Today I would like to present you a REAL hiccups cure for infants.
Newborns are adorable. They are also a hot mess of biology. That’s an official term 🙂
Along with the baby acne, spit up, gas, and blow-outs … there’s hiccups. Almost ALL newborns get hiccups regularly (sometimes seemingly constantly!) They’re not dangerous at all.
However, some infants do seem to be upset by them. The hiccups can also cause some infants to swallow air …. Which we all know can lead to that dreaded gas! That’s why parents care. That’s why there’s a lot of crap about there about a “baby hiccups cure”.
In this article, I’ll explain what the hiccups are (biologically), and how my “cure” might actually be able to help your little angel.
Hiccups are caused by a spasm in the diaphragm muscle. That’s the shelf-like muscle under the lungs that helps your chest puff up when you take a deep breath. When it spasms (like an eye twitch), you hiccup. The hiccups go away when the muscle relaxes.
That’s why some babies get hiccups after they drink too much. When their little stomachs swell full of milk, it will press on the diaphragm and can cause the dreaded twitching. So, figure out how to get your babies diaphragm to relax, and you’ve got a cure!![/fusion_text][fusion_text]How the heck do you get a diaphragm to relax?! I’ll tell you!!
This baby hiccups cure is actually from my Mom, the original baby whisperer. She’s been doing this with babies for over 30 years because it works! I’m just here to pass along the knowledge and explain why.
Here are the steps to help stopping hiccups:
- Sitting down, hold your baby in the “colic position” belly down and cradling his jaw in the crook between your thumb and pointer finger
- Gently drape his body over one of your thighs. So your cradling his head with one hand, and holding his little booty with the other.
- Adjust his position so this his full weight is on your thigh. You’re still supporting his little butt with your hand (so he doesn’t slide of your leg onto the floor), but his weight is on your thigh. This allows his own weight to add gentle even pressure to his belly and diaphragm – that’s the key!
- Now very slowly rock your leg back and forth or up and down – whatever feels natural. The gentle rocking motion will further help baby relax.
- Sing or hum to your baby! This will help YOU relax. Your baby will sense your calm. Also, it will help you keep your leg muscles relaxed which means a softer cushion.
That’s it! It may take a few minutes for your baby to relax. You’ll feel his little limbs become more dead weight and then poof! Hiccups cured! Sometimes it works almost instantly!
I will say – this won’t work if the baby is screaming. In that case, try to calm him down first, and then drape him over your thigh.
Still confused? Here’s a video version of the instructions:
My second baby could toot like a grown man and we were constantly battling gas pain. He would also get hiccups multiple times a day and hearing him swallow air was like a personal insult with every gulp since I knew we’d pay for it later. This little move became a lifesaver for us!
It’s funny how such a tiny stomach can cause so much mayhem in one house, isn’t it?! I hope this cure will help keep your little gas-machine happy!
Happy hiccup-ing,
xo Dr. Young
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