During the first few months you can be sure that your baby will hiccup at regular intervals, particularly when he/she gets excited or just after a feed. This is quite normal and is nothing to be unduly alarmed about. Hiccups are just one of the many normal behaviours and reflexes that are common for newborn babies that parents (particularly first time parents) need to be aware of and get used to. In fact, chances are that the mother even felt the baby hiccup from time to time while still in the womb. Indeed, studies have revealed that hiccups can start as early as the 6th week after actual conception!

The exact reasons for newborn babies suffering hiccups more so than other, older, infants is not generally agreed upon by the medical profession, but undoubtedly much has to do with the relative immaturity of your baby's internal organs. As your baby develops and matures, so too will the hiccupping reduce in intensity and frequency.

There isn't a lot you can do to stop the hiccups in a newborn baby. Certainly the old wives-tale solutions for adults (such as standing on your head, breathing into a paper bag, getting a scare etc.,) should not be tried on your infant. In fact, probably the only thing you can do is to patiently wait the hiccups out and try to comfort or distract your baby while the hiccups persist. Frequent burping during feeding may decrease the instances of hiccups, but once they start there is very little that you can do.

Hiccups can last for anything from a minute or so right up to half an hour or an hour at a time but they do not harm your baby in any way. You may find however that as your baby gets older, he/she will tend to get frustrated during periods of hiccupping. By this stage however your baby should be easier to distract and keep occupied and hopefully this in turn will make it possible for you to help your baby stop hiccupping once he/she starts.

Home Remedies for Hiccups
There are several home remedies for hiccups and while some of them are very successful, you may need to try more than one to find the remedy that suits you.

-- Have a spoon of granulated sugar and allow it to dissolve slowly without chewing it. This home remedy for hiccups is especially suitable for toddlers and small children who are unable to follow detailed instructions on breathing patterns.

-- Add a tablespoon of salt to a cup of yogurt and mix it thoroughly until the salt dissolves completely. Have the yogurt slowly and you will find that your hiccups cease with just a few spoons.

-- Cardamom powder is also an effective remedy for hiccups. You will need to add a teaspoon of freshly ground cardamom powder to a pan with 1 ? cups of water and bring the water to a boil over low heat. Allow this liquid to cool and then strain the liquid and drink it while it is still cool. This remedy helps the muscles of the diaphragm to relax and this will stop your hiccups. This is considered by many to be the best way to end alcoholic hiccups as it also helps to flush one?s system of the excess alcohol.

-- Clean and peel a small piece of fresh ginger and chew on it slowly to get rid of your hiccups. This home treatment for hiccups may taste a little unpleasant but it is very effective.

-- A spoon of peanut butter could help to stop hiccups and this is a great remedy for hiccups in children as kids hesitate to eat unfamiliar foods. This is also one of the best home remedies for continuous hiccups.