Question
My baby is over ten days old and frequently has hiccups. Is this a sign of illness? How should I deal with it?
Answer
Infants may experience hiccups due to crying, sucking on milk, or swallowing too quickly. Mild hiccups usually resolve on their own within a few minutes, but severe cases may cause difficulty breathing and even affect sleep. Here are several effective methods to relieve an infant’s hiccups: When the baby has hiccups, first hold them upright, gently pat their back, and give them a small amount of warm water. Hold the baby upright and use the tip of your finger to lightly scratch around the baby’s mouth or ear until they cry; the hiccups usually disappear with the crying. Since the nerves around the mouth are more sensitive, scratching can relax them and thereby stop the hiccups. Additionally, avoid feeding the baby when they are too hungry or crying excessively.