One day, pregnant with my first child, I began to notice strange and rhythmic shaking that had nothing to do with the kicks that I had been feeling for weeks. I remember that in those moments I was worried and I felt somewhat puzzled. It wasn’t long before I knew that these rhythmic movements were my baby’s hiccups , something that started to become common during the third trimester of pregnancy.
If you are a new mother and you have not yet noticed fetal hiccups , we will explain why it occurs and how you will feel it from the outside.
Why does the baby hiccup in the tummy
We have all had hiccups at times, and in babies it is much more frequent due to the immaturity of their digestive and nervous systems. But you will probably be surprised to learn that, already in the womb, the baby can hiccup. In fact, hiccups are one of the first patterns of activity that the fetus has , and this reflex begins to develop from week 9 of gestation.
Hiccups are caused by involuntary contractions of the diaphragm , a muscle at the base of our lungs and involved in breathing. The spasm it produces when it contracts causes the vocal cords to close rapidly, generating the typical “hip!” , which is repeated with each contraction.
When in utero, the baby swallows amniotic fluid from the placenta to exercise the digestive system, while his lungs rehearse breathing movements. It is believed that the immaturity of your nervous system is what causes the contractions in your diaphragm, causing the hiccups.
In short, hiccups are part of the correct development of the baby in the womb , in addition to serving as training for their lungs and exercising sucking and swallowing, basic functions for their survival when they are born.
From what moment do you feel the fetal hiccup?
It is usually between the 26th and 28th week of pregnancy when the mother begins to feel her baby’s hiccups, although at first she may not be able to identify what it is . And is that if you have begun to feel your kicks, you will realize that these new movements are completely different.
Fetal hiccups feel like little rhythmic jolts that go on for several minutes – or even hours – always with the same frequency. These episodes can recur several times throughout the day, especially as the pregnancy progresses.
When the woman reaches the final stretch of her pregnancy, the baby’s hiccups can even be seen from the outside, giving the sensation that the whole belly is shaking with each ‘hip’ of the baby. For some women, this feeling is somewhat uncomfortable , since hiccups can last over time, sometimes making it difficult for the mother to rest.
In short, the baby’s hiccup causes a very characteristic and easily identifiable movement, so if you feel it you should not be alarmed and remember how important it is for your baby’s development. However, if you have any questions in this regard, be sure to consult with your midwife or gynecologist.
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In Babies and More | Newborn hiccups could be key to brain development
