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Baby hiccups in the stomach: why does the baby often hiccup
During pregnancy, a woman periodically feels light rhythmic contractions. One of the reasons for this phenomenon is that the baby hiccups in the stomach. In order not to worry about this, you need to know why this is happening.
If the baby sometimes hiccups in the stomach, you do not need to worry.
Why does the baby hiccup in the stomach?
Fetal hiccups in the womb manifest themselves in different ways: light ticking, twitching, tremors or throbbing. Some women experience a monotonous pounding or vibration in the abdomen. The duration is also not the same – one child calms down after 2-3 minutes, the other can hiccup for at least an hour.
Hiccups are a contraction of a baby’s diaphragm, which usually occurs for the following reasons:
the fetus prepares for breathing and natural movements – swallowing and sucking;
the child swallows amniotic fluid, the excess of which comes out with hiccups.
It is believed that hiccups are provoked by oxygen starvation of the fetus – a condition dangerous to the health of the baby, but there is no official confirmation of this version.
What else can a baby’s hiccups talk about in the womb?
The exact causes of fetal hiccups are still unknown to specialists, so one can only express assumptions. There is another probable cause of fetal hiccups – this is the “lack” of oxygen – fetal hypoxia. Hiccups are not 100% a sign of fetal hypoxia, this is also indicated by other signs that the doctor registers when examining and monitoring a pregnant woman. This is an increase or decrease in the number of fetal heartbeats (the norm is 120-160 beats per minute), cardiac arrhythmia, prolonged increased fetal mobility, detected by CTG monitoring, a decrease in feto-placental and uteroplacental blood flow, detected by ultrasonography. Therefore, the observation of pregnancy by a specialist is extremely important.
However, fetal hiccups are not the biggest nuisance that a future mother may face. There are much more delicate problems that most women expect after having a baby.
What to do if the baby often hiccups in the stomach?
If hiccups do not appear every day and no more than 2-3 times a day, this indicates the normal development of the fetus and there is no reason for excitement. But in cases where rhythmic tremors become regular, it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to exclude possible pathologies.
To find out why the baby often hiccups in the abdomen, diagnostic methods such as:
Examination by a gynecologist. The doctor will record and evaluate the duration and frequency of the hiccups.
Doppler sonography. Doppler ultrasound will help determine if blood is circulating correctly in the fetal aorta and umbilical cord vessels. Decreased blood flow may indicate hypoxia.
Cardiotocography. On this examination, it is possible to feel, measure and even hear the heartbeat of the child, as well as fix the frequency of its contractions.
If any violations are detected, doctors take control of the condition of the woman and the baby until the end of the pregnancy. By the way, many women are interested in when the long-awaited childbirth will begin after the mucous plug leaves.
Before you go to the doctor, try other ways to get rid of your child’s hiccups. If contractions of the fetal diaphragm interfere with sleep, change your position and roll over to the other side. It is useful to perform breathing exercises – slowly inhale air through your nose and exhale through your mouth for 8-10 seconds.
When rhythmic tremors arise, a woman should completely relax, take a walk in the fresh air and discard unnecessary worries. This is the only way to provide the baby with a normal flow of oxygen and soothe the hiccups.
“Hiccups of a fetus in the womb is a normal phenomenon and turns out to be a pathology in extremely rare cases (but even then complaints of hiccups will not be the main ones). This is a kind of training for the lungs and diaphragm before birth. There is no need to treat fetal hiccups, try to calm yourself down and calm your baby in other ways.
· Move to fresh air, especially if you have spent a lot of time indoors. Breathe deeply and smoothly. Stroke your belly.
· Perhaps the baby became uncomfortable – you sat at the computer for a long time or slept in an uncomfortable position. Walk a little, change position.
· Review the diet – it happens that the baby reacts with hiccups to certain foods. If there is a relationship, try to eliminate the irritant from the diet, or at least not eat it at night. “
Anna Gerasimenko, healthy-food-near-me.com Editorial, Rumiya Safiulina