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By the Peanutbean parent · checked against CDC, NHS and AAP guidance · how we fact-check

Baby hiccups: why they happen and when they matter

Last verified: July 19, 2026

Your baby finishes a feed, looks content, and then starts a solo percussion performance: hic, hic, hic. It can go on for ten minutes. Babies even hiccup in the womb, as anyone who has felt those rhythmic little jumps in late pregnancy can confirm. Here is why hiccups happen so often, what actually helps, and the small print on when they are worth a mention at a checkup.

Why babies hiccup so much

A hiccup is a twitch of the diaphragm, the sheet of muscle under the lungs that does the work of breathing. In young babies that muscle and the nerves controlling it are still maturing, and everyday newborn life keeps poking at it: a stomach stretched by a feed, air swallowed while gulping, even excitement.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is reassuring about it: most babies hiccup from time to time, and usually this bothers parents more than the infant (AAP: Baby Burping, Hiccups and Spit-Up). Hiccups are not a sign your baby is cold, upset, or feeding badly. They are a sign your baby is a baby.

What to do when hiccups start during a feed

You do not have to do anything, but if the hiccups interrupt a feed, the AAP suggests a simple sequence (AAP: Baby Burping, Hiccups and Spit-Up):

• pause the feed rather than feeding through the hiccups
• change your baby’s position
• try to burp them, and help them relax
• wait until the hiccups are gone, then continue feeding
• if they have not gone in 5 to 10 minutes, feed again for a few minutes anyway: this usually stops them

Burping more often during feeds helps prevent hiccups in the first place, because it reduces the swallowed air that sets them off. For bottle-fed babies the AAP suggests a burp after every 2 to 3 ounces (60 to 90 ml); for breastfed babies, a burp when switching breasts. Our milk amounts guide covers the feeding side in more detail.

Preventing frequent hiccups

If your baby seems to get hiccups at almost every feed, one change is worth trying: feed them when they are calm, before they are extremely hungry. A frantic, crying baby gulps milk and air together, and that combination is a reliable hiccup trigger. Watching for early hunger cues, stirring, rooting, hands to mouth, means feeds start gentler and go down smoother.

What NOT to do

The folk cures you may remember for adult hiccups do not belong anywhere near a baby:

• do not startle or scare a baby to cure hiccups
• do not give water to a baby under 6 months; they do not need it, and it can be harmful (see when can babies drink water?)
• do not press on their eyes, pull their tongue, or hold their breath for them
• do not stop feeds altogether because of hiccups; they are not a feeding problem in themselves

Patience is the only cure hiccups need. They stop on their own.

When hiccups point to something else

Hiccuping at feeds appears on the NHS list of reflux symptoms, alongside bringing up milk during or soon after feeds, coughing when feeding, and being unsettled at feeds (NHS: Reflux in babies). Reflux itself is common and usually gets better on its own: it typically starts before 8 weeks and settles by age 1. A happy, growing baby who hiccups and spits up a little needs no treatment.

See a GP if the hiccups come with reflux that is not improving, if reflux appears for the first time after 6 months, or if your baby is not gaining weight (NHS: Reflux in babies). Our reflux guide walks through the full picture.

When to call your doctor

Hiccups alone are never an emergency. But get urgent advice (GP or 111 in the UK) if your baby also has any of the NHS red flags: green, yellow, or bloody vomit, projectile vomiting, blood in their poo, a swollen or tender tummy, refusing feeds, signs of dehydration, or a baby who will not stop crying and is very distressed (NHS: Reflux in babies). And as always: your own concern is reason enough to call.

Keep reading

• Baby reflux and spitting up: normal or not
• How much milk does my baby need?
• Newborn grunting and squirming at night
• All the first-year windows

Sources

• AAP: Baby Burping, Hiccups and Spit-Up (last updated December 2024)
• NHS: Reflux in babies (page last reviewed June 2025)

Peanutbean provides general information for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Every baby develops at their own pace. Always talk to your pediatrician about your child’s health.