Odd topic but this is one for every first time parent with their newborn.
I am asked this question every single day–without fail.
” Is there something wrong with my Newborn baby” ?
I respond ” Why” ?
And then the response-“-Little Johny has a cold and sounds all stuffed up and makes this Darth Vader fast snuffaguffalous sound and then also keeps hiccuping”
My response—
Most breast fed babies have a valve between their esophagus and stomach that does not work properly and as a result , when the stomach fills , there is an inability to keep the milk in the stomach. This is why babies spit up ,regurgitate or throw up after a big feed. The milk that comes up often causes some irritation in the nasal passages and back of throat areas causing the noises that we have already described. Hiccuping is very common in an overfilled stomach as the nerve that is involved causes a repetitive spasm of the diaphragm and this is what hiccups in reality is.
So –to all of those worried that their baby has a cold, chances are that they do not. It is even less likely if the baby is breast fed , as the passive antibodies are passed through the breast milk and provide immunity to the baby , especially in the first three months of life. This is one of the many reasons why we encourage breast feeding.
