Why does my baby always hiccup when I am eight months pregnant?

From the first month of pregnancy to the middle and late stages of pregnancy, as the baby develops in the belly, from the initial fetal movement to the final hiccups, the baby can be felt. In fact, the reason for fetal hiccups is very normal. Dietary problems and the mother's gastrointestinal problems can cause the child to hiccup. As long as it is not frequent, there is no need to worry too much.

Causes of fetal hiccups

It is normal for the fetus to hiccup, just like us adults breathing. Because the fetus' lungs are not well developed yet, it needs to constantly swallow amniotic fluid and practice lung breathing while swallowing amniotic fluid so that it can breathe normally like an adult after birth. In other words, hiccups are actually a way for the baby to improve the lung's breathing capacity. So what is the reason for fetal hiccups?

Hiccups in the fetus are medically called "hiccups". Adults may experience temporary hiccups if they are exposed to cold stimulation, have a full meal, eat too fast, or eat dry and hard food. Starting around 28 weeks in the late pregnancy, the fetus will continuously swallow amniotic fluid in the mother's body to exercise the lungs' breathing, and the alveoli will continue to grow in the amniotic fluid.

Just like adults eating, they keep swallowing. Between the chest cavity and abdominal cavity of the fetus, there is a thick muscle membrane like a hat, called the diaphragm, which separates the chest cavity and abdominal cavity. Like other organs in the body, the diaphragm also has nerve distribution and blood supply. When the stimulus that causes hiccups is transmitted to the brain, the brain will issue a command to cause the diaphragm to have paroxysmal and spasmodic contractions, and hiccups will occur.

Editor's tip: Some treatments that have no medical basis, such as taking honey to treat hiccups or pressing the eyeballs, are folk remedies with no scientific basis. Mothers should not believe them.

What to do if the fetus hiccups

Hiccups are manifested by the regular movement of the fetus in the abdomen, once every 2-3 seconds and lasting for 2-5 minutes, sometimes lasting for 10-20 minutes. It manifests as a beat, similar to a heartbeat. When expectant mothers touch the beating area, they feel it bounces regularly, which is different from fetal movement! Careful mothers will be able to tell the difference. So what should we do if the fetus hiccups?

It is normal for the fetus to hiccup, just like us adults breathing. Because the fetus' lungs are not well developed yet, it needs to constantly swallow amniotic fluid and practice lung breathing while swallowing amniotic fluid so that it can breathe normally like an adult after birth. In other words, hiccups are actually a way for the baby to improve the lung's breathing capacity.

Just gently touch your baby when he hiccups, and the hiccups will stop after a few minutes.

Sometimes the fetus hiccups in the middle of the night, and sometimes hiccups in the morning. At this time, touch him gently, and he will stop hiccuping after a few minutes. It always feels wonderful.