Hiccups in newborns: what are the causes and remedies?
In most cases, newborn hiccups are a problem caused by irritation of the diaphragm muscle which, by contracting rhythmically, causes the typical hiccup effect.
Usually, hiccups in newborns appear immediately after feeding and are often associated with digestive difficulties and gastric disorders ( gastroesophageal reflux in newborns ).
Usually, hiccups in newborns are a temporary and benign condition, but if they last for several hours, it is a sign that should not be underestimated.
In the next paragraphs I will explain the real cause of newborn hiccups and how to make them go away .
Before starting, I'll leave you some useful information:
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What is baby hiccups?
Neonatal hiccups are involuntary movements due to the contraction of the diaphragm and other accessory respiratory muscles , caused by irritation of the diaphragm itself.
This contraction leads to a closure of the vocal cords producing the classic hiccup sound with a rhythmic cadence that varies from 15 to 40 episodes per minute.
Going into more detail, hiccups are a complex mechanism controlled by a nervous circuit that involves various muscles:
- Phrenic nerve: innervates the diaphragm;
- Vagus nerve: X cranial nerve;
- Glossopharyngeal nerve: IX cranial nerve;
- Intercostal nerves: innervate the accessory respiratory muscles.
It is interesting to know that the term derives from the Latin singultus , meaning “to emit a single sound” (from singuli ) or “contraction of the throat” (from sim-glutus ).
But why do newborns hiccup?
Causes of newborn hiccups
We said that hiccups are due to irritation and consequent contraction of the diaphragm.
But why does the diaphragm become irritated and contract?
The diaphragm is a muscle located in the center of the torso and divides the chest from the abdominal cavity.
To be more precise, the diaphragm is positioned just above the stomach .
This is why, when the baby has just eaten and suffers from digestive difficulties or gastroesophageal reflux, the stomach can irritate the diaphragm causing the newborn to hiccup.
This is why hiccups often appear immediately after feeding , when the baby eats frantically, when he is laid down immediately after feeding, but not only.
If associated with other symptoms such as digestive difficulties and regurgitation, hiccups in newborns can also be one of the possible signs of gastroesophageal reflux .
What are the remedies for newborn hiccups?
After understanding how newborn hiccups are the consequence of diaphragmatic irritation, I will now explain how to solve or prevent them.
First of all, you need to understand if the hiccups are associated with gastrointestinal digestive difficulties.
In this case, it is necessary to resolve the reflux and/or gas colic of the newborn (see specific video course), massage the newborn's belly and contact a pediatric osteopath for specific treatments on the diaphragm and the gastrointestinal system.
Along with these essential precautions, you need to take care to position your baby correctly during breastfeeding (both breast and bottle); in other words, it is important to position your baby so that he is not completely horizontally lying down but inclined at about 45 degrees.
This way, the milk can be digested more easily without remaining in the stomach for too long during the feeding itself.
Another fundamental precaution to solve newborn hiccups is to correctly position the baby in your arms immediately after feeding to aid digestion.
Let me explain better, immediately after feeding I recommend that you pick up your baby and hold him perfectly aligned with your back, without hunching him or squashing his belly.
To prevent hiccups, I recommend that you do not lay your baby down immediately after feeding to change his diaper.
Finally, even if your baby does not suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, you can massage the baby's belly with osteo-massage which acts on the gastrointestinal system but also on the baby's diaphragm.