Question
Mothers often express concerns about their babies making hiccuping sounds during sleep, such as: “My baby always makes hiccuping sounds while sleeping, and can’t settle down,” “My baby always likes to hiccup twice while sleeping, is this a problem?” or “My baby keeps waking up at night and inadvertently makes some hiccups while tossing and turning in bed. Is this normal?”
Answer
Newborns have not fully developed their nervous systems, and their excitement and inhibition functions are not coordinated, making them prone to excitation responses to external stimuli, leading to babies being easily startled. This is a normal physiological phenomenon that will naturally disappear as the baby grows older. The body movements of babies during sleep, including blushing, are also normal phenomena. Traditionally, people believe that babies stretching vigorously is a sign of growth,