Pregnancy Updates 39: Fetal Hiccups.

In: Little Benjac Junior|Pregnancy Symptoms|Pregnancy Updates

3 Feb 2010

It is such a shame that I did not record when I first felt LBJ hiccuped. I think it was as early as when I first felt him moved. The feeling is very different from his aerobatic stunts, and are consistently in rhythm.

Why do babies hiccups in the womb?

Only the more mature fetuses will hiccup, as hiccups rely on the development of the central nervous system.

It is believed that the fetus breathes in amniotic fluid or drinks it. When this happens and the amniotic fluid enters and exists the fetus lungs then the diaphragm contracts and hiccups results.

Continue Reading

During the earlier days, these hiccups felt like tiny flutters. If you put your palm over my belly, you can’t really feel it. But now as he is bigger, you can actually see a small heartbeat-like motion on my baby bump where LBJ could possibly be facing in utero ♥

LBJ hiccups rather frequently. I’d say around 4-5x in a day (Note to self: I really need to keep a record on this!) I was rather worried before and Dr Tan assured me that it is a good sign of maturity. Thank God!

Are fetal hiccups normal?

They are extremely normal and almost all moms will feel the babies hiccups at least once if not several times a day every day.

Hiccups are actually soothing to your baby, and help to relieve a variety of pressures on his growing lungs and organs.

Continue Reading

As cute as it may sound to others — the part about small heartbeat-like motion — it does feel rather uncomfortable each time LBJ hiccups. And they often last longer than a minute. I don’t know how to explain the feeling, but it is annoying *oops*

I’ve started calling LBJ my “Hiccup Hiccup Baby” every time he does that. Whenever I feel him hiccuping non stop, I would always try to imagine how he looks like. And all I can say is awww