Is it normal for my baby to have hiccups?
Why do baby's get hiccups? And is there anything you can do to prevent them? We asked an expert...
Do you have a hiccupy baby? Here at MFM HQ, one of our writers said hers definitely was - even before her daughter was born she was sure she had hiccups in the womb.
"Pretty much every night, just as I got into bed, there would be this consistent little butterfly-like sensation in one particular spot of my belly. It felt like my baby had hiccups, but I was never sure if that was what it was or not."
We asked Dr Philippa Kaye about babies having hiccups (even before they're born) and she told us that, yes, they can even have them while still in the womb.
"It is normal for a baby to have hiccups, even before they're born - in fact, my youngest used to have them when I was pregnant with her and it was very strange watching my bump rhythmically jerk every few seconds for a few minutes!
"You can even sometimes see babies hiccuping in the womb on ultrasound. Hiccups are sudden strong contractions of the diaphragm, a sheet of muscle under the lungs which is involved in breathing."
While hiccups are not dangerous or anything to worry about, they can be annoying - as you'll know if you ever have them - so is there anything you can do to stop your little one having them?
"If, for example, a baby's stomach is full and stretched this can irritate the diaphragm and lead to hiccups," Philippa explains.
"Keeping your baby upright if bottle feeding, feeding little and often may help prevent hiccups."
Dr Philippa Kaye is a London GP who has written several books on pregnancy and childcare including The First Five Years. See www.drphilippakaye.com and follow her on twitter @drphilippakaye
Read more:
Authors
Tara is mum to 1 daughter, Bodhi Rae, and has worked as Content Editor and Social Media Producer at MadeForMums since 2015
Create the perfect wishlist for your baby with MyCrib
Are you expecting and don't know where to start? Discover how MyCrib can help you build your dream wishlist. You can add products from any site with just one click and even use MyCrib's buying assistant to help get you started.