Hiccups in babies: what’s normal and when to get help

Hiccups are common in newborn babies. Here’s what NHS guidance says, and when hiccups may be a sign of reflux.

Hiccups are common

A guide to what’s normal in a new baby from NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire says it is common for newborns to sneeze, stretch and hiccup. It lists hiccups alongside the jumpy movements it says are normal in the early days.

Hiccups on their own aren’t one of the signs in our guide to when to get urgent help for your baby, which follows the NHS.

Why do babies get hiccups?

There isn’t an NHS page that explains hiccups in babies. The NHS hiccups page doesn’t mention babies. It says there’s often no obvious reason why people get hiccups, but that eating and drinking can trigger them for some people.

The NHS lists coughing or hiccupping when feeding as one of the signs of reflux. Reflux is when your baby brings milk back up during or shortly after a feed. The NHS says it’s very common and usually gets better on its own. It usually starts before a baby is 8 weeks old and gets better by the time they’re 1.

Other signs of reflux the NHS lists are:

bringing up milk or being sick during or shortly after feeding
being unsettled during feeding
swallowing or gulping after burping or feeding
crying and not settling
not gaining weight, because they’re not keeping enough food down

Some babies have signs of reflux without bringing up milk. This is sometimes called silent reflux.

What may help

The NHS doesn’t give advice on stopping hiccups in babies. If your baby’s hiccups tend to come with feeds, the NHS advice on wind and reflux may help:

hold your baby upright during feeds, and for as long as possible afterwards
burp (wind) your baby regularly during feeds. The NHS says there are no rules on when to burp your baby, and a couple of minutes should be enough.
try different burping positions: over your shoulder, sitting on your lap, or lying across your lap. Support your baby’s head and neck.
if your baby seems uncomfortable while bottle feeding, have a little break to wind them
if your baby still seems uncomfortable with wind, lay them on their back and gently massage their tummy, or move their legs in a cycling motion. If that doesn’t help, talk to your health visitor.

The NHS says to always put your baby to sleep flat on their back, and not to raise the head of their cot or Moses basket.

The tips on the NHS hiccups page, like sipping ice-cold water or swallowing sugar, don’t fit NHS feeding advice for babies. The NHS says breast milk is the only food or drink babies need in the first 6 months, and first infant formula is the only suitable alternative.

When to see a GP

The NHS says to see a GP if your baby has signs of reflux and:

things you’ve tried to ease it aren’t helping
it starts for the first time after they’re 6 months old
they’re older than 1 and still have reflux
they’re not gaining weight, or are losing weight

If your baby has difficulty feeding or refuses to feed, the NHS says to talk to your pharmacist, GP or health visitor.

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if your baby:

will not stop crying and is very distressed
is refusing to feed
has green or yellow vomit, or blood in their vomit
is projectile vomiting (being sick with more force than usual)
has blood in their poo
has a swollen or tender tummy
has a very high temperature, or feels hot, cold or shivery
keeps being sick and can’t keep fluid down
has diarrhoea that lasts for over a week, or signs of dehydration

For emergency signs, like trouble breathing or being hard to wake, see when to get urgent help for your baby.

Questions people ask

Are hiccups a problem for my baby?

Hiccups are common in newborns. If they come with other signs of reflux, like bringing up milk, being unsettled during feeds or not gaining weight, use the advice above on when to see a GP.

Can I give my baby water for hiccups?

The NHS doesn’t suggest water for hiccups. It says fully breastfed babies don’t need any water until they’ve started eating solid foods.

Could hiccups be a sign of reflux?

They can be. The NHS lists coughing or hiccupping when feeding as a sign of reflux, along with bringing up milk, being unsettled at feeds and not settling.

Will burping help?

The NHS says burping regularly during feeds and holding your baby upright can help with reflux. It doesn’t say whether this stops hiccups.