Question
The newborn starts to hiccup after drinking milk, and feeding warm water doesn’t work. Sometimes the hiccups are louder, and for the past two days, there have been instances of loud, big hiccups after drinking milk. What should I do?
Answer
In the first one to two months after birth, due to the incomplete development of the phrenic nerve that regulates the diaphragm, when the baby is slightly stimulated, such as inhaling cold air or drinking milk too fast, the diaphragm will suddenly contract, causing rapid inhalation and accompanied by a “hiccup” sound. Some babies’ hiccups can last for 5 to 10 minutes, looking very painful, and parents may become very worried. In fact, hiccups themselves have no adverse effects on the baby’s health, and there is no need to worry excessively.