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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Fetal hiccups - umbilical cord paranoia!

21 replies

Jsh125 · 12/12/2016 15:47

Hi,

I'm 33 weeks pregnant and for the past few days the baby has been getting hiccups 3 or 4 times lasting over 10 mins on some occasions. I assume they're hiccups since it's like a rhythmic tapping feeling but I can feel it most where I know it's bottom/back is lying (from last midwife appointment).

I'm a little bit paranoid as I read somewhere that hiccups this late in pregnancy can be a sign the cord is wrapped around the babies neck but the official nhs info doesn't mention it at all.

The baby is moving normally amongst the hiccups & I had a growth scan 10 days ago where all was fine.

I have a midwife appointment on fri so will definitely mention it to her then but not sure if it warrants communication sooner than that or not? Don't want to be paranoid (especially as baby is definitely moving) but also don't want to ignore a potential issue

If anyone has any advice or experience I'd be really grateful to hear it!

Thanks

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Scarydinosaurs · 12/12/2016 15:51

All three of my pregnancies have been like this! Hiccups right up until the end. And when they came out too!

It is totally normal. I'm on my third pregnancy and as I write this baby is hiccuping away in there. It's quite nice really, as long as you're also awake and it doesn't wake you at 3am!

CrazyGreyhoundLady · 12/12/2016 15:54

My little one did this from about 30 weeks onwards. Constant hiccups several times a day for absolutely ages but nothing wrong with her at all apart from being v large. She's nine weeks old now and still hiccups all the time!
Congratulations! Try not to worry and do mention it to your midwife just to ease your mind if nothing else

UpTownFuck · 12/12/2016 15:55

My DS had hiccups quite a lot towards the end of the pregnancy but I defiantly know the cord wasn't around his neck as I asked when he was born.

I'd try not to worry although I know it's hard but defiantly mention to the midwife even just for your own sake to help you stop worrying!

CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 12/12/2016 16:04

DD regularly had hiccups in late pregnancy - I used to put a piece of paper on my bump to show my Dnieces them :)

No cord around the neck.

HandbagCrab · 12/12/2016 16:08

I thought hiccups were a sign the baby is practicing breathing ready to come out! Try not to worry :)

ElphabaTheGreen · 12/12/2016 16:18

Another one with two mega-hicuppers here and no cords around necks. I don't think there's any hard and fast conclusions to be drawn about foetal hiccups, so step away from Google.

DS1 resumed hicupping a few hours after birth. His foetal hiccups had been such a feature of pregnancy I actually LOLed to hear them in the outside.

AyeAmarok · 12/12/2016 16:20

I had my DC two weeks ago. He had hiccups constantly from about twenty something weeks, and when it got into the 30 weeks I started panicking and Googling and found the same awful things you did.

At 34 weeks I called the hospital because at that point it was 4 or 5 times a day, for about 15-20 minutes each time, and I just wanted to make sure that I'd flagged it. Midwife told me to wise up, basically. Told me it was just hiccups, of course it's not an issue, and not to read things online unless it was on NHS pages. (I cried after because she made me feel like such an idiot when I just wanted to double check)

Anyway, hiccups continued right through to 42 weeks. I mentioned it at every single appointment but no midwife ever said anything other than "Ahhhhhh, cute". One said I'd probably find he would hiccup a lot when born. He does! He still probably hiccups most days.

AyeAmarok · 12/12/2016 16:23

Hmm, although he did have the cord round his neck when born, although it was dealt with easily and nothing to worry about.

He also has very strong neck muscles for a newborn, which DP thinks is because all the hiccupping made him buff

Dozer · 12/12/2016 16:26

DD1 hiccupped a lot, and did so as a baby and toddler and too.

BBQsAreSooooOverrated · 12/12/2016 16:26

I had or rather my baby had quite violent hiccups while in the womb. No cord around neck, clearly enjoyed the amniotic fluid too much. When she was born she suffered quite a bit with hiccups/wind too.

Do keep an eye on the movements though, if the pattern changes or you feel concerned ring your mw :)

theconstantinoplegardener · 12/12/2016 16:28

Two of mine hiccuped their way through pregnancy. One of them did have the cord wrapped around her neck, but the midwife just slipped it over her head as she was being delivered. She told me it's quite common, and usually of no consequence as long as they notice it. All my children are fine now!

ScarletOverkill · 12/12/2016 16:38

My DD hiccupped loads while in the womb and did have the cord around her neck when born. DP wasn't allowed to cut the cord because of it.

Original poster

Jsh125 · 12/12/2016 16:41

Thanks so much for sharing your stories, made me feel a lot better. I have definitely tried to ignore it since it wasn't from an NHS or other proper source but once you've seen something you can't unread it!! Google is great for some things but also a total nightmare!

Baby is definitely moving although last couple of weeks have changed from small kicks to more rolls, pushes & generally looking like it might break out of my stomach at any point! Guessing that's ok? I do have an anterior placenta so never felt strong kicks & have been monitored a couple of times for reduced movement so now pay super close attention to what it's doing in there!!

Thanks so much again

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stiffstink · 12/12/2016 16:44

Both of mine were hiccupers in the womb! DD is currently crawling all over me, hiccuping away.

stiffstink · 12/12/2016 16:45

Posted too soon - no idea about the cords, both were c sections and I never thought to ask.

mimiholls · 12/12/2016 17:19

Totally normal

Lunalovepud · 13/12/2016 08:57

DC Number 1 hiccupped ALL THE TIME - he came out of the sunroof in the end so I don't know whether the cord was around his neck or not.

I was told at one ultrasound when the cord was over the baby's face (at 3D scan) that as long as your waters haven't broken, the cord can't wrap around the baby like that because everything is so slippery it would just slip right off. Hope that makes you feel better! Mention it to your midwife anyway - they will reassure you too.

You don't say whether this is your first DC so apologies if I am telling you something you already know but hiccups don't count as baby movements - if you have reduced movements or think that your baby might be in distress, call the hospital and they will ask you in for monitoring. Don't be concerned that you are wasting anyone's time - they won't think that and would always rather check that baby is happy and healthy.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!

MopedManiac · 13/12/2016 09:02

My Dd (now 11) had hiccups in utero all the time! She was even hiccuping during delivery!

Now whenever she laughs too long she gets the hiccups!

Good luck!

Original poster

Jsh125 · 13/12/2016 09:39

Thanks so much everyone, feel a lot more reassured now but will definitely mention it on Friday at my midwife appointment too. At least I'm not now reaching for the phone to the maternity assessment unit!!

Baby has been moving as well as hiccuping (thanks for info, had read that hiccups don't count as movement but always good to hear it again & make sure I didn't imagine it!!).

OP posts:

MrsMary78 · 14/10/2021 19:15

Same here, 3ww and baby hiccuping a lot!a lot!

SylvanasWindrunner · 14/10/2021 20:45

DD hiccupped loads in utero! She was quite a hiccupy baby too and still gets them sometimes as a toddler now, which she finds hilarious.

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