What causes prolonged hiccup-like episodes in babies after crying. How to differentiate sobbing spasms from normal hiccups. When to seek medical attention for unusual breathing patterns in infants. How long do sobbing spasms typically last in babies. Are sobbing spasms dangerous for infants.

What Are Sobbing Spasms in Babies?

Sobbing spasms, also known as prolonged “hiccups” after crying, are a concerning breathing pattern some infants experience. Unlike typical hiccups, these episodes can last for hours and cause visible discomfort in babies. Parents often mistake them for regular hiccups or breathing difficulties, leading to unnecessary panic.

The phenomenon typically presents as follows:

• A sharp intake of breath, often with an audible gasping sound
• The baby appears frightened and involuntarily stops breathing for 3-5 seconds
• Sudden relaxation and resumption of normal breathing
• This cycle repeats for extended periods, sometimes up to 8 hours or more
• Spasms gradually weaken and become less frequent over time
• The baby usually appears fine by morning

Distinguishing Sobbing Spasms from Other Breathing Issues

To properly identify sobbing spasms, it’s crucial to differentiate them from other common breathing patterns in infants:

Breath-holding Spells

These can last up to a minute and may result in a child turning blue or losing consciousness. Sobbing spasms, while alarming, do not cause color changes or fainting.

Regular Hiccups

Traditional hiccups are brief diaphragm spasms producing a characteristic “hic” sound. They don’t last all night or cause breathing interruptions like sobbing spasms do.

Double Breathing

This occurs after intense crying and appears as involuntary, shuddering breaths that taper off. While similar, sobbing spasms are more severe, uncomfortable, and prolonged.

Periodic Breathing

Common in newborns under 6 months, this involves quick breaths followed by pauses up to 10 seconds. Unlike sobbing spasms, it doesn’t cause distress or discomfort.

Potential Causes and Triggers of Sobbing Spasms

While the exact cause of sobbing spasms remains unclear, several factors may contribute to their occurrence:

• Intense crying episodes
• Immature respiratory system
• Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
• Laryngomalacia (softening of the voice box tissues)
• Overfeeding or feeding too quickly
• Swallowing air during feeding

It’s important to note that sobbing spasms can occur without an apparent trigger, making them particularly puzzling for parents and healthcare providers alike.

When Should Parents Seek Medical Attention?

While sobbing spasms are generally not dangerous, certain signs warrant immediate medical attention:

• Changes in skin color, particularly blue or pale
• Difficulty breathing or signs of respiratory distress
• Fever or other signs of illness
• Episodes occurring with increasing frequency or severity
• Spasms lasting longer than 24 hours
• Failure to gain weight or thrive

If you’re unsure about your baby’s condition, it’s always best to consult a pediatrician for professional advice and evaluation.

Management and Coping Strategies for Parents

Dealing with sobbing spasms can be stressful for parents. Here are some strategies to help manage these episodes:

1. Stay calm and remember that these episodes are usually harmless
2. Hold your baby upright or slightly elevated to ease breathing
3. Gently pat or rub your baby’s back to provide comfort
4. Offer a pacifier or small amount of water (if age-appropriate) to help regulate breathing
5. Create a calm environment by dimming lights and reducing noise
6. Keep a log of episodes to share with your pediatrician

Remember, most babies outgrow sobbing spasms as their respiratory systems mature. Patience and consistent monitoring are key during this challenging phase.

The Role of Reflux in Sobbing Spasms

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may play a significant role in some cases of sobbing spasms. Reflux can irritate the throat and trigger irregular breathing patterns. If you suspect reflux might be contributing to your baby’s sobbing spasms, consider these steps:

• Feed your baby in an upright position
• Keep your baby upright for 30 minutes after feeding
• Avoid overfeeding or feeding too quickly
• Consider smaller, more frequent feedings
• Discuss antacid medications with your pediatrician

Addressing underlying reflux issues may help reduce the frequency and severity of sobbing spasms in some infants.

Long-term Outlook and Developmental Implications

Parents often worry about the long-term effects of sobbing spasms on their child’s development. Fortunately, current evidence suggests that these episodes do not have lasting negative impacts. Most children outgrow sobbing spasms by their first birthday, with no apparent developmental delays or respiratory issues later in life.

However, it’s essential to maintain regular check-ups with your pediatrician to monitor your child’s growth and development. If sobbing spasms persist beyond the first year or are accompanied by other concerning symptoms, further evaluation may be necessary to rule out underlying conditions.

Emotional Support for Parents Dealing with Sobbing Spasms

Watching your baby experience sobbing spasms can be emotionally taxing. Many parents report feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and exhaustion. It’s crucial to prioritize your own well-being while caring for your infant:

• Seek support from family, friends, or parenting groups
• Don’t hesitate to ask for help during particularly challenging episodes
• Practice self-care and stress-reduction techniques
• Consider speaking with a therapist or counselor if anxiety persists
• Remember that this phase is temporary and will pass

By taking care of your own mental health, you’ll be better equipped to provide the care and comfort your baby needs during sobbing spasm episodes.

Creating a Support Network

Building a support network can be invaluable when dealing with sobbing spasms. Consider the following options:

• Join online parenting forums or social media groups focused on infant breathing issues
• Attend local parenting classes or support groups
• Connect with other parents who have experienced similar challenges
• Involve grandparents or close family members in your baby’s care routine

Sharing experiences and advice with others who understand your situation can provide both practical tips and emotional relief.

Preventive Measures and Lifestyle Adjustments

While it’s not always possible to prevent sobbing spasms, certain lifestyle adjustments may help reduce their frequency or severity:

1. Establish a consistent bedtime routine to promote relaxation
2. Ensure your baby’s sleeping environment is comfortable and at an appropriate temperature
3. Practice gentle massage techniques to help soothe your baby
4. Experiment with different feeding positions to find what works best for your baby
5. Consider using a white noise machine or gentle music to create a calming atmosphere
6. Pay attention to potential triggers and try to avoid them when possible

Remember that every baby is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Be patient and willing to adapt your approach as needed.

