for the characteristic little “hiccups”, it is simply caused by the sudden closure of the glottis that follows each spasm.
Is having hiccups dangerous for the baby?
Contrary to what our grandmothers might have thought, hiccups are not a sign of good or bad health. Rest assured, even if it is impressive to see your baby’s little body lift with each spasm, it is absolutely not in pain. And if it can happen to him to cry when a crisis drags on, it is not pain but impatience.
Finally, when the crisis occurs at mealtime, let him continue to eat without worry if he shows the desire: there is no risk that he will go wrong.
Nevertheless, if these seizures continue to bother you, you can try to limit their frequency. Make your little gourmand eat a little slower, if necessary by marking breaks in the middle of his meal. Anti-aerophagia teats sold in pharmacies, by allowing to regulate the flow of milk, can also be useful. Provided that the pacifier is always full of milk, so that baby does not swallow air. But the best remedy is still patience. These hiccups are due to the immaturity of his digestive system, they will fade on their own over the months.
On the other hand, if repeated hiccups prevent him from sleeping, if they are accompanied by fever or vomiting, you should talk to your pediatrician.
How to pass the baby hiccups?
Even though they can sometimes last more than half an hour, hiccups always end up stopping on their own. However, you can try to get them through faster. Lying baby face down on your forearm by rocking him gently, and giving him slightly cool water in a teaspoon can be effective.
Press lightly with your index finger, in circular motions, on your spine, at the point that is in the extension of the end of your shoulder blade, too. If he is more than two months old, place a small drop of pressed lemon on his tongue: the bitter taste of the fruit will cause him to hold his breath, resulting in the reflex relaxation of his diaphragm.
What if the hiccups don’t pass? Homeopathy to the rescue
Because it has antispasmodic virtues, a remedy is known to accelerate the cessation of hiccup attacks. This is Cuprum in 5 CH. Give your baby 3 granules, diluted in a little water or placed directly in his mouth.
Image Credit: Photo by Michal Bar Haim on Unsplash
