What Does It Look Like When Baby Has Hiccups in the Womb

Pregnancy is a period of constant change for both you and your growing baby. There's the morning sickness, exhaustion, and a myriad of other symptoms. There are also jabs and kicks inside the womb. It's common for your belly to feel like a popcorn popper suddenly. You'll hear pop… pop…. pop, especially if you're in your second or third trimester. And by the time these fluttery baby movements turn into real punches, rolls, and jabs, you'll likely also start to feel the telltale rhythmic movements of fetal hiccups too. You'll start to wonder why your baby is hiccupping in the womb and if it's normal. Read on to learn more about baby hiccupping in the womb and when to reach the doctor.

What Is Going On With The Baby?

According to Healthline, your baby achieves many different milestones before they are born. Each stepping stone gets them closer to being able to survive in the real world. You may notice your baby's movements by weeks 18- 20, which is when fetal movement, also referred to as quickening, is often experienced for the first time. Experienced moms may feel quickening earlier in subsequent pregnancies. However, it may take a while longer for new moms, based on factors such as placental position and weight.

Fetal movements can, on average, be felt between weeks 13 and 25. It often begins as little butterfly kicks or might feel like popcorn popping in your stomach. After some time, you'll experience rolls, nudges, and kicks throughout the day. You may even feel other movements, such as rhythmic twitching. These motions may feel more like other pulsing or muscle spasms. However, they may be fetal hiccups.

Quite simply, fetal hiccups are the little movements the baby's diaphragm makes when they start to practice breathing. As the baby inhales, amniotic fluid gets into their lungs, causing the developing diaphragm to contract. What results is a tiny case of hiccups in the womb.

What Do Fetal Hiccups Feel Like?

Hiccups are more of rhythmic twists and pops. According to Peanut App, just like with your hiccups, these are spasms in your little one's diaphragm. The first time you feel the hiccups, you may think it's a kick. But then it will happen over and over and over. And once you've experienced them, you won't mistake them for anything else. Regular baby movements often referred to as quickening will occur randomly, often if you move or take something hot or cold.

On the other hand, fetal hiccups last about 15 minutes- a regular rhythm that will repeatedly come from the same place in your womb. Fetal hiccups are a good sign, and just like any other kicking or twitching, they show that your child is growing well. However, if it happens excessively, especially at a later stage during your pregnancy, there's a chance that it's a distress signal.

Why Do Babies Hiccup In the Womb?

Unlike with children and grownups, gobbling up food too fast won't lead to hiccups. Instead, they're merely a side effect of the fetus "attempting" all the new things they can do. When baby hiccups in the womb, various developmental milestones are happening, which are signs that your baby is about to make her grand debut into the world in just a few short months. Here is how your baby is developing:

• The respiratory system- The ability to breathe in and out amniotic fluid, and therefore, hiccup, is a good indication that their diaphragm is developing nicely. According to The Bump, this process usually starts at around week 10, though you won't likely feel the hiccups for a few more months.
• Baby's nervous system- Hiccups signify that the nerve that controls the diaphragm has been activated. They help confirm the spinal cord and brain are intact and doing their task. In other words, your baby is developing well enough neurologically to survive outside the womb.
• Baby's reflexes- Other than breathing, your child is also practicing yawning and thumb-sucking, which can cause fetal hiccups.

How Much Is Normal & Can You Stop It?

There's no hard and fast rule to determine how frequently they should happen. They can happen randomly and often, sometimes several times daily. Still, other babies don't hiccup much, and that's fine too, as long as you're experiencing other movements in the belly. You'll have gotten used to it by the third trimester, and you can expect them to be more frequent then and then lower as you approach delivery. If they increase during the last 3 to 4 weeks leading up to your due date, reach your doctor to ensure it isn't an umbilical cord issue. Always trust your gut and reach your doctor if you have any concerns or questions. During pregnancy, your baby's movement needs to be addressed and monitored immediately in case of concerns.

Hiccups are normal, but they can be pretty distracting, especially if you're trying to work or sleep. You can change positions, walk around, and drink water since any new stimulus influences baby to switch gears.

Sources: Healthline, Peanut App , The Bump

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About The Author

Karen Samuels (897 Articles Published)

Karen is a momma that loves to write. She has been on writing on pregnancy, parenting, motherhood, and the realities of raising babies for the past four years. She's worked with Woman Junction, BabyGaga, The Talko, The Things, as well as other sites. For inquiries, please email karenmainasamuels@gmail.com

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What Does It Look Like When Baby Has Hiccups in the Womb

Source: https://www.babygaga.com/baby-hiccups-womb-facts/

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