The Importance of Consistent Monitoring

Keeping track of your baby’s sobbing spasm episodes can provide valuable information for both you and your healthcare provider. Consider maintaining a detailed log that includes:

• Date and time of each episode
• Duration of the spasms
• Any potential triggers or preceding events
• Your baby’s behavior before, during, and after the episode
• Any interventions you tried and their effectiveness

This information can help identify patterns and guide treatment decisions if necessary.

Alternative Therapies and Holistic Approaches

Some parents find relief in alternative or holistic approaches to managing sobbing spasms. While scientific evidence may be limited, these methods are generally safe when used appropriately:

• Infant chiropractic care
• Baby yoga or gentle stretching exercises
• Aromatherapy with safe, baby-friendly essential oils
• Acupressure or reflexology
• Herbal remedies (always consult with a pediatrician before use)

It’s crucial to discuss any alternative treatments with your healthcare provider before trying them to ensure they’re safe and appropriate for your baby.

The Role of Diet in Managing Sobbing Spasms

For breastfeeding mothers, dietary changes may sometimes help alleviate sobbing spasms in their infants. Consider the following adjustments:

• Eliminate common allergens like dairy, soy, or wheat from your diet
• Reduce caffeine intake
• Avoid spicy or acidic foods that may contribute to reflux
• Stay well-hydrated to maintain milk supply and quality

Remember to consult with a lactation specialist or pediatrician before making significant dietary changes, as they may affect your baby’s nutrition.

Technological Aids for Monitoring and Managing Sobbing Spasms

Advancements in technology have provided parents with new tools to monitor and manage their baby’s breathing patterns. Some helpful devices include:

1. Baby breathing monitors that alert parents to irregular patterns
2. Smart baby cameras with breathing detection features
3. Wearable devices that track vital signs and sleep patterns
4. Mobile apps designed to log and analyze breathing episodes

While these devices can provide peace of mind, it’s important to remember that they are not substitutes for medical care. Always prioritize your pediatrician’s advice and use technology as a supplementary tool.

The Future of Sobbing Spasm Research

As more parents and healthcare providers become aware of sobbing spasms, research in this area is likely to expand. Future studies may focus on:

• Identifying specific physiological mechanisms behind sobbing spasms
• Developing targeted treatments or interventions
• Investigating potential long-term effects on respiratory health
• Exploring genetic or environmental factors that may contribute to the condition

Staying informed about new developments can help parents make educated decisions about their baby’s care and contribute to a better understanding of this phenomenon.

Building Resilience: Lessons Learned from Sobbing Spasms

Dealing with sobbing spasms can be a challenging experience for parents, but it can also foster resilience and personal growth. Many parents report that navigating this issue has taught them valuable life lessons:

• Increased patience and adaptability
• Improved problem-solving skills
• Greater empathy for other parents facing challenges
• Enhanced communication with healthcare providers
• Deeper appreciation for their child’s health and well-being

Embracing these positive outcomes can help transform a stressful situation into an opportunity for personal development and stronger family bonds.

Advocating for Your Child’s Health

Experiencing sobbing spasms with your baby can empower you to become a stronger advocate for your child’s health. Consider these strategies:

• Educate yourself about infant breathing patterns and related conditions
• Prepare detailed questions for your pediatrician during check-ups
• Seek second opinions if you’re unsatisfied with initial diagnoses or treatments
• Join or create support groups to share information and experiences
• Participate in research studies or surveys about sobbing spasms when available

By taking an active role in your child’s healthcare, you can ensure they receive the best possible care and contribute to the broader understanding of sobbing spasms in infants.

Sobbing Spasms, Gasping, and Prolonged “Hiccups” in Babies

Spread it around!

I keep this post updated and continue to read and/or respond to comments.
However, I can only share my experiences and advice; I’m not a doctor,
so please seek out a professional! (2021)

Babies do a lot of weird things when it comes to breathing, and most of them are normal, but when faced with something that looks alarming, parents get understandably scared. Is it just hiccups? Is it from too much crying?

Well, something very odd happened to Benjamin (our 4th) when he was a baby, and then happened to Samuel (our 5th) when he was a baby, and it scared us so badly that we called 911, consulted several doctors and specialists and spent innumerable hours on Google trying to decipher the problem. I posted about it a long time time ago on a family medical forum and continue to get comments and questions to this day from parents seeing the same thing with their child. Almost all of these parents have already visited their family doctor or ER and are still confused. They are told their child simply has hiccups or that there is no answer.

Before I begin, I want to say two things. (1) Both of my boys thankfully outgrew this strange and alarming problem. (2) This post is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice. It’s to share what happened, and what we learned, in hopes that families experiencing the same thing might receive some small hope and insight.

What happened to baby Benjamin?

He was about 8 weeks old and had been asleep for an hour after tummy time and nursing that afternoon. I went to check on him and noticed an alarming breathing pattern. He was periodically sucking in his breath or “gasping” and would then hold it for quite some time before resuming normal breathing. It was different from the normal periodic breathing that’s common in young infants. I was a veteran mother, and it scared me so badly I woke him up. The pattern of gasping and holding his breath and then relaxing continued. Benjamin was visibly uncomfortable with what was going on. We panicked and called 911. (Our infant daughter, Margaret, had just died of pneumonia and heart complications the prior year; you can imagine how gun-shy we were as parents.)

What did the paramedics say?

The paramedics came and thoroughly checked him out. His oxygen was fine. His heart was strong. They could neither see nor hear signs of obstructions. There were no obvious signs of an allergic reaction. They saw the weird strange breathing pattern, but it was more sporadic and less pronounced by then. Their verdict? He had a bad case of hiccups.

If you guessed that we were not satisfied by that explanation, you guessed right.

A week later it happened again, and this time it was triggered by a crying episode. Here again is what happened:

• Our son would have a sharp intake of breath, usually with an audible gasping sound.
• He would get a terrified look on his face and involuntarily cease breathing for 3-5 seconds.
• Suddenly, his body would relax and breathing would start again.
• The cycle would repeat for hours on end, quite often through the entire night. That’s a really long time!
• The spasms would get weaker and less frequent and towards the end would look like the “double breathing” that happens after a good long cry.
• He would be perfectly fine in the morning.

