Newborn hiccups are almost always harmless and don’t need treatment. They’re caused by small, involuntary contractions of your baby’s diaphragm, the muscle that controls breathing, and they tend to stop on their own within a few minutes. Most bouts are triggered by swallowed air during feeding, so the best approach combines gentle techniques during and after feeds with the reassurance that hiccups bother parents far more than they bother babies.
Why Newborns Hiccup So Often
Babies hiccup frequently because their diaphragm and the nerves controlling it are still maturing. Premature babies are especially prone, spending roughly 1% of their waking time hiccupping, around 15 minutes a day. Full-term newborns hiccup less, but several times a day is perfectly normal in the first few months.
Research from University College London suggests hiccups may actually serve a developmental purpose. Each diaphragm contraction triggers a distinct pattern of brainwaves in the baby’s cortex. Scientists believe this activity helps the brain learn to monitor and eventually control the breathing muscles voluntarily. In other words, those annoying little spasms may be wiring your baby’s brain to breathe more effectively.
The frequency of hiccups typically decreases on its own as your baby grows. By around six months, most parents notice they happen far less often.
How to Stop Hiccups Mid-Feed
If hiccups start while your baby is feeding, pause the feed and change their position. That pause alone slows gulping and reduces the amount of air being swallowed, which is the most common trigger. Try sitting your baby more upright for a moment and gently patting or rubbing their back to encourage a burp. Once the hiccups ease, you can continue feeding.
If you’re breastfeeding, burp your baby each time you switch breasts. For bottle-fed babies, take a burp break after every 2 to 3 ounces (60 to 90 ml). These regular pauses prevent a large air bubble from building up in the stomach and pressing on the diaphragm.
Three Ways to Burp Your Baby
There’s no single “right” way to burp a newborn. Try all three and see which one gets results for your baby:
- Over the shoulder: Hold your baby upright with their head resting on your shoulder. Support their head and back with one hand and gently pat their back with the other.
- Sitting on your lap: Sit your baby on your knee, leaning them slightly forward. Use one hand to support their chest and chin, and pat their back with your free hand.
- Lying across your lap: Lay your baby face down across your thighs with their head slightly higher than their chest. Gently pat or rub their back in a circular motion.
If no burp comes after a minute or two, that’s fine. Not every feed produces a big air bubble.
Preventing Hiccups Before They Start
Most hiccup bouts are linked to swallowed air, so feeding technique makes the biggest difference.
Feed your baby in a more upright position rather than lying flat. Propping them at an angle, even slightly, helps milk flow down while air rises to the top of the stomach where it’s easier to burp out. If you’re bottle-feeding, check that the teat flow isn’t too fast. A newborn gulping to keep up with a fast-flow teat swallows significantly more air.
Try to feed before your baby becomes desperately hungry. A frantic, crying baby latches in a rush and gulps air along with milk. Calm, paced feeds with regular burping breaks are the simplest preventive measure.
What Not to Do
Many traditional hiccup remedies are designed for adults and should never be tried on a baby. Making them jump, pulling their tongue, tapping their forehead, or holding them upside down can be distressing and even dangerous. These methods have no scientific basis, and they are unlikely to stop hiccups anyway.
Don’t give your baby water to “cure” hiccups. Babies under six months should not have water at all, as it can interfere with their nutrition and electrolyte balance. Gripe water is another popular suggestion, but many paediatric guidelines advise against it for babies under six months, and there’s no good evidence it stops hiccups.
When Hiccups May Signal Something Else
On their own, hiccups are not a sign of illness. But if your baby hiccups very frequently and also shows signs of reflux, it’s worth paying attention. Reflux is common in babies under one and usually doesn’t need treatment as long as your baby is happy, feeding well, and gaining weight.
See your GP if your baby:
- Is not gaining weight or is losing weight
- Gets reflux symptoms for the first time after six months of age
- Is not improving after you’ve tried feeding adjustments
Seek urgent medical advice (call your GP or NHS 111) if your baby:
- Has green, yellow, or blood-streaked vomit
- Is projectile vomiting with more force than usual
- Has a swollen or tender tummy
- Refuses to feed or cannot keep any fluid down
- Has a very high temperature or seems unusually distressed and won’t stop crying
- Has blood in their nappy or diarrhoea lasting more than a week
These symptoms point to something beyond normal hiccups or mild reflux and need prompt assessment. For the vast majority of newborns, though, hiccups are simply part of the digestive system settling in. A good burp, an upright feed, and a little patience are all that’s needed.