Hiccups can be a big worry for many pregnant women and new moms. Why does their baby have them? Is their baby in pain from them? What can they do about them? Rest assured, most of the time the baby is not in pain, and the mother is more bothered by the fact that the hiccups have appeared, than the baby is having them.

Hiccups in Utero
Pregnant women often mention feeling their baby having hiccups while in the womb and wonder what causes this. These hiccups can start in the first trimester, but won’t be felt by mom until late in the second trimester or during the third trimester. Rarely do the hiccups bother the mother-to-be, however some moms might worry that it is hurting their baby.

The exact cause of your baby’s hiccups is unknown. However, many specialists believe that your baby’s hiccups may be helping to strengthen the diaphragm muscle in order to help the baby breathe both in the womb and once they are born. In many cases your baby will have the hiccups at the same time everyday.

Not only can hiccups be felt by the mom-to-be, but it can also be detected during an ultrasound and picked up on a Doppler while at the doctor’s office for a routine visit. After a woman has been assured that these hiccups are normal and are not bothering their baby, then they become something that can be looked forward to on a daily basis, much like their baby kicking.

Hiccups After Birth
If your baby had hiccups while in utero, it is very plausible that he will have the hiccups after he is born. Some babies that did not have them in utero may still have them after birth. Hiccups can start after birth as early as the day your baby is born. Like the hiccups your baby might have had in utero, these hiccups are generally not painful for your baby.

Hiccups after birth occur when the diaphragm muscle contracts causing your baby to take quick short breaths. Normally these hiccups go away after only a few minutes. If they are really bothering you, try burping your baby more often during feedings. To get them to stop you can try to feed your baby whether you are nursing or bottlefeeding. The constant sucking and swallowing can help that muscle relax and help the hiccups stop.

Ear infections are terribly painful and in a baby who can’t tell you what is wrong, they can easily go undiagnosed. Many times parents do not know that their baby has an ear infection until they take them to the pediatrician either while their baby is sick, or possibly during a well-check. Some babies will seem happy and cheery, showing no signs, while others will cry and be fussy, leaving mom pulling out her hair wondering what is wrong.

There are simple steps you can take to help avoid the possibility and occurrence of ear infections in your baby. There is no guarantee that your baby will not get an ear infection, but if you at least know you tried your best, it can help lessen the guilt you might feel.

Don’t Smoke
Smoke is a respiratory irritant that makes the Eustachian tubes swell and not function appropriately in both the smoker and household members exposed to them. Even if you smoke outside or in your car when your baby is not with you, second hand smoke is still on hand and gets into your clothes, which your baby can then breathe in.

Cold and Flu Season
Good hand washing and flu shots for the whole family are helpful. Getting the PREVNAR vaccine (pneumococcal) may help limit the number of ear infections as well. With the increased risk of colds and respiratory problems floating around during the winter months, keeping your baby in and away from other children as much as possible can help limit their chance of getting sick and getting an ear infection.

Feeding Positions
Feed your baby in an upright position. Milk can get into the Eustachian tubes if the baby is lying horizontally while eating. This may be hard when you are breastfeeding. When your baby gets big enough try having him sit in your lap as you feed him, instead of lying across your lap, lying in bed with you, or being held in the football position.

Avoid Pacifiers
There is scientific data to suggest that the prolonged sucking on a pacifier can cause an infection in the ear since the mouth and ear tubes are all connected. Some people go as far as to wean their babies either from the breast, the bottle or both by the first birthday.

Child Care
Reconsider your child care options. Kids in daycare settings get more viral upper respiratory infections (colds) which lead to the ear infections. If your baby is getting a lot of ear infections and is in daycare, look into having a friend or family member who has no other kids in their home watch your baby for you while you work.

Hiccups can be a big worry for many pregnant women and new moms. Why does their baby have them? Is their baby in pain from them? What can they do about them? Rest assured, most of the time the baby is not in pain, and the mother is more bothered by the fact that the hiccups have appeared, than the baby is having them.

Hiccups in Utero
Pregnant women often mention feeling their baby having hiccups while in the womb and wonder what causes this. These hiccups can start in the first trimester, but won’t be felt by mom until late in the second trimester or during the third trimester. Rarely do the hiccups bother the mother-to-be, however some moms might worry that it is hurting their baby.

The exact cause of your baby’s hiccups is unknown. However, many specialists believe that your baby’s hiccups may be helping to strengthen the diaphragm muscle in order to help the baby breathe both in the womb and once they are born. In many cases your baby will have the hiccups at the same time everyday.

Not only can hiccups be felt by the mom-to-be, but it can also be detected during an ultrasound and picked up on a Doppler while at the doctor’s office for a routine visit. After a woman has been assured that these hiccups are normal and are not bothering their baby, then they become something that can be looked forward to on a daily basis, much like their baby kicking.

Hiccups After Birth
If your baby had hiccups while in utero, it is very plausible that he will have the hiccups after he is born. Some babies that did not have them in utero may still have them after birth. Hiccups can start after birth as early as the day your baby is born. Like the hiccups your baby might have had in utero, these hiccups are generally not painful for your baby.

Hiccups after birth occur when the diaphragm muscle contracts causing your baby to take quick short breaths. Normally these hiccups go away after only a few minutes. If they are really bothering you, try burping your baby more often during feedings. To get them to stop you can try to feed your baby whether you are nursing or bottlefeeding. The constant sucking and swallowing can help that muscle relax and help the hiccups stop.

Life is a series of discoveries for a little baby. From the time they are born they are discovering the nipple, discovering mom and dad, discovering siblings, discovering toys and discovering body parts such as their hands and later their feet. Babies have a natural instinct to suck from inside the womb, and can often be seen sucking their thumb in an ultrasound during pregnancy. Sometimes this will continue on outside of the womb.

A baby can first discover his hands at a couple of months old. Or, it may be later when he starts teething and drooling. You may see your baby try to stick his fist in his mouth, or frantically try to gnaw on it while he is drooling. Finding his fist, may lead to him finding his thumb, or in some cases finding a finger, or two. Some babies, when they find their thumb realize that they can suck on it for comfort.

There are babies, both breastfed and bottle fed, who need to suck and who find comfort and are lulled to sleep by sucking. Sometimes these babies can calmed with a pacifier, while other times they can not. Many times it is the mother’s nipple that takes the brunt of the sucking, as it is the only thing that calms down and puts her baby back to sleep.

When a baby finds his thumb however it might mean relief for mom, and more free time to get other things taken care of around the house. Maybe it is the warmth of the thumb or fingers, but some babies who like to suck find comfort in sucking on their thumb. This can worry some parents though.

Some parents are afraid of creating a habit with their baby that they have a hard time of breaking. Others are afraid about damage being done to their baby’s teeth. Statistics show however that most children quit sucking their thumb by the time they are 4 years old, before their baby teeth fall out and their adult teeth start coming in. Thumb sucking is simply outgrown by most children.

It is extremely difficult to stop your baby from sucking his thumb. It is especially hard to keep your babies thumb out of his mouth, and keep it out when your baby is asleep. You can offer the pacifier, which is much easier to take away if your baby will take it. If you breastfeed, you can try to discourage it by nursing more often or nursing your baby to sleep so that he doesn’t search out his thumb for sucking.

If your baby is sucking his thumb and it bothers you but there is nothing you can do about it, ask your pediatrician to see if he has any suggestions for you. With as many babies and kids that your pediatrician see’s it is likely that he has heard stories from other mom’s that worked, and he might have tips for you.