A child hiccups in the womb every day - let’s look at what to do and what to do

During pregnancy, any changes in the baby's behavior may be perceived by the mother as an illness or deviation from the norm. This is especially true in the last months, when the mother is already mentally prepared for the birth of a child. And when the fetus in the stomach, in addition to the usual movements and movements, suddenly begins to hiccup, this makes many people very worried. Should I worry in this case?

How a mother feels when her baby hiccups

Hiccups in a baby can occur both in the middle and at the end of pregnancy. A baby can hiccup only if his respiratory and nervous systems are already sufficiently developed.

Here are the sensations a woman experiences when her baby hiccups:

• uniform tremors, sometimes lasting up to an hour;
• ticking in the stomach;
• rhythmic twitching, monotonous knocking;
• uniform spasms, pulsation.

Such sensations may continue for varying amounts of time. For some it goes away in just a couple of minutes, for others the hiccups last about an hour. The frequency of such “attacks” can also vary greatly: from a single case to 6-8 times a day.

Why does a child hiccup?

The exact cause of baby hiccups in the womb has not been established. According to the observations of specialists, at such moments he does not experience pain or discomfort, so this phenomenon is considered to be the norm.

There are only a number of assumptions that explain the nature of a baby’s hiccups:

• child swallowing amniotic fluid;
• preparation for breathing;
• fetal hypoxia.

Swallowing amniotic fluid

One of the assumptions put forward by scientists about fetal hiccups is the child’s frequent swallowing of amniotic fluid, the so-called amniotic fluid. There is nothing wrong with this - the baby constantly swallows it and it is simply excreted along with the urine. Hiccups may occur if he has swallowed more liquid than usual. To remove its excess, his body begins hiccupping movements.

Many people associate the appearance of hiccups with the food that the mother eats. Most often this happens after a large amount of sweets that a pregnant woman has eaten. The child, sensing the sweet taste, begins to intensively swallow amniotic fluid, which provokes hiccups.

Preparing for future breathing

Another opinion of experts regarding hiccups is that the child develops his diaphragm in this way in order to prepare for independent breathing and swallowing food after childbirth.

If the theory is correct, then this reason can be considered very useful for the child: after birth it will be much easier for him to take his first breath, and in the future he will quickly adapt to independent food intake.

Hypoxia

Another theory that explains the nature of hiccups is the lack of oxygen entering the baby’s body through the mother’s placenta. This problem is extremely dangerous for the child’s health and can cause serious complications if it is not diagnosed in time and treatment is not started. Although this version is not widespread, any mother should be wary of such phenomena and, in order to avoid serious consequences, consult a gynecologist.

When to go to the doctor

Most cases of baby hiccups are completely natural and should not cause concern to a pregnant woman.

The norm is considered to be fetal hiccups no more than three attacks per day and for no more than 1 hour. In this case, the child continues to behave as before, the movements do not increase, and the woman should not experience any discomfort.

If hiccups occur every day and last longer, and the child begins to behave restlessly - moves a lot and actively - you should tell the doctor about your concerns, since we are talking about fetal hypoxia.

Diagnostics

After the gynecologist listens to the complaints of a pregnant woman, he may prescribe the following examinations:

• Ultrasound with Doppler. It will help to identify disturbances in the blood circulation of the blood vessels of the placenta. If your baby hiccups during this procedure, the sounds of hiccups will be clearly audible.
• Carditocography. Determines the frequency and nature of the child's heartbeat. Hypoxia is most likely when the pulse is rapid.

These examinations do not pose a danger to the pregnant woman and the fetus, so they can be taken at any time and as often as desired.

What to do if your baby has hiccups

If the baby's hiccups cause discomfort to the mother and interfere with her daily activities, we can recommend the following:

• Do exercises. A few simple physical exercises will help improve blood circulation and saturate the body with oxygen.
• A light walk in the fresh air can have the same effect.
• If the baby hiccups when a woman is in a sitting or lying position for a long time, it is recommended to simply change the position more often.
• Since hiccups are often associated with eating sugary foods while pregnant, you can try reducing the amount of sweets in your diet. It is especially not recommended to eat sweets before bed.
• It may also be that the baby is simply cold. If the room temperature is low, you need to dress warmly or cover your stomach with a blanket. If you intend to walk in cold weather, you should also make sure that your stomach is warm.
• A few minutes in the knee-elbow position can help your baby calm down and stop hiccupping.