Question
My newborn is 15 days old and often gets hiccups while stretching, which last for a longer duration. Sometimes, drinking water can relieve the hiccups, but not always. Moreover, the baby is still asleep during hiccups. Is this a symptom of a disease? How should I handle the baby’s frequent hiccups?
Answer
The most common cause of spitting up is physiological spitting up, as the baby’s stomach is horizontal, making it easy to inhale air. After feeding, gases are pushed out, and when the gases are expelled, milk comes out with them. To address this situation, it’s best not to feed too quickly during the first feeding. After feeding, you should hold the baby upright and burp them for two to three minutes each time. If the baby’s burping is not effective, you can burp them every 10 to 20 minutes to reduce or prevent milk from spilling out. It’s also important to clear nasal mucus at appropriate times, usually before feeding and sleeping, to ensure the child can breastfeed and sleep well. Therefore, cleaning nasal mucus before breastfeeding and sleeping is beneficial.