What exactly does it look like?

Thanks to my readers, quite a few videos have been shared with me by parents who found this blog post.

This video shows the same phenomenon, accompanied by a high pitched stridor. A mother overseas shared this video of the later phase, with the spasms continuing during deep sleep. Note: Stridor can be a sign of reflux or laryngomalacia.

What my two boys experienced is none of the things listed below. Checking this list against your child’s symptoms may be helpful:

• Breath-holding spells: These can last up to a minute and may result in a child turning blue or passing out.
• Hiccups: Hiccups are brief little spasms of the diaphragm that produce a characteristic “hic” sound. Hiccups don’t last the entire night while you sleep, and cause you to stop breathing or terrify a child (or his parents).
• Double breathing: This may occur after a hard cry, and feels and looks like involuntary, shuddering breaths that eventually taper off. The spasms I witness were similar but a lot more severe and scary/uncomfortable for the boys. They also last sometimes 8 hours or more, which is definitely abnormal. If your child’s “spasms” always occur after crying and are always mild, then for him/her it might actually just be double breathing.
• Rapid or periodic breathing: Common in newborns with an immature respiratory system, this involves a quick breath and then a pause for up to 10 seconds. It occurs most often in the first 6 months of life and causes no stress or discomfort to the infant.

What did the pediatrician say?

After the second episode, which did at the very least reassure us that Benjamin was not teetering on the brink of death, our next stop was the trusty family physician who has been in practice in a small town for over 35 years and has delivered hundreds of babies. 

Benjamin was right in the middle of an episode. And our doctor was puzzled. He voiced our unspoken thoughts. “Those aren’t just hiccups,” he said. “I’ve never seen this before, so all I can tell you is that something is causing his airway to close up briefly. ” Benjamin was a healthy, exclusively breastfed infant, just a few months old. He was a happy baby and rarely cried, and when he did was attended to promptly.

His airway was involuntarily closing and opening for some reason. But with oxygen levels so high and no breathing distress, our doctor didn’t see any reason to prescribe medication, and there was no need for respiratory therapy. We were advised to watch and wait. We went home and the spasms continued throughout the night. Benjamin slept. Daddy slept. I did not. I was poised next to my sleeping baby, wide awake in the darkness, tensing up with every spasm. You can bet that the terrifying spectre of SIDS definitely crossed my mind as I watched his strange breathing patterns. There’s nothing more miserable than an unknown danger lurking around a tiny, helpless child. Although a still, small voice told me he wasn’t going to die, my mind could still conjure up a million other terrible possibilities.

What did the specialists say?

We consulted several other specialists in the search for a diagnosis. A very knowledgeable ENT told me he had never had any patients present with this type of problem. He put a scope down Benjamin’s throat and found no physical abnormalities or obstructions in the vocal chords, esophagus or windpipe. Everything was fine. He said the throat will sometimes spasm or close up in reaction to an irritant or allergen. That might explain why Ben had episodes on some days and not others. We didn’t have a definite answer, but we did have a small clue. 

I consulted a speech pathologist friend for insight. To her, the attacks sounded very similar to a Laryngospasm, which is a spasm of the vocal cords that temporarily makes it difficult to cry or breathe. It’s an involuntary thing, and acid reflux and anxiety are both common triggers. For the first time, we felt the answer might be getting closer as reflux is something that many otherwise healthy infants deal with. And with reflux, you can have good days and bad days. It also affects a lot of people even while sleeping.

Did the spasms go away?

The breathing spasms continued throughout his infancy. Many episodes were triggered by crying, but by no means all. As time passed, they began to shorten in duration and severity. By the time Benjamin was 2, they were gone for good (HALLELUJAH) and we’ve seen no repeats since then (he turned six years old this March).

And then Samuel was born and began to have the same episodes! Just like Ben, they often occurred for no apparent reason during sleep. They weren’t as bad as Ben’s, and he outgrew them more quickly – by age one.

What caused the spasms?

As time went by, we noticed a connection between both boys. Benjamin and Samuel both showed signs of Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance (not the same thing as lactose intolerance). If I ate dairy and then breastfed them, they would be very irritable and spit up a lot. In hindsight we realized that the breathing spasms had gone away at the same time their milk protein sensitivity went away.

My theory is that this food sensitivity was triggering reflux. Reflux has been medically documented to cause problems like stridor (high-pitched noisy breathing), chronic coughing and even involuntary spasms (i.e. like laryngospasm) in babies. Perhaps the acid reflux was irritating their airway and causing their vocal chords to spasm and close up. Or perhaps one of their bodies’ responses to the irritant was throat spasms.

This would explain why they went days or even weeks between episodes. I was good about avoiding dairy, but had some “slip ups” from time to time; either knowingly or by accident.

Did dietary changes help?

It sure looks that way! We switched to rice milk for Ben and Sam with good success.

However, in hindsight I wish I had looked into a formula alternative, as they are more nutritious than rice milk. Ben and Sam are both still on the low end of the growth charts. If you suspect an allergy or intolerance are are formula-feeding, look into alternatives like Similac Alimentum or Enfamil Nutramigen. There’s also a gentle, natural goat’s milk formula that you can try called Kabrita.

Correlation doesn’t equal causation.

Remember, that’s only my theory about what was going on. Just because these spasms occurred in tandem with a food allergy doesn’t necessarily mean that food allergy was the cause. In the medical world, correlation doesn’t automatically equal causation. But it’s still my best guess, given all the data, and the timeline.

Are the spasms dangerous?

In hindsight, I realize now that that our sons’ conditions were not life-threatening, however we wouldn’t change a thing that we did at the time because it really scared us! My opinion is that if a child is suffering, and/or experiencing these types of spasms frequently, it should be looked at by a doctor.

Almost every parent who has contacted me about my post did the same things (rushed to the ER, visited multiple doctors, researched every book and website they could find, etc. ). Many of them are still looking for a cause.

From what I’ve learned over the years, most cases do not appear to be life-threatening. But, as my pediatrician cousin once told me, lots of elephants come into the examination room, but it’s the zebra you’re looking out for. Don’t feel bad about being worried or scared. Don’t stress about pestering doctors and specialists. Their job is to help and to heal.

