Small children are delicate and fragile creatures. Very often, young parents are afraid of each of their reactions and actions, not understanding whether this is normal for the baby. There are mothers who are worried about the seemingly ordinary hiccups.
In fact, this is a physiological process, the child hiccups in the womb. Usually this begins to occur at the end of pregnancy, in its third trimester. Why does the child hiccup? Both fathers and mothers ask this question. There are several reasons. The most common explanation is that the baby can swallow a small amount of amniotic fluid. Do not be afraid of such a prospect, they are easily eliminated from the body and are absolutely safe. With the help of hiccups, the child is also preparing for a great life, learning to breathe and suck, so this process is more than useful.
There is a third possible reason - rather dangerous and not entirely pleasant. In order to avoid and exclude it, during pregnancy it is necessary to be regularly checked by a gynecologist, undergo the procedures prescribed by him, such as CTG and ultrasound. Hiccups may be due to fetal brain hypoxia . This term means that the child does not have enough oxygen, this is typical for children with a cord entwined around the neck.
So, why the baby hiccups even before birth, we have determined, it remains only to understand what can be done to minimize the possibility of this process. Doctors usually recommend for this to regularly spend time in the fresh air, lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right and do breathing exercises.
So, it remains to understand why the baby hiccups after birth. The main reasons should include hypothermia or extreme thirst. Also, a stressful situation can have an effect, when the baby is afraid of strong sounds or bright light. If air has got into the body of your child during feeding, it can also begin to hiccup actively. The diaphragm can also begin to contract as a result of an increase in the volume of the stomach during overeating, it is necessary to carefully monitor the rate of feeding. Less common is the situation when hiccups are a sign of diseases of a different nature - viral or infectious.
Young parents often ask pediatricians what to do if the child hiccups. How can I help him? First of all, exclude air from entering the baby’s stomach, for this it is necessary to correctly apply it to the chest or choose a new, more suitable nipple for the bottle if you are practicing artificial feeding. It is important to monitor the feeding schedule, to prevent both starvation and overeating, after eating, you can practice wearing the child in an upright position, this will allow excess air to come out and prevent frequent hiccups. The temperature conditions in the place of residence of the baby should also be comfortable, avoid hypothermia, approach the hardening step by step. The traditional method of stopping hiccups is water, it is customary to drink it in small frequent sips.
The older your baby gets, the less often you will have to face this process, and the less dangerous it will be in your eyes. After all, parents of adult children rarely wonder why the child hiccups.