Today with special impatience we waited for the arrival of our nurse (after discharge from the hospital she came to us twice a week): the baby suddenly began to hiccup after eating. After each feeding. Hiccups lasted about half an hour. Sometimes more, sometimes less. And this caused concern, although the baby himself, apparently, did not feel any discomfort. Our complaints about this phenomenon caused the nurse a smile: "Donโt worry, it's okay, hiccups for newborns are normal."
It turns out that there really is no reason for concern. At least in most cases. Although it is impossible to ignore hiccups. I will try to share the information received with readers. Why does hiccups occur in infants? There are actually many reasons, and you must find them. This is what will help determine the future actions and tell you what to do.
Why does hiccups occur in children? The reasons are different.
Notice if the baby is overeating. Due to the large volume of food, the stomach is stretched, the diaphragm contracts. It is these reductions that we observe. Hiccups in newborns can be caused by thirst, swallowing air (for example, if your baby eats with greed). In addition, hiccups can be caused by cold. For these reasons, hiccups in newborns should not really be cause for concern. To eliminate the cause in such cases is not difficult. If the child is cold, provide him with warmth: transfer to a room warmer, put on warm clothes (to warm himself faster), give a drink of warm water (in many cases, the hiccups stop immediately, especially if it is caused by thirst).
If your baby eats greedily, take a break for a few seconds. Then you can continue feeding. If the baby is breast-fed, pay attention to the size of the hole in the nipple. Every mother rejoices when a child eats quickly and a lot. But only for the baby it is not entirely useful. In addition, the child may choke. Do not succumb to such a temptation. Do not make wide holes in the nipple and feed according to the norm. And after each of the feedings, be sure to hold the baby "column" (vertically) until the air comes out. This will help protect the child from regurgitation after eating, and from hiccups.
Hiccups in newborns can occur as a result of nerve shocks. The baby can react to a sharp, loud sound, to the arrival of a stranger. These are neurotic manifestations, although they are also found in children with a healthy nervous system. They are just very sensitive. Therefore, try to protect the child from sudden sounds, very bright light, strangers coming into the house. Refuse (well, at least for the first time) from noisy guests, loud music and even, no matter how difficult it was to do, family scenes. Young children on an intuitive level feel the state and mood of their mother. That is why they can suddenly cry for no reason.
Hiccups in infants can be caused by helminthiases, but this is extremely rare in newborns.
Another cause may be a dysfunction of some nerve centers caused, for example, by hypoxia during childbirth or during pregnancy. This can already be attributed to neurosis. If the hiccups in newborns are constant, not stopping (or with short breaks, but frequent, which can also be classified as constant), examine the baby urgently. Such a hiccup may well be caused by a severe lesion of the central nervous system, or it signals pneumonia. And here itโs impossible to get rid of a calm, homely atmosphere. A stubborn, long treatment with appropriate care and even possible hospitalization will be necessary for such a child.
I hope this information has been helpful. Health to you and your baby!