How to Get Rid of Baby Hiccups?

After writing articles on how to get rid of baby acne?, how to stop hiccups?, and how to get rid of gas?, Here is our next article on how to get rid of baby hiccups? Hiccups are usually considered as a harmless nuisance of the digestive system that occurs at all ages even in wombs. They are caused when your diaphragm contracts and the vocal cords quickly close. The rapid closing of these vocal cords creates the sound of hiccups.

Hiccups are common among adults and this is why people usually assume that they are common in babies too. However, babies are generally not affected by hiccups. As they rarely interfere or affect your baby’s breathing process, many of them even can sleep through a bout of hiccups without being disturbed.

Causes of Baby Hiccups:

Hiccups can often occur in babies, especially while feeding or they can just happen without any reason. It is not an obvious cause; researchers say that hiccups in infants can also serve as an aid to burping. They typically don’t bother the babies and go away on their own. When they don’t, then you can try some of the home remedies that will ease your baby’s hiccups.

While seldom painful and not a medical problem, hiccups are sometimes unsettling and startling for an infant. Persistent hiccups can also signal towards Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) in infants. This is typically a common and temporary condition where babies regurgitate some of their stomach contents into the esophagus, causing pain. In such cases, you should visit the doctor immediately.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Baby Hiccups

1.) Use The Anise

Anise seed gripe water is an effective remedy that helps to get rid of baby hiccups. It is also easily available at every medical store. They are also available in specially formulated for infants. Also, if you do not want to use commercial gripe water, then you can easily prepare it at home.

• Boil a cup of water and add one teaspoon of anise seed to it.
• Now, allow the water to cool down.
• Strain the seeds and store the liquid in a clean bottle.
• Give a few drops of this homemade gripe water to your baby.
• This will ease the hiccups quickly.

2.) Sugar Water for Baby Hiccups

Sugar is an age-old remedy that helps to get rid of baby hiccups. You can easily prepare sugar-water at home with this DIY recipe.

• Take 4 ounces of boiled and then cooled down water.
• Dissolve a quarter teaspoon of sugar in this water.
• Feed your baby with a few drops of this solution.
• Repeat this several times a day when the hiccups struck your baby.
• For a bit older babies, fill the water solution in their feeding bottle and let the baby suck on it.
• This will cure hiccups quickly.

3.) Honey to Ease Baby Hiccups

Honey is another effective remedy that helps to get rid of hiccups in babies. Honey tastes good, so your child won’t be having any taste problem. It also consists of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that will help ease the baby hiccups fast.

• Take 3-4 ounces of lukewarm water and dissolve a teaspoon of honey (pure and organic).
• Feed 1-2 teaspoons of this solution to your baby when the hiccups struck.

NOTE- Do not exceed the dosage of honey because it has elements that can harm the baby if given in excess quantity.

4.) Try The Lemon For Baby Hiccups

Lemon helps to ease the frequency and intensity of hiccups in babies. It is an effective remedy to get rid of hiccup in a baby easily and quickly.

• Make your baby suck on a freshly cut slice of lemon.
• As an alternative, you can also dissolve lemon juice in 3-4 ounces of water (Boiled and cooled down).
• Feed your baby with this lemon water when the hiccups struck.

NOTE- Opt for the lemon remedy only when no other treatment works or the hiccups are really bad.

5.) Gentle Pat On the Back

Infants and babies tend to swallow a lot of air while you feed them. The air trapped inside the baby’s stomach trigger sudden hiccups. In order to stop this, you can gently pat your baby’s back after every feed or when the hiccups struck. This gentle and rhythmic stroking on the back helps to dislodge the trapped air and the baby burps. As a result of these gentle pats the trapped air is released and this helps to get rid of baby hiccups automatically.

6.) Fennel Seeds for Baby Hiccups

Fennel is known as the most effective remedy to get rid of baby hiccups among other available anti-gas and anti-colic remedies. Although, Americans have no such habit of giving Fennel seeds to their baby. Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend Fennel seeds as a medicine, it is not “Banned” either. Reason being that Fennel as a herb in its purest form is not extensively investigated by them to use as a prescribed medicine for babies. Whereas, in a country like Poland you can even buy a Fennel Tea for your baby as fennel is known as a popular remedy for babies in the country. So, apart from those who prefer the internet to ease their baby hiccups, other are left with no option but to console their babies when the hiccups struck and the babies become colic and also irritated.

Fennel Seeds Tea Recipe:

• You can buy Fennel seeds from any grocery store.
• Add a half teaspoon of fennel seeds to a cup of water.
• Boil the mixture and strain in a glass to eliminate the seeds from the water.
• If you want, then add some sugar to it as an addition to its taste.
• Cool down the solution and feed it to your baby.
• This will help to get rid of baby hiccups quickly by releasing the trapped gas.
• You can also buy ready-made Gripe Water if available or order online.

