Infant hiccups: what to do

Hiccups begin when the diaphragm contracts suddenly. Swallowed air, a full stomach, a fast bottle flow, or feeding while crying can make them more noticeable. If your baby remains pink, alert, comfortable, and able to feed, the episode commonly settles without intervention.

Pay attention to the wider picture rather than trying to stop each sound. Frequent spit-up with discomfort, coughing, arching, gagging, or feed refusal deserves discussion with a clinician. Hiccups alone do not establish reflux, gastritis, or another disease.

Stop briefly and hold your baby upright, keeping the head and neck supported. Try a gentle burp, then wait until breathing and comfort return. If hunger continues, restart slowly. A calm environment, a secure latch, and a bottle teat with a suitable flow can reduce air swallowing; ask a feeding professional to check technique if the issue recurs.

Never shake, frighten, startle, or make a baby hold their breath. Do not give water, honey, sugar, herbal products, or medicine for hiccups without professional advice. Once asleep, place the baby flat on the back rather than using an inclined position.

Seek emergency help if your baby struggles to breathe, turns blue or grey, has a seizure, collapses, or cannot be roused. Obtain prompt medical advice for persistent vomiting, green or bloody vomit, severe pain, poor feeding, unusual drowsiness, fever in a young infant, or much fewer wet nappies. Arrange a routine review when episodes repeatedly interfere with feeds or sleep.

Ask whether your baby's latch, bottle flow, or feeding pattern could be changed, how to monitor hydration, and which symptoms require same-day assessment. Describe what happens before, during, and after each episode.