Hiccups in newborns, what to do? How to stop a hiccup in a newborn? Why does the newborn often hiccup?

Mom's concern for the well-being and health of their children sometimes goes beyond the boundaries of common sense. So, for example, some break off the phones of familiar mothers and pediatricians, trying to learn how to save a newborn from hiccups. But do not set yourself the goal - to completely remove these reflex abbreviations, it is much better to try to find out what they are for and prevent them.

The mechanism of occurrence

Before understanding the causes of hiccoughs, it is desirable to understand the physiology of its appearance. In babies of the first months of life, it arises because they have a weak diaphragmatic muscle, it begins to contract because of the slightest stimulus. In easily excitable crumbs, it can appear even because of bright light, sound or sudden movement. Its mechanism is quite simple: the diaphragm involuntarily convulsively contracts, while the lungs make a sharp sigh, which is accompanied by a characteristic and all known sound. In this case, the baby can shake a little.

Possible causes of hiccups

As a rule, this is quite a natural process. Do not worry too much if you have hiccups in newborns. What to do, you will be able to tell many mothers, because most of them have experienced these characteristic contractions of the diaphragm in their children. First of all, try to understand what caused it. So, among the most common reasons are:

- ingestion of air during feeding;

- a large amount of food that the baby eats at one time;

- a large hole in the nipple on the bottle with a mixture (a crumb may hiccup because it starts to choke with food during meals);

- cold or thirsty.

Some also say that hiccups in newborns after feeding can be an indirect sign of pneumonia, various gastrointestinal infections, liver problems. But do not panic ahead of time. Most often, this happens because excess air or gazik lifts the stomach, and it becomes an irritant for the diaphragm. No less common cause is the cold. The newborn strains the muscles of the press, which also leads to the fact that the stomach begins to press on the diaphragm. Such a reaction to cold indicates that the baby is learning to adapt to environmental conditions.

How to deal with frequent contractions of the diaphragm?

After hearing the characteristic sounds from the baby, try to help him get rid of unpleasant sensations. If you understand the cause, then it will become easier to understand how to help a newborn with a hiccup. To eliminate the reductions caused by overeating, you can press it vertically to yourself or lay it on your tummy. If the body of the crumbs is cool, maybe the baby just froze. Dress it warmer or cover with a blanket.

A newborn can be helped by simply giving him a few sips of water or putting it on his chest for a couple of minutes. Usually experienced parents do not cause fear of hiccups in newborns, what to do in this case, they usually know. After all, it is unlikely you will find at least one mother or father, who never hiccuped a tiny baby.

Prevent the problem

Often, a hiccup in a newborn after a meal is due to the fact that, together with the food crumbs swallowed air. In this case, you can prevent the contraction of the diaphragmatic muscle if you wear it after each meal. This will help gas bubbles easily escape. It is worth noting that most often on hiccups complain moms actively and greedily sucking babies. Such babies need to pause while eating, this will help to prevent the accumulation of a large amount of air in the stomach. During the break, wear the baby's post. For babies who drink the mixture from the bottle, it is important to choose the right nipple. For the smallest, the hole should be small, otherwise you will not be able to overcome the problem of involuntary contraction of the diaphragm.

Frequent hiccups in a newborn require increased attention to the measures of its possible prevention. They boil down to the fact that it is necessary to prevent increased gas production. So, among the most popular and effective ways are called frequent laying on the tummy, massage, adjusting the nutrition for the nursing mother or selecting another mixture for the artificial baby.

What does the baby feel?

Of course, no one can say for sure if the contractions of the diaphragm deliver the baby anxiety. But judging by the fact that most crumbs themselves are quite calm about the fact that they have hiccups, then talk about a strong discomfort is not necessary. The hiccup babe can lie quietly, play with rattles, walk and smile. Of course, if he is cold or something hurts, he will certainly begin to express concern. In all other cases, there are no grounds for experiencing parents.

With the usual physiological hiccup the baby can be bothered only by the fact that he can not fall asleep and is uncomfortable eating. By the way, try to feed the crumb while he hiccups, not worth it.

Whether it is necessary to speak to the doctor?

If your baby hiccups only a few minutes a day, then you can tell the district pediatrician about this only to hear that it is only natural. Also, the doctor will be able to reassure you that the short-lived and short-lived hiccups in newborns should not cause concern for parents. What to do if she does not cause discomfort to the baby, but only causes a panic of parents, the doctor will also tell. Cover, abuse with a column on the handles and give water - some of these techniques must help.

But in cases when the hiccup is protracted, it is necessary to contact the pediatrician as soon as possible. Some crumbs literally hiccup during the day. In others, it can last for several tens of minutes or even hours. Of course, these conditions require additional consultation with a specialist.

Possible pathologies

If you complain to a pediatrician about frequent and prolonged hiccups, which can not be got rid of, then be prepared for the fact that your child will have to undergo a survey. Also, do not be silent, if you see that it gives the baby a visible worry. After all, this is not an ordinary hiccup in newborns, what to do in such situations is better for the doctor to decide.

One possible cause of this condition is neurological problems. In this case, the abbreviations are due to sharp sounds, bright light and even new faces. In this case, the neurologist should examine the crumb, if necessary, neurosonography will be done. If problems are found, do not give up the appropriate treatment.

Another possible cause may be diseases of the stomach, liver, intestines. But such pathologies occur extremely rarely, although ultrasound of the abdominal cavity does not hurt. Also, it would not be superfluous to see a cardiologist and make an ultrasound examination of the heart. Hiccups can be an indirect sign of problems with the main muscle of the body. Often, often hiccated crumbs reveal an open oval window, additional chords or even prolapse of the mitral valve.

Hiccups and vomiting

Some mothers say that the baby starts to hiccup, and after that, very abundantly regurgitates. At the same time, impressionable mothers begin to panic and re-feed the baby, who just finished eating. They think that he had nothing left in his stomach. In this case, it is especially important to find out how to stop a hiccup in a newborn. Better yet, try to prevent it. Vomiting, of course, can indicate a pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, but more often it is a consequence of overfeeding a child. Stretched stomach presses on the diaphragmatic muscle, because of its contraction and the release of excess food begins. If this is the reason, then it is very easy to solve this problem - reduce the volume that the baby drinks at a time. Even with breastfeeding it is possible, just slightly shorten the feeding time.

Was there a problem?

As a rule, by the half-year of parents, hiccups in newborns stop worrying. What they do when they arise, they already know. But this is not the main reason for the absence of anxiety - at this point most babies are fully ripened by the stomach and intestines, so hiccups appear less and less, and eventually disappears altogether. In most cases, all the fears of mothers are in vain.

But still, if your crash every hysteresis lasts more than 20 minutes, more often - much longer, it repeats several times a day, and it is impossible to stop it in the described ways, it is better to talk with a specialist. An additional examination does not do any harm, but it will help to identify possible pathologies at an early age or a disease at the very beginning.