Is there anything I can do for my child?

Apart from avoiding long crying episodes, which can be a trigger, anything you can do to calm or relax a baby may help.

Toddlers and older children can be taught to to take deep and steady breaths. Following the “7-11 model” can also stop feelings of hyperventilation; inhale for seven seconds, and exhale for 11 seconds until symptoms subside. The old technique of breathing into a paper bag can also help because it traps carbon dioxide, recirculating the gas back into the lungs.

To summarize, here’s what I advise parents who are going through this:

• Document the episodes and if possible get it on video for the doctor.
• Check for possible allergies. If you are nursing, eliminate the “big ones” (dairy, wheat, eggs, etc.) slowly and separately from your diet and see if the episodes lessen or disappear.
• Consider switching to a non-cows-milk based formula
• Visit a specialist who can rule out physical abnormalities or obstructions in the throat and surrounding structures.
• Check for an underlying respiratory illness (like pneumonia) or a chronic, undiagnosed condition like asthma.
• Screen for reflux, even if there aren’t obvious signs.
• Has there been possible irritation or damage to the phrenic nerve or diaphragm?

If you have any questions or comments about this post, please share your thoughts below. Above all, I want this to be helpful, encouraging and educational! Your comments can help other families, too.

How to Get Rid of Baby Hiccups

• To get rid of baby hiccups, try burping them during feeding and slowing down how fast they eat.
• Baby hiccups often occur after eating too fast or crying for a long period of time. 
• Hiccups should resolve on their own within 15 minutes to a couple of hours. 

Baby hiccups are normal and rarely a reason for concern. Here’s what you need to know about what causes hiccups in newborns and when you should consult a doctor. 

What causes baby hiccups? 

Hiccups can actually start while your baby is still in the womb. The reasons for fetal hiccups are not yet known, though some theories indicate they are linked to lung development as the baby practices breathing by taking in amniotic fluid. 

Newborn hiccups, on the other hand, are better understood. They can occur when the diaphragm spasms, forcing air out through the vocal cords. Newborns can get an irritated diaphragm from eating or drinking too fast or by a prolonged period of crying, says Gina Posner, MD, a board-certified pediatrician at Memorial Care Orange Coast Medical Center.  

How to get rid of baby hiccups 

Once the hiccups start, the most simple and effective way to get rid of newborn hiccups is to wait it out and let them run their course. “It usually makes the parents go crazy because they feel bad for their baby, but the babies usually don’t get bothered by it at all,” Posner says. 

Hiccups are not harmful to babies, and attempting to stop them isn’t necessary. They usually last about 10 to 15 minutes, though they can last up to an hour or two, Posner says. 

If you want to try and prevent hiccups before they start, try slowing the baby down during feeding. If they’re drinking too quickly, babies can take in too much air, which can cause their stomach to swell and irritate the diaphragm, as a result.

If you’re feeding your baby from a bottle, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends burping them after every two to three ounces of milk intake. If you’re breastfeeding, you can burp them when you switch breasts.  

Insider’s takeaway

Newborn hiccups are rarely a cause for concern, Posner says. But if they seem to be lasting for days, causing other signs of distress in your baby, or they frequently occur in a baby older than 12 months, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor. 

Moreover, if your baby is extremely fussy and has prolonged periods of crying with hiccups you should also consult the pediatrician.

Though rare, frequent hiccups can be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux (GER), which occurs when stomach acid and partially digested food come back up through the esophagus. Most babies will outgrow GER by nine to 12 months of age, but if your baby is frequently and forcefully spitting up, refusing feeds, or crying and arching their back during feedings, you should seek medical attention as these can be signs of complications from reflux.

Erin Heger

Erin Heger is a freelance journalist located in the Kansas City area. She primarily covers stories related to healthcare policy, maternal mental health, parenting, and personal finance. Her work been featured in The Atlantic, Rewire.News, Refinery29, HuffPost, and more. 

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Baby hiccups after feeding what to do reasons. Hiccups in newborns after feeding

Young mothers, closely monitoring the condition of a recently born baby, are often nervous when the baby begins to hiccup immediately after feeding. Do not panic: hiccups are a natural process that does not cause any harm to the baby. But still, it brings severe discomfort, and if hiccups occur in newborns after feeding, what should relatives do to protect the baby from discomfort?

A child begins to hiccup while still in the mother’s womb – this is how his body reacts to external or internal stimuli. The process of hiccups is due to the rapid contractions of the diaphragm – the muscle that divides the human torso into thoracic and abdominal sections. Spasms can occur for the following reasons:

1. Overeating. Moms who feed their babies on a schedule run the risk of getting hiccups, as a hungry newborn baby will begin to suck milk greedily after a break in feeding. The fast pace of eating will inevitably lead to air trapping and overeating. Because of feeding “excitedly”, the baby will lose his breath, and as a result, hiccups will attack.
2. Digestive immaturity, causing the child to hiccup after each feed. It is easy to identify by its characteristic symptoms: gas, colic and loose stools.
3. Incorrect attachment of the infant or incorrect feeding of the artificial. Because of this, he will swallow air, hiccup and suffer from colic.
4. Freezing is one of the reasons why a newborn hiccups. The child’s body reacts to sudden changes in temperature in the most accessible way – hiccups.
5. Too many outside influences – hiccups are a response to stress.

These factors provoke a situation when the newborn hiccups after feeding. But the process of hiccups can also mean more serious problems:

• pneumonia;
• pathology of the spinal cord;
• diseases of the digestive system;
• presence of worms;
• development of an aneurysm in the diaphragm.

But such diseases manifest themselves as obsessive hiccups, which constantly disturbs the baby, does not allow him to sleep, eat and even breathe normally. If this type of hiccup is noted, it is important to go to a pediatrician for diagnosis.

But often the answer to why a baby hiccups after feeding is much simpler: malnutrition, stress, fear or an uncomfortable environment.

“Moms and dads worry about hiccups more than a newborn. In trying to recognize various pathologies, they may forget that the child may just be thirsty!” – Shkolyar I.S., local pediatrician.

