Life

When Can You Feel Baby Hiccups in The Womb?

by Cat Bowen

Baby hiccups are a trip. It's like you have a tiny party happening in your belly, only the beat? It could be better. But no, your tiny little raver isn't dancing to the latest song by The Weeknd — they just have the hiccups. So when can you feel baby hiccups in the womb? Is it about the same for everyone, or is each pregnancy different?

My son had hiccups pretty much every day for a few weeks. I vacillated between thinking "oh that's just precious," and "sweet baby, just make it stop." This thought process doesn't cease with hiccups, by the way. This is essentially the spectrum for most things your children will do in their lives. Singing Katy Perry's "Roar" over and over? At first it's adorable. After the fourth consecutive day of "You're gonna hear me roooar," you'll be praying for patience or really good earplugs.

When it comes to when you feel baby hiccups in the womb, it is a completely unique experience, and different for every pregnant mom, according to Healthline. Some moms report feeling the little rhythmic, jerking movements as early as 18 weeks, while others don't feel it until much later, around 25 weeks. But what do they feel like? For me, it was a sharp, rhythmic jerk that felt a little like my baby was jumping up and down or twisting back and forth. It was a dance party in my womb, and only one person was invited.