Managing Hiccups In Babies

Hiccups are nothing but a sound created by the rapid closing of the vocal cords. Hiccups do not affect babies as much as they affect adults but yes, they do bother them. Knowing the exact reason for hiccups in babies could be difficult but experts believe that hiccups could result from:

· Overfeeding
· Gulping in some air during feeding
· Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)

Besides hiccups, GERD may also have other signs like crying, coughing, spitting food, etc.

Irrespective of the reason for hiccups a few ways to manage it in babies include:

Change in the feeding position

Changing the position in which the baby was previously feeding to an upright position or supporting the baby to sit upright while feeding with a pillow may help control hiccups.

Making him/her burp

Give your little one a short break from feeding and try to make him/her burp. Hiccups caused by gulping air or gas in the stomach can be stopped by burping.

Using a pacifier

Hiccups that are random and are caused during feeding can be controlled by giving a pacifier to suck on to relax the diaphragm and stop the hiccups.

Wait for a while

Most hiccups stop on their own. Gently patting your baby’s back or cuddling with him/her can calm the situation and stop the hiccups..