Of course, precaution never hurts. If someone from the environment has recently visited exotic lands or feels unwell, then for some time it is better for him not to communicate with children.

How to prevent hiccups while feeding

If a newborn hiccups after each feeding, you need to pay attention to the process of feeding. To begin with, follow the correct attachment of the baby to the chest. It is better to hold it vertically and control it so that it covers not only the nipple, but also the halo with its lips.

Sounds can be used to detect when a baby is gasping for air while breastfeeding. In the correct position, the mother will hear only swallowing without sobs. Breastfeed your baby on demand, not by the hour.

Also, do not forget about the two types of breast milk. Foremilk is thinner, less nutritious and comes out at a faster rate. By the time the baby gets to the back, thick and nutritious, he will have already overeaten the first. Crowded stomach walls stretch and put pressure on the diaphragm, which leads to spasms.

To prevent this situation during heavy lactation, part of the milk must be expressed before breastfeeding. If the baby still hiccups after feeding, you should organize a calm environment for him while eating. It is also advisable for a nursing mother to remove the products from which the baby has gas and hiccups.

When feeding from a bottle, a “correct” nipple with a small hole is needed so that the milk formula barely drips – the baby must suck it out with effort. It is advisable to feed the baby more often, but in small portions, avoiding glut.

If, nevertheless, the baby has hiccups, you need to help him – massage the tummy with light circular movements in a clockwise direction. Massage will quickly help the stomach digest food and eliminate unpleasant consequences.

When hiccups are accompanied by bloating, it is necessary to take the newborn in a “column” and so a little vilify until the air trapped in the stomach is expelled.

Hiccups are also a sign of the action of external stimuli – noise, bright light. If possible, remove unpleasant factors, hold the baby in your arms, calm down. He should eat only in a calm state. If the baby begins to worry and cry while eating, you should put it on your shoulder and wait until the air comes out of the tummy.

Hiccup treatment

There are hundreds of different tips on what to do if a newborn hiccups after feedings. These are medicines, and traditional medicine, proven by generations of mothers and grandmothers.

Of the pharmaceutical drugs that prevent colic, gas accumulation and hiccups, the most famous are Simplex, Bobotic and Espumizan. But medicines should be given to the baby only after consultation with the pediatrician, so as not to accidentally “overtreat” the baby, not to damage his immunity and microflora in the intestines. Timely therapy will help to avoid many problems, and hiccups after feeding will pass.

Folk methods, how to save a child from hiccups, come down to herbal decoctions.

Name	Preparation method	Brewing time	How to use
Dill water	Pour a teaspoon of dill seeds into a glass of boiling water	1-1. 5 hours	Drink a teaspoon three times a day
Oregano oil	Grind the herb, mix with 0.5 l of olive or sunflower oil	Night	Lubricate the upper wall of the throat for hiccups or give three times a day 2 drops inside
Laurel decoction	2 tablespoons of bay leaves pour a glass of boiling water	1 hour	Drink a teaspoon every 5 minutes until the hiccups are gone
Gray hiccup decoction	1 tablespoon flowers and herbaceous part pour a glass of boiling water	1.5 hours	Give the child 1 tablespoon to drink every 2 hours
Valerian decoction	1 tablespoon of valerian root and motherwort leaf in a glass of boiling water	1 hour	Give warm decoction half a cup a day to prevent hiccups

It is wiser to ask the doctor if it is possible to give decoctions and medicines to the child, and also to find the reason why the newborn often hiccups after feeding.

When parents act to harm

Sometimes adults who do not know why a child hiccups after feeding and without specifying the causes of hiccups try to fight it in “adult” ways. But these actions can cause the opposite reaction in the infant:

• an attempt to scare will only lead to increased hiccups and will bring the baby to a scream;
• tossing – the loss of a sense of security and safety will contribute to even more hiccups;
• patting on the back – the baby is still very fragile, so this method will not only not help, but will also hurt him, which will make the hiccups worse;
• trying to keep the child warm by dressing the child in a lot of clothes will make the situation worse. The baby hiccups not only from hypothermia, but also from overheating, which should not be allowed;
• distracting a child by going to the mall, for example. Noise will provoke the child’s anxiety, and the temperature difference will cause him discomfort.

Do not forget that all children hiccup, regardless of age. If the child does not tear himself from hiccups, it does not disturb him and passes quickly, then there is no need to worry in vain. But when the hiccups in a newborn last two days or more, then a visit to the pediatrician is mandatory.

If a young mother takes care of her diet, properly feeds her little one and does not disturb him, then hiccups will recede and will appear less and less with age. After all, the main reason why a child often hiccups is the indiscipline of the parents, excessive attention to the little man and baseless panic, which frightens the child even more.

As common as regurgitation, so don’t be afraid of it. We will try to dispel fears and figure out what is happening to the child and why he hiccups immediately after eating.

Why does our baby hiccup after feeding?

To understand the root cause of hiccups, you just need to look closely at the baby, namely, how he eats. If you are breastfeeding, pay attention to how you breastfeed, whether the baby holds the nipple tightly and whether excess air enters along with milk.

If the baby is on, it is possible that the hole in your nipple is too large and this is the main cause of hiccups .
For a better understanding of the process, let’s highlight the three main causes of hiccups:

• Excess air got into the stomach;
• elementary;
• bloating not related to food.

It is believed that hiccups may be due to overeating. To check this, try removing the breast a little earlier than usual at the next feeding or reducing the amount of formula. The fact is that when overeating, a full stomach of a newborn puts pressure on the area of ​​​​the diaphragm, thereby provoking its contraction.

In addition often children
hiccup because of . In this case, hiccups occur according to the same mechanism as when overeating: swollen intestinal walls press on the diaphragm, as a result, the hiccup mechanism is triggered. Look at your baby’s tummy, do you think it’s swollen? No. Well, then let’s look at other options for the appearance of hiccups.

Baby hiccups after feeding – what to do?

It happens that you seem to feed correctly, do everything as it should, and the child does not overeat, and does not swallow air, and the nipple has already been replaced with the smallest hole, but continues to hiccup. Possible causes of hiccups that are not related to feeding can be:

• hypothermia;
• nervous excitement.

