Newborn care- hiccups

My baby hiccups frequently. Is this normal?
Yes- babies hiccup frequently during the first 3-4 months of life. You may have even noticed your baby had hiccups before they were born. Sometimes hiccups happen every day, sometimes multiple times per day. These do not seem to bother babies. Hiccups typically last a few minutes then resolve on their own. If your baby’s hiccups last longer than a few hours please call your pediatrician.

Sometimes my baby has a hard time eating while they have hiccups. What should I do?
If your baby starts to hiccup during a feed it is best to pause the feed. You can try to burp the baby during this time and return to feeding when the hiccups stop.

Should I give my baby water to stop the hiccups?
Water is not recommended for babies under 6 months old and won’t actually help get rid of the hiccups.

My family has told me about home remedies for hiccups. Will these work?
Probably not- hiccups are cause by a spasm of the diaphragm, which is a muscle used for breathing. Hiccups occur more commonly in babies because the nervous system, which affects the diaphragm, is not yet mature. As the baby gets older the hiccups will fade. Hiccups do not negatively affect the baby’s breathing or heart rate. Home remedies such as scaring the baby, having them breathe into a paper bag, drinking water, etc. will not help prevent or stop the hiccups and may be harmful to the baby.

If my baby has hiccups during sleep should I wake them?
There is no need to wake a baby who is having hiccups during sleep. Hiccups while asleep are not harmful.

A few babies have hiccups that occur after feeds. If you are noticing this pattern you can try to slow down or pace the feeds, burp frequently during the feed, change the feeding position and ensure the baby has a good latch to the breast or bottle. If your baby is fussy, arches the back during or after a feed, has painful, frequent spit up or is not gaining weight well please discuss this with your pediatrician.