Hiccups during pregnancy are anything but funny, as it may seem for others. It is hard to carry on even with the shortest conversations because you get distracted of hiccups all the time. What’s worse, you can’t eat well because of the continuous spasm you feel in your diaphragm.
But like any other problems, there are things we could do, to solve it completely or to remedy it in the least. I will share with you the six quick things to do to remedy hiccups pregnancy.
What causes hiccups during pregnancy?
Before we discuss our to-do list, let's first talk about the causes of hiccups during pregnancy to give ourselves a clearer context.
First of all, Hiccup is a reflex, an involuntary action. You Hiccup because your diaphragm has closed suddenly; the function of the diaphragm is to help you breathe in. The Glottis, which is the uppermost part of your windpipe closes immediately after the contraction of the diaphragm; this causes the sound when you hiccup.
So what causes this immediate closure? This is caused by a couple of reasons.
First, it can be caused by talking, laughing, eating, or drinking too much, or too quickly. It can also be caused by indigestion or even by acidity. Furthermore, it can be exacerbated by stress, tension, and anxiety.
These feelings are felt in abundance during pregnancy, as you deal with the changes in your body that seem to drain you to the core. You also experience a drastic breathing pattern change during pregnancy, because your body requires more oxygen. Thus, you are inhaling more oxygen than normal, and your body is hiccupping to adjust to these changes.
Either way, Hiccups is a message from your body that you have to relax, slow down and catch your breath. So it is best for you not to worry too much from your worries, fears, and doubts about your pregnancy. You should also take a lighter and slower approach when you eat, talk, and laugh.
Fetal hiccups
Aside from normal Hiccups, there is another kind that is called ‘Fetal Hiccups,' which is often confused with the first. Fetal Hiccups happen because the baby is breathing in amniotic fluid, and their lungs exhale it out through hiccups. This is a completely normal phenomenon, and you shouldn’t worry about it. Additionally, Fetal Hiccups are a good sign; this means that your baby is doing just fine.
Six quick remedies to get rid of pregnancy hiccups
Now that we have context on why have pregnancy hiccups let's delve into what we can do to remedy it.
1. Drinking water
Drinking water is the easiest and the most effective to combat hiccups. However, there are several ways of drinking water to get rid of hiccups, and you can try them all and see what works for you.
You can drink water by entirely drinking one glass of water in a short time because smaller gulps won’t just work for some.Conversely, drinking the entirety of one glass pressures some and in the result, in more hiccups. Some prefer just to sip small amounts of water, having ice also helps for this method.
Another way is to plug your ears while sipping your water. To do this, use a straw and plug your ears with your two hands.
2. Put sugar under your tongue
This method has no clear explanation on why it remedies hiccups, but it works for many women, and so, you should try. Put small amounts of sugar under your tongue, let it dissolve slowly and then swallow the sweet liquid.
3. Breathe in, and breathe out
If you are caught with a series of hiccups, sometimes it is best to hold yourself and take deep breaths. Inhale a good amount of air and hold it for some seconds, and then exhale it all slowly. Do it several times, and your breathing will adjust to its pace, making you more relaxed in turn.
4. Pull out your tongue
Pulling out your tongue may seem silly, and it may look ridiculous especially if you are in a public place. But this method is very effective because it relaxes your diaphragm, just make sure that the people around you won’t take offense for you to avoid embarrassment.
5. Nibble lime or make a concoction
Hiccups can also emerge when you are feeling slightly sick in the stomach. Sometimes, nibbling on lime or making a lime solution will help to wipe the bad taste away.
6. Stretching your body
Since you are pregnant, you have to do stretching slowly. It is preferable for you to sit in a chair, and then slowly stretch out your legs and hands away from your body and then breathe deeply. This will release tension from your body and lets your muscles relax.
Should I worry?
If you are already doing these remedies but you are still getting regular hiccups, you shouldn’t worry too much. Again, worrying won’t help and would only exacerbate your condition. Additionally, you have to realize that almost all of pregnant women undergo through this condition.
However, if you feel that your hiccupping is excessive and might be more than normal, then you have to seek a professional opinion from your doctor. There are available over the counter solutions for hiccupping, but you should ask your doctor first.
Conclusion
Now that you have arrived at the last part of the article, I hope I have eased your worries about your pregnancy hiccups. We have now learned that hiccup is a normal tendency for our body to adjust to the changes in airflow. We have also differentiated normal hiccupping from fetal hiccups, which by the way, are both positive reactions for our baby and ourselves.
We also have discovered the 6 quick remedies to get rid of pregnancy hiccups by drinking water, putting sugar under our tongue, breathing deeply, pulling out our tongue, nibbling lime, and stretching our body. Lastly, we have established that we should worry about hiccupping because it is normal and all pregnant woman experience it.
I hope you found this article informative and fun as well. If you have questions, kindly address them below. If you have suggestions and recommendations, don’t hesitate to share for all the moms out there will appreciate it.