Quite a simple cause of hiccups – the child is cold. Yes, he froze in all those “hundred clothes” that you put on him.

Do not forget that in newborns the system of thermoregulation and heat exchange is still imperfect, the child can both quickly overheat and quickly freeze. Regarding nervous excitement, one should also be more careful here, a bright light, and a too loud or harsh sound can excite a little man, strangers can also scare a baby. And fear, in turn, will cause the muscles of the diaphragm to contract.

Newborn hiccups after every feeding – how to help him?

To help your baby get rid of hiccups, the first step is to hold your baby in your arms and hold your tummy against you. If a newborn hiccups
, always try to wear it in a column after feeding, your warmth and vertical position will help the baby get rid of hiccups in a matter of minutes, since this position of the child contributes to the release of excess air from the stomach. Try to give the baby some water to drink, if it’s cold – warm it up, if it’s overexcited – try to calm it down, give it a breast or just distract it, sing a song.

Be sure to follow up why a baby hiccups after feeding
to further rule out the cause of the hiccups. It is worth worrying if the hiccups are prolonged, often repeated and the child expresses obvious anxiety. Do I need to remind you that in such cases you should definitely call a doctor. For what? And in order to prevent the development of the disease, because hiccups can talk about the beginning

New parents often worry about hiccups in babies, although in fact this phenomenon is not dangerous at all.

Hiccups are a reaction of the baby’s body to certain stimuli. In our case, hiccups are usually associated with food intake. The digestive organs of a newborn are just beginning to develop, so at first all babies show not only hiccups, but also gases and problems with stools.

Why does a newborn hiccup after feeding?

A mother could have noticed hiccups in her baby even when the baby was in her womb. The baby hiccupped after amniotic fluid entered the digestive system: this is how his diaphragm adapted to new conditions.
The phenomenon of hiccups is reflex in nature. Symptoms of hiccups appear due to contractions of the diaphragm – the septum that separates the abdominal and chest cavities. In general, the diaphragm always contracts – this is necessary to simplify breathing and reduce pressure in the chest and abdomen. Hiccups occur when the vagus nerve is stimulated, causing the diaphragm to contract faster and harder.

Hiccups are less common in adults. If it often appears in a person, this may indicate the presence of pathologies. Physiological hiccups are manifested due to an unsteady connection between the diaphragm and the brain. Hiccups in young children resolve over time as the diaphragm develops and neural regulation develops.

Causes of hiccups in an infant

The baby can hiccup not only after feeding, but also while taking milk or formula. The following factors provoke hiccups:

• Pressure on the diaphragm due to stretching of the walls of the stomach.
• Increased intestinal gas and muscle tension.
• Entry of air into the digestive system.

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The last reason applies more to babies who are fed formula or expressed milk. Perhaps the nipple on the feeding bottle was made too large a hole, and the child swallows air along with food.

Irritation of the diaphragm can also occur due to external factors.

Hiccups are often caused by hypothermia. Usually, babies begin to hiccup after a walk in the fresh air or taking air baths.

Hiccups appear after the tip of the nose and fingers of the child become cool. Dress your baby warmly as soon as you notice these signs.

Usually hiccups last no longer than 10-15 minutes, after which the baby calms down. If the baby hiccups much longer and for no apparent reason, and at the same time this process causes him discomfort, parents should contact the pediatrician. Pathological hiccups may indicate the presence of inflammatory diseases of the abdominal organs.

In case of impaired lung activity, constant hiccups prevent the child from fully breathing.

Causes of pathological hiccups also sometimes lie in disorders of the nervous system, lesions of the brain or spinal cord. Prolonged hiccups are typical for babies who have received CNS disorders during childbirth due to hypoxia.
A child can also hiccup for a long time due to strong excitation of the nervous system, for example, when frightened or from too bright light.

The child hiccups after feeding: what to do?

Ways to stop hiccups will depend on the reasons that provoked it:

1
The child hiccups due to overeating.
This problem is more common with artificial babies when the amount of formula for feeding was calculated incorrectly. Babies overeat less often, as they regulate the amount of milk themselves. Mom can be advised to reduce the volume of the portion of the mixture, and make feedings more frequent. When the baby is very hungry, he not only eats more than necessary, but also swallows air.

2
Wrong principle of feeding.
Hiccups appear due to improper attachment, when the baby only grasps the nipple. In the correct feeding variant, it is imperative that the baby’s lips capture part of the nipple halo.

Sometimes a newborn hiccups after a feed because the flow of milk is too strong and the baby does not have time to swallow the previous portion. If you notice milk leaking out of your baby’s mouth during a feed, express some milk before feeding to slow down the flow.

Do not put the baby to bed immediately after feeding. Hold it for at least a few minutes “column”. In an upright position, the child will have the opportunity to burp excess air.

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3
Increased gas formation.
Colic and hiccups, appearing due to the release of gases in the intestines, bother babies up to 5-6 months. You can fight these phenomena in the following way:

• Taking herbal preparations to improve the functioning of the digestive tract (dill water, chamomile, fennel decoction).
• Mom’s diet with the exclusion of gas-producing foods (cabbage, legumes, fatty and spicy dishes).
• For formula-fed babies, a softer formula is selected, for example, based on goat’s milk.
• Abdominal massage for signs of flatulence (performed clockwise around the navel).
• Bicycle exercise.

If your baby seems to be hiccuping due to nervous tension, you can start practicing soothing herbal baths.

Carry your baby more often, rock him in the carrycot. This has a positive effect on the nervous system of the baby.

If the above methods do not help, you should just wait until the hiccups pass by themselves. You can give the child some water, holding the “column” to stroke him on the back from the bottom up, so that excess air comes out. When hiccups do not cause concern in a child, then there is no need for parents to worry. Treatment is necessary only when hiccups occur frequently and are accompanied by crying.

Some doctors believe the cause is a poorly established connection between the brain and the diaphragm
. There is also an opinion that hiccups come from overeating, when a full stomach presses on the diaphragm, causing it to convulsively contract. Also, the cause of hiccups in children after feeding may be the swallowing of air. This can cause not only hiccups, but also regurgitation after feeding, and then bloating.

