Wittle Baby Hiccups

Hiccups are so weird. What purpose do they serve and why do we get them? And why do some people get them more often and more violently than others? I guess it's something that has always bothered me, but I never bothered to look it up - until today. And so, with the help of the Google machine and WebMD, here are some fun facts about hiccups for your viewing pleasure that may or may not enlighten you:

What are hiccups?

Hiccups occur when a spasm contracts the diaphragm, a large sheet of muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. This spasm causes an intake of breath that is suddenly stopped by the closure of the vocal cords. This closure causes the characteristic "hiccup" sound.

What causes hiccups?

A very full stomach can cause bouts of hiccups that go away on their own. A full stomach can be caused by:

• Eating too much food too quickly.
• Drinking too much alcohol.
• Swallowing too much air.
• Smoking
• A sudden change in stomach temperature, such as drinking a hot beverage and then a cold beverage.
• Emotional stress or excitement.

How long do hiccups last?

Hiccups usually stop within a few minutes to a few hours. <--- A few HOURS?! Holy moly! I get annoyed after about five minutes!

Hiccups that last longer than 48 hours are called persistent hiccups. Hiccups that last longer than a month are called intractable hiccups. While very rare, intractable hiccups can cause exhaustion, lack of sleep, and weight loss. Both persistent and intractable hiccups may be a sign of a more serious health problem and must be checked by a doctor. (How do you sleep if you have hiccups for longer than 48 hours? Do you just hiccup in your sleep then? So bizarre.)

How are hiccups treated?

Most bouts of hiccups go away on their own within a few minutes to a few hours and do not require any treatment.

Many home remedies are used to treat hiccups. Most of them involve increasing the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which usually stops hiccups. Some of these remedies include:

• Holding your breath and counting slowly to 10.
• Breathing repeatedly into a paper bag for a limited period of time.
• Quickly drinking a glass of cold water.
• Eating a teaspoon of sugar or honey.
• My personal favorite is taking a drink of water while standing up, holding it in your mouth, putting your head between your legs, and then swallowing the water. You look like a complete idiot doing it, but it works for me about 90% of the time...

Who is affected by hiccups?

Hiccups affect males more often than females. (Haha guys!) Hiccups occur in practically every human being, including babies and older adults.

That's it! See that bolded part up there about hiccups effecting everyone, including babies? Yes, that right there ladies and gentlemen would be the reason for my sudden increased interest in hiccups. You see, little Baby Bogart apparently has a full stomach very often these days because he gets hiccups everyday... multiple times a day. And it is incredibly annoying. It used to be sort of cute, back when he only got them every now and again, but now that it's happening everyday it's starting to grate on my frazzled pregnant nerves. (On a side note, Ryan wants me to mention here that he still thinks they're cute.. and yes, that irritates me even more haha.)

I have read that it's a good sign for babies to get hiccups in utero because it means that their lungs are maturing and it's strengthening their diaphragm in preparation for breathing, and I try really hard to remind myself of this, but it's still incredibly annoying. Plus, I feel bad that he doesn't know any of the "tricks" to get rid of them and he has to suffer through them everyday! I try to tell him to hold his breath and plug is nose, but I don't think he really gets it. I wonder why? Haha ;)

So there is the update from the Bogart household today: Brock gets the hiccups too much and it's driving mommy bonkers.

I hope that everyone is enjoying the gorgeous November weekend and all the deer hunters in Minnesota are having some good luck! My mama and sister are coming to visit tomorrow because my sister has the day of from school Monday and I'm super excited. Now if only those darn bathrooms would clean themselves before they get here...