Sometimes when your baby has hiccups, you can see their discomfort and want to help them as quickly as possible but what’s the best way to help them and is it possible to directly halt those hiccups when they arise? There are many methods you can try and we’re going to talk about some of them today, so read on to find out more about these techniques.
What Causes Hiccups in Babies?
When the diaphragm contracts, it causes the vocal cords to close quickly, producing that familiar hiccupping sound. Hiccups are no different for babies and adults, the effects of hiccups on your baby might seem dramatic but that’s not really the case. Most babies don’t feel much discomfort at all when they have hiccups and it often doesn’t bother them at all.
Halt Feeding
Hiccups often begin during the feeding process, and won’t stop until you pause feeding your baby for a bit and give the hiccups time to subside.
Burp Them
Once you’ve halted the feeding process, take some time to burp your baby. Sometimes, there’s a link between trapped wind and hiccups, so by burping your baby you might be able to address the problem pretty swiftly.
Try Gripe Water
You could try offering your baby some gripe water. This is a method that works consistently for many babies. It’s important to know that this isn’t technically a medicine so it’s success isn’t proven by trials and studies, but it’s often worth a try anyway.
Let the Hiccups Run Their Course
It’s also possible to simply let the hiccups run their course. It’s not always necessary to do anything because babies often hiccup for a short period of time and then the problem quickly passes. If you wait long enough, you can be sure that the hiccups will eventually pass.
Use a Pacifier
It can also sometimes help to use a pacifier because sucking can help to relax the diaphragm.
Hiccups aren’t anything to be concerned about and are actually very common in newborn babies. If you’re noticing it a lot, the tips and ideas above should help you to find a way to halt the hiccups in their path. And if nothing else works, simply letting them run their course is fine too.
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