What should I do if my newborn hiccups after feeding?
Here are some options for parents to solve this problem:

1. If the baby hiccups from overfeeding, then of course, try not to overfeed him
. Signs of overfeeding a child may be too abundant regurgitation (especially), in an infant, overfeeding can be determined by the presence of undigested curdled milk residues in the feces. You can try to feed more often, but in smaller portions. In order not to overfill the baby’s stomach.

2. If the baby swallows air during feeding, then after eating, carry him vertically in a column, pressing him to your tummy
. This will help move the air bubbles. The baby will burp and stop hiccuping. If the baby is artificial, then maybe you should change the bottle or pacifier on it. Now there are many options for special anti-colic bottles that prevent air from entering when feeding a baby. If the baby swallows air while breastfeeding, adjust the feeding position, it may be worth feeding by holding the crumbs at an angle, or pressing him closer to the breast. Also make sure that he correctly captures the breast (not only the nipple, but also the areola – the areola).

3. It happens that the baby chokes on abundantly flowing milk from the mother’s breast or bottle, which causes hiccups
. Change the nipple in the bottle to one that has one small hole through which the milk will slowly flow and the baby will need to make an effort to suck it out. If the baby is choking on milk from his mother’s breast, then feed intermittently so that he has time to swallow a portion before getting a new one.

4. The old tried and true way to stop a baby from hiccups is to give him water
(if he doesn’t drink from a bottle, then give it from a spoon), or put it on his chest for a while, so that the baby took a couple of sips. If this does not help, then you can rock the child, falling asleep, he will stop hiccuping.

As you can see, hiccups are normal for a newborn baby, the older he gets, the less often he will have bouts of hiccups
. If the above methods do not help you, then just wait until the hiccups pass by themselves, believe me, it does not cause such anxiety in the child as in mothers and grandmothers. Just do not listen to “experienced advisers” and scare the baby, except for the shaken nervous system, you will not achieve anything with this. It’s better to try to “talk” hiccups, this will at least distract you from bad thoughts, for example: “Hiccups, hiccups, go to Fedot, from Fedot to Yakov, from Yakov to anything.”

Finally, your baby is born, and you return home with him from the maternity hospital, the pleasant chores of caring for the baby begin. At first, inexperienced parents may worry about any sound made by the baby, if he sneezes, cries, grunts or hiccups.

You might be familiar with the hiccups of your little one even in utero, babies begin to hiccup while still in their mother’s tummy. In this way, they train the respiratory muscles and develop the diaphragm.

Parents often ask themselves the question – why does a newborn hiccup after feeding, is everything in order or do you need specialist help?

What is called hiccups

Hiccups, like many other conditions of the body, is a reflex act.

In the body of an adult or a child, the abdominal and thoracic cavities are separated from each other by a special partition – the diaphragm.

The diaphragm is a special, strong partition made up of muscles and connective tissue. Its contractions aid in the act of breathing and the regulation of intrathoracic or intra-abdominal pressure.

With a sharp and rhythmic contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm, hiccups occur. For adults, hiccups are relatively rare, and often persistent hiccups are a sign of pathology.

In children, the muscles and nerve plexuses in the diaphragm are still immature, and hiccups are quite normal and relatively physiological for them. Due to it, the development of the diaphragm occurs, the maturation of the nervous regulation and gradually the hiccups disappear.

Causes of hiccups in newborns

The reasons why a newborn hiccups after each feed may be different. The main factors that provoke hiccups in newborns include:

• accumulation of gases in the child’s intestines;
• overdistension of the baby’s stomach;
• muscle tension;
• excitation of the nervous system by any external and internal influencing factors.

Whatever the cause, if a newborn hiccups after a feed, the muscles or nerves of the diaphragm become irritated, which creates a kind of muscle cramp and a sharp muscle contraction with a characteristic sound and movement.

Accordingly, if all irritating factors on the diaphragm are eliminated, hiccups will also disappear.

Most often, a newborn hiccups after feeding, when freezing or excited, after prolonged crying.

In extremely rare cases, persistent and prolonged hiccups can be a sign of damage to the nervous system during childbirth as a result of hypoxia, trauma, or the influence of negative factors.

Ways to help the newborn

Newborn baby often hiccups after feeding as a result of a severely distended stomach. This can happen for two main reasons:

• The child ate too much, usually this happens with artificial people, with an incorrect calculation of the amount of feeding. In infants, this happens less often, they themselves regulate the amount of sucked milk. Excess food in the stomach greatly stretches the weak walls, as a result, the stomach begins to strongly press on the diaphragm. In response to irritation and pressure, the diaphragm begins to contract, and the newborn hiccups after feeding.
• A second factor in hiccups may be swallowing excess air from improper attachment to the breast, greedy sucking, crying while feeding, or an incorrectly fitted large opening formula bottle.

How to help a child in these cases?

First of all, you need to:

• Follow the correct attachment of the baby to the breast, so that when he attaches not only the nipple itself, but also most of the breast areola, there were no sounds during feeding, except for sips of milk.
• Feed him more often so that a hungry baby does not greedily pounce on food and does not suck too actively and quickly. If the first portions of milk flow too quickly, you can squeeze the breast a little before applying the crumbs to the breast to reduce the rate of milk flow.
• Give him an opportunity to burp air after feeding by holding him upright and patting him on the back.
• An artificial child needs to strictly calculate the volume of the mixture for one feeding, in between them give water, a pacifier, carry it in his arms if the child is worried. Do not dilute the mixture and feed the baby.
• It is important to choose the right teat and the size of the hole in it, as well as a bottle with an anti-colic system so that the baby does not swallow excess air. Today, special nipples with an air valve and an ergonomic shape are sold. The size of the hole should be as small as possible so that the mixture only drips slightly from the bottle, but does not flow, the child should suck out the contents of the bottle.

If the baby has gas in the intestines, he may also hiccup after feeding. The period of colic with excessive gas formation lasts in children from about three weeks to three months.

This is due to the immaturity of the intestinal wall, enzyme deficiency and the formation of microbial flora. The digestive system is actively learning to work properly, and gas and colic can become side effects of this study.