7.) Chamomile Tea Ease Baby Hiccups

Another popular and effective remedy to get rid of baby hiccups is Chamomile Tea. And the good news is that it is also popular in the US to ease baby hiccups. In case you want to prefer, the recipe of Chamomile Tea is mentioned below.

• Add a few chamomile flowers or dried herb to a pot of boiling water.
• Cut fresh apple wedges and add to the pot.
• When soften, mash with a wooden spatula.
• Let the tea brew for a few minutes, simmer the gas and cover the pot with a lid.
• Now, strain the mixture to eliminate the left out particles and cool it down.
• Feed your baby with a cup of Chamomile Tea when the hiccups struck.
• Repeat as required.

8.) Ginger for Baby Hiccups

Ginger is the best-known remedy to ease stomach infections and gastric problems. It also helps in improved digestion. Try this remedy to treat baby hiccups fast.

• Extract the juice of grated ginger by squeezing it or you can also take the help of a juicer if possible.
• Mix it with a few drops of honey and give it to your baby when the hiccups struck.
• This will help to release the gas and get rid of hiccups.
• Gripe water also contains ginger extracts in it, so if you want then buy one from the nearby store.

9.) Peanut Butter to Ease Baby Hiccups

This is another great method to stop baby hiccups easily. The sticky and gooey consistency of Peanut Butter helps to stimulate the vagus nerve. This forces the diaphragm to constrict.

• Place a spoon full of Peanut Butter in your baby’s mouth and let it melt slowly on the tongue.  
• This will help to ease and get rid of baby hiccups easily.

10.) Breast Feed When The Hiccups Struck

The hiccups occur due to an irritated diaphragm. When a baby sucks on the breast for milk that comes out slowly, this gives the time to the diaphragm to relax and go back to the normal state from a jerk.

11.) Try Something to Swallow

Again the ideology here is to feed the baby with things that they can easily swallow, this will ease and regulate the out of whack diaphragm.

Few of the edibles include:

• Rice Cereals
• Apple Sauce
• Almond Butter
• Nutella
• Mashed Bananas

12.) Massage the Baby’s Back

Massage can help to ease the diaphragm and get rid of baby hiccups easily. Make the baby lie down in upright position with back upwards. Using upward motions move your hand from the lower back towards the baby’s shoulder. This technique may take a few minutes to give results, so don’t lose hopes. Another alternative is to place your baby on the ground with the back upwards. Allow the baby to move around a little bit. This will release any trapped air inside the baby’s stomach that causes hiccups. Now, gently rub the baby’s back until the hiccups are gone.

13.) Try Breastfeeding to Stop Baby Hiccups

This is another effective method to get rid of baby hiccups fast. Hiccups take place when the diaphragm gets disturbed. If you are breastfeeding mother then feeding milk would be a great option to stop baby hiccups. Just feed your baby, as the milk comes out slowly, it will relax diaphragm and stop from herky-jerk to the normal position.

14.) Try a Little Sugar

Try this one of the old times remedies to get rid of baby hiccups. All you have to do is to take some sugar on your finger and let your child suck it for few minutes. You will notice, the hiccups will almost fade away in no time. The reason behind this method is, once the baby swallows the sugar granule it disrupts the diaphragm back to its normal condition.

15.) Distract Your Baby

This is another tested and tried method by many moms. Just distract your baby with a toy or a game that will not only keep him/her happy when they have the hiccups, but can also help to get rid of hiccups effectively. You can play few games mentioned below to distract your baby.

• Play peek-a-boo.
• Give your baby a shaking.
• Give your baby a chewing toy.

Other Useful Tips to Prevent Hiccups:

• Whenever you feed make sure your baby is calm. But this doesn’t mean that your baby becomes very hungry and starts cry before you begin to feed.
• After each feed, keep your baby in an upright position for about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Just after you feed the baby don’t do heavy playing such as bouncing the baby upward or downward.
• When you are feeding your baby, stop in the middle to burp your baby. Once your baby has suckled 2 to 3 ounces of milk, you need to stop so that your baby gets time to digest the milk.
• When you are feeding the baby, hold it an upward direction. Make your baby sit at an angle of 35 to 40 degree so that pressure on the diaphragm is reduced.
• If your baby is making gulping noises or eating rapidly, then it’s better to take rest to prevent hiccups. Relax the baby and then start feeding the baby.
• Gripe water is one of the safest and natural remedy to prevent baby hiccups. This water reduces the gas, hiccups and colic in newborn babies. Give your baby 2.5 ml of gripe water to your baby to stop hiccups.

Later, you can read articles on how to get rid of acid reflux?, and how to get rid of heartburn?