Ways To Relieve Infant Hiccups

It was “Doctor’s Time” for the young mothers in New York last Sunday; they had invited a pediatrician come tell them the reasons for frequent hiccups in their infants. He told them that hiccups in newborns were common till their digestive system developed fully. Caused by the repetitive contractions of the diaphragm, overfeeding and swallowing air could cause hiccups.

Here are a few points that the pediatrician enumerated about hiccups: 

1) Keeping a track of when and the duration of each hiccup help to determine if there is a common pattern and how to focus efforts on relieving the hiccup. It is best to note if the hiccups occurred during or after feeding; it would also help to look out for triggers to eliminate.

2) Overfeeding should be avoided by increasing the feeding frequency and breaking the baby’s feedings into shorter time periods; it would avoid quick distension of the stomach due to spasm in the diaphragm muscle.  

3) Burp the infant frequently between feedings; burp him/her while switching breasts in case of breast feeding and after every 2-3 ounces if you bottle feed. Burping is best done by placing the baby upright across your chest, with the baby’s head on or a little above your shoulder. Then rub or gently pat the infant’s back making sure to not put pressure on his/her stomach; put one hand behind his/her legs while the other pats the back of his chest. Ensure you avoid the tummy region and resume feeding once he/she burps.

4) Reduce swallowing of air that lead to hiccups; this is indicated by the gulping sound the baby makes when it feeds. Indicating the infant is eating too quickly and swallowing air, it is best to slow down the feeding session by taking frequent breaks.

5) Next ensure that the infant is properly latched with its lips covering the areola in case of breastfeeding, with the bottle being tilted at 45 degrees in case of bottle feeding. Swallowing of air can be eliminated by using collapsible bag inserts for the bottle. The infant should be in semi-upright position, at about 30 to 45 degree during bottle feeding and 20 minutes thereafter. Staying upright can relieve pressure on the baby's diaphragm.

6) Start feeding the infant before it is very hungry or upset; a calm baby eats more slowly than a hungry and worked up one that could swallow excess air during a crying fit. It would also help to stop feeding the baby when it gets persistent hiccups; but if it continues to have hiccups, try feeding again to stop it.    

7) There is a cause for concern if a baby experiences vomiting, painful night waking, and stomach pain along with hiccups; consult a pediatrician immediately as hiccups could be a symptom of gastro esophageal reflux disease or GERD. He/she would be in a position to prescribe medicine and provide recommendations on the ways to help your baby deal with GERD.

The young mothers felt enlightened with the tips the pediatrician gave them, with the doctor assuring them of all help with their infants and newborns.

Image Courtesy: Google