This is a completely natural process, although it may bring discomfort to the child and anxiety to the parents due to crying and hiccups. A distended bowel loop increases intra-abdominal pressure and puts pressure on the diaphragm, irritating its muscles and nerves and causing hiccups.

If a newborn hiccups after feeding with bloating, you can do the following:

• When breastfeeding, mommy should take a closer look at her diet, temporarily excluding gas-producing and irritating foods from it. It can be fatty foods, sweets, cabbage, legumes, spicy dishes. Also, bloating can manifest individual reactions of intolerance to certain products. It is important to keep a food diary in the first months of feeding and note in it all the reactions of the child to the foods introduced by the mother’s diet.
• When it comes to IV, it is important to choose the right formula for feeding your baby. For children with sensitive digestion, it can be goat milk, low lactose or hypoallergenic. With a properly selected mixture and the calculation of its volume for feeding, colic is sharply reduced.
• When gas accumulates, you can massage the abdomen, “bicycle” with legs, spread it on the tummy, put a warm diaper on the stomach, and even put a gas tube.
• You can use preparations of plant and synthetic origin from gaziki – Sub-simplex, Bobotik, Espumizan, dill water, fennel or chamomile decoction.

Often a newborn hiccups after eating due to excessive muscle tension in the diaphragm. In young children, the state of increased muscle tone (hypertonicity) is normal.

That is why children react to any external stimuli by increasing muscle tone, including the diaphragm. Newborn hiccups. Massages, baths with decoctions of soothing herbs, carrying on hands will help.

Similarly, the child reacts to changes in temperature – often hiccups are provoked by changing clothes or if the child is naked for some time. This does not mean that he is very cold, it means that the skin receptors perceive a change in temperature and transmit signals to the brain.

He also reacts to them by muscle contraction and their excitation, including the muscles of the diaphragm. To help cope with such hiccups, socks and warming the baby in his arms with the heat of his body help.

Similarly, hiccups can be caused by other external stimuli – bright lights or sharp sounds, strangers in the house, they excite the nervous system of the crumbs.

In the first months of life, while the child is adapting to external conditions, try to reduce exciting stimuli to a minimum.

When should you see a doctor?

If a child hiccups constantly, or attacks of hiccups are accompanied by severe anxiety, crying, blue nasolabial triangle, these may be signs of:

• lesions of the nervous system;
• fetal hypoxia during childbirth or pregnancy;
• problems with the heart and blood vessels;
• lung lesions;
• diseases of the digestive system.

In these cases, it is necessary to visit a pediatrician and find out the causes of hiccups, as well as prescribing adequate treatment depending on the identified pathology.

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How to deal with hiccups in a newborn baby

Causes of hiccups in a baby

There are many reasons that cause hiccups in a newborn:

• Excessive air intake during feeding.
• Overfeeding
• The cry of a baby, during which a large amount of air enters the lungs and stomach.
• Excess gas formation in the intestines, characteristic of children in the first three months of life. The accumulation of gases leads to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure and pushes the diaphragm upward. Stretching with intestinal gases is extremely painful for the baby. The crying that occurs during this is another factor that provokes hiccups due to excessive swallowing of air.
• If the baby is cold, this can also cause hiccups.
• Fright – unexpected and loud sounds, a flash of light can frighten the baby, as a result of which he begins to hiccup.

In rare cases, hiccups are caused by various diseases and pathological conditions. If you suspect that something is wrong with the baby’s health, you should urgently consult with a specialist.

How to deal with hiccups in a newborn baby?

Inexperienced parents often ask themselves: how to deal with hiccups in newborns? A nursing mother needs not only to create a friendly atmosphere in the house. She needs to carefully monitor her diet and exclude from it foods that invariably provoke pain in the tummy and increased gas formation in the baby.

In case of frequent hiccups, attention should be paid to the correct attachment of the baby to the breast. If his mouth does not cover the entire areola, but only the nipple, air can enter the esophagus and stomach during feeding, which leads to stretching of these organs, pressure on the diaphragm and causes hiccups. You can take short breaks during feeding, waiting for the air that came with the food to escape.

Important!

Care should be taken to ensure that the baby does not overeat. It is necessary to give him the amount of breast milk recommended by a specialist.

Do not breastfeed at the first sign of anxiety, attributing it to hunger. The baby may not want to eat all the time, and his crying may be due to overwork, discomfort from an overflowing diaper, or other reasons. After the establishment of lactation, you need to switch to routine feeding, finely adjusting to the needs of the crumbs.

Do not put the baby to bed immediately after the next feeding. In this position, the pressure of the stomach on the diaphragm increases. It is desirable that the child stays in an upright position for 10-15 minutes. Pick him up and walk around the room with him.

When crying, do not wait for the baby to calm down on its own. Take the baby in your arms, hug it to you, shake it. An affectionate conversation, stroking, a bright toy will calm and distract the child.

Abdominal massage helps with excessive gas formation. Heat does a great job with intestinal spasms and promotes the release of gases. Therefore, a warm diaper applied to the tummy will alleviate the child’s condition, the pressure on the diaphragm will decrease, and the hiccups will pass.

If the ailment is caused by a nervous shock, parents should be vigilant, eliminating sources of stress For example, you can change the signal on your mobile phone – set it to a quiet, calm melody. Some parents of newborns simply set the phone to vibrate so as not to frighten the baby with harsh sounds. It is recommended to remove the musical pendants from the baby’s crib if you notice that immediately after turning on such a toy, the baby starts to hiccup.

Important!

If the hiccups are caused by hypothermia, you need to warm him up – put on warm clothes or cover with a blanket.

If hiccups are prolonged and accompanied by alarming symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc., a specialist should be consulted to rule out pathological processes.

How to remove hiccups from a newborn baby with folk methods?

There are simple ways to get rid of hiccups. True, not all of them are suitable for children. For example, to scare a baby to eliminate hiccups, of course, should not be.

An effective way to eliminate hiccups is to put the baby to the breast. The process of sucking soothes the baby, relaxes his muscles. The child stops crying, his breathing becomes rhythmic, and the hiccups go away.

Many experts are convinced that hiccups in a newborn baby are normal.