Summarize the following:
Hiccups happen when the diaphragm gets irritated. Drinking a small amount of breast milk might give the diaphragm time to relax and go from herky-jerk back to its normal motion. Again, the idea is that the act of swallowing may help regulate an out-of-whack diaphragm. Some ideas of things you might give your baby are: Applesauce Rice cereal Mushed bananas A lot of people advocate drinking water from the "wrong side" (i.e. bending over, half-upside down), but this is obviously both hard and dangerous to make your baby go through. Best try to give your baby a water bottle (with a nipple adapter, for example) or even a sippy cup if your child is old enough. When a baby takes in too much milk, too fast, it causes the stomach to distend, triggering hiccups in the diaphragm. Try feeding your baby about half as much, twice as often, instead of giving him or her one big feeding. That way your baby will take in less milk at a time, hopefully nipping those hiccups in the bud. Another way to slow down your baby's milk intake is to take a break halfway during each feeding. When you're ready to switch your baby from one breast to the other, pause and burp him or her gently before resuming feeding with the other breast. If you bottle feed, take a break to burp your baby when the bottle is halfway finished. This gives your baby the chance to digest some of the milk, reducing the chances that he or she will get too full and start hiccuping. Your baby's stomach may also be getting distended from swallowing too much air during feedings. Sometimes shifting positions can remedy this problem. Shift him or her to a more upright (30- to 45-degree angle) position during feedings so that air doesn't get a chance to settle in the stomach and cause the diaphragm to contract. If your baby's mouth isn't latching tightly to your nipple, he or she may be swallowing air during nursing. Do you hear a lot of gurgling, gulping sounds while you're feeding your baby? If so, work on latching techniques that create a better seal around your nipple. Holding the bottle at a 45-degree angle causes the air to settle at the end of the bottle, reducing the chances that your baby will swallow it. You can also purchase bottles designed to reduce the amount of air in the bottle.
Try breastfeeding. If the hiccups happened organically, try giving your baby something to eat. If your baby is old enough, give them a drink. Slow down your feedings. Stop and burp your baby halfway through a feeding. Sit your baby upright during feedings. Make sure your baby is latched on correctly. Bottle feed in a way that reduces air intake.