As a parent, there's nothing worse than looking at your little bundle of joy and seeing them struggle with something beyond their control. Whether it's teething, colic or hiccups – geez these things can drive us mad! But you know what? We're going to focus on hiccups right now.
Okay so picture this scenario for me; junior is peacefully sleeping in the crib when all of a sudden – hiccup. And then another...and another…and another…before you know it, junior is looking like he's trying to enter some sort of hiccup marathon!
Worry not fellow parents! In this handy guide, we'll be showing you how to identify hiccup symptoms, understand why they occur and most importantly– teach you ways to get rid of those pesky little buggers called "hiccups".
What causes hiccups?
Before learning how to cure the problem let’s try and understand why babies even get them in the first place. Unfortunately for mums everywhere - nearly 100% percent of infants will experience hiccups at one time or another during infancy (using statistical jargon over here!).
It’s caused by involuntary muscle spasms where your baby suddenly inhales air into his/her diaphragm The result is that sound we’re hearing- “HICCUP”. There are numerous different triggers but most commonly seen are:
- Overfeeding
- Swallowing too much air
- Sudden temperature changes
- A growth spurt
Some good news here though friends! Although sometimes irritating-no harm comes from having regular bouts.
How do I spot my child has the telltale signs of ‘hiccupitis’?
It may seem obvious but stay vigilant mamma/papa! Keep an eye out for these symptoms below which signal that your baby has hiccups.
- A constant ‘hic’ type sound
- Continuous and frequent occurrences lasting for over a minute
- Minimal swelling in the abdominal region
- Short pause between these “hics”
Remedies
Now lovelies, let’s dive deeper into remedies where I’ll be sharing tips on how to cure baby hiccups naturally.
Do Nothing. Yes we’re serious! Sit it out.
This might seem counterintuitive - but often you just need to wait for baby's body to simply correct itself. Try soothing or distracting them with some book reading or cooing which should help alleviate any frustration felt by the baby (and yourself!).
Paced feedings – The tortoise won this race so will Junior!
If bottle feeding, try reducing flow rate of milk since drinking too much too fast could trigger hiccups! 30 minutes after a feeding? Give junior another sip if they're down for trying ! Ingesting smaller volumes therefore slower feeds helps eliminate overwhelming air-swallowing-a main hiccup inducing culprit.
Positional relief with exercise ball
The ’champagne cork popping’ sensation can make little ones jump leaving them startled and puzzled— as though wanting us adults to magically make all right in their world again. Well darling insight is here – gently bouncing up and down can provide temporary relief until nature resumes normalcy. Place your junior safely across an exercise ball moving him/her slowly backwards & forwards keeping their head supported whilst staying attentive at all times.
Bounceable friends are far more beneficial than risky gymnastic moves performed on couches/chairs/beds etc—and saves you embarrassment when injuries occur caused by attempting home workout sessions whilst holding babies!
Ensure your Baby gets ample burping time’
Another reminder folks; after every feeding necessitates sufficient burping time making certain excess swallowed air bubble gusts escape from behind the flap that closes off a baby’s stomach.
Worry not; gentle rubbing/tapping on junior's back will promote release of trapped air when burping them.
Facilitate tummy time!
This useful exercise also helps your little one deal with hiccuping! Lying on their belly is great for developing neck and head strength, visual focus and can help rid those pesky cases of hiccups as well.’ Give it a try - believe me mamma- squirming, fidgety ones stop wriggling around shortly after this tactic starts being used.
Tips & Tricks
We’ve been focusing mainly on natural remedies, but there are other creative ways to put an end to unwanted hiccups. Check out some below:
Tickler toy technique
Get ticklin'! Junior loves playful times and this technique may add extra tingles... tic-tic-tickle their feet once or twice distracting them from any stress related fussiness surrounding regular bouts hiccup-ing. This method offers no guarantees, though many babies totally dig it along becoming one catchy tune-think elmo.)
Cough it up-baby style
No cheese required LO’S (little ones) tend to love coughs because its loud enough making everyone around him/her go ‘whoa"- catch LO'S by surprise imitating cough sounds every few seconds which further forces swallowing—result? Those irritating contractions finally seize.yeah-High five mamma you nailed it!
Apart from having fun with these alternative techniques listed above sharing giggles together creates wonderful unique memories between you both guaranteeing happy results having beneficial effects emotionally mentally long after the hiccup bout has finished .
Conclusion
So folks what did we learn? Hiccups are common among infants due to immature body systems induced by air-swallowing however-having various tools at hand means instant relief gift-wrapped and ready to use! Remember, what works for one infant may not work for another so keep experimenting—this is just the beginning.
Being a parent can be challenging but keeping calm during hiccups bouts whilst following these natural remedies clears away unnecessary irritations leaving cuddle time at the forefront. Even more a word of advice from us, take those precious moments and hug it out-; such hugs create bonding memories that will last forever!