Helping a Newborn With Hiccups

To help a newborn with hiccups, pause feeding, hold the baby upright, burp gently, and wait for the hiccups to settle before offering more milk. Keep the baby calm and supported; most episodes stop on their own.

Hiccups are brief, repeated contractions of the diaphragm, followed by a characteristic sound. In a newborn, they can happen after swallowing air, feeding quickly, having a full stomach, or becoming unsettled. Hiccups may occur during sleep and usually do not mean the baby is in pain.

If hiccups repeatedly occur with spit-up, back-arching, coughing, feeding refusal, or marked irritability, tell the baby's clinician. These features can occur with reflux; you can read more about [Acid Reflux](/conditions/acid-reflux/). Hiccups alone do not establish a diagnosis.

Stop the feed briefly if hiccups begin while the baby is drinking. Hold the baby upright against your chest with the head and neck supported, and use a gentle back rub or pat to encourage a burp. When the episode eases, resume feeding slowly if the baby still shows hunger cues.

During future feeds, keep the baby's head higher than the stomach, allow regular pauses, and check that the teat or latch is not causing frantic swallowing. Keep the baby upright for a short period after feeding while awake and supervised. Never put a newborn to sleep propped up. Do not give water, sugar, herbal drinks, gripe water, or medicine for hiccups unless a clinician specifically advises it.

Seek urgent medical help if hiccups occur with trouble breathing, blue or grey lips, choking, unusual limpness, or difficulty waking the baby. Contact a clinician promptly if the baby cannot keep feeds down, has repeated forceful vomiting, is feeding much less than usual, has fewer wet nappies, develops a fever, or seems persistently distressed.

Arrange a routine assessment when episodes are frequent and interfere with feeding or sleep, or when poor weight gain is a concern. Do not start [Acid Reflux Medication](/treatments/medical-management/acid-reflux-medication/) without an examination and a clinician's recommendation.

Ask whether the feeding pattern, latch, bottle teat, or spit-up suggests a problem that needs review. It may help to record when hiccups happen, how long they last, whether they follow feeds, and whether coughing, vomiting, discomfort, or feeding changes occur with them. Mention any medicines or supplements the baby receives.

If abdominal discomfort or vomiting is part of the pattern, your clinician can decide whether another condition, such as [Gastritis](/conditions/gastritis/), needs consideration.