Can newborns continue breastfeeding if they hiccup while feeding?
Disease description:
Recently, my baby often hiccups halfway through breastfeeding and refuses to continue feeding afterward. What could be causing this? Can I continue feeding while the baby is hiccuping?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Lan
Hiccups in newborns during feeding indicate that the baby should not continue nursing. Hiccups often signal physical discomfort, and continuing to feed at this time may cause gastrointestinal distress. Neonatal hiccups can result from several causes:
1. Inadequate care leading to exposure to wind-cold;
2. Improper feeding—overfeeding or irregular feeding schedules may cause milk stagnation and indigestion, triggering hiccups;
3. Feeding too rapidly or feeding immediately after crying or being startled, which may cause transient esophageal spasm and induce hiccups.
Therefore, feeding should be paused during hiccups, as continuing may easily lead to vomiting.
