Why Do Babies Hiccup? Answering a Curious Question

Question
My question, is kinda silly, but its something that my dad got me thinking about the first time I was at his house and I said look to my mom because the baby had the hiccupps and my stomache was moving with every hiccupp.  He asked me how can the Baby have hiccupps when it doesnt breathe air. I didnt know the answer, and i have asked around and no one could answer it.  Will you please help me answer my dads wondering brain? (and Mine!)  

Answer
Hello Barbara. Hiccupps have little to do with breathing air. They happen when the vagal nerve is irritated. This nerve partly controls the movement of the diaphragm- the large muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Your baby is practicing breathing every few hours by pulling amniotic fluid into it's lungs and "breathing " it out again. The diaphragm does most of this work and it often gets tired and thus the hiccups. After birth your baby may have lots of hiccupps- especially after a burp. The best way to stop them is to put baby back to the breast for a little more sucking and they will settle down. I do hope you are planning to breastfeed- among the numerous reasons to breastfeed is the fact that breastfed children are more intelligent than artificially fed children. Go to La Leche League International for the best info about breastfeeding. You might also enjoy a site called BirthLove. All the best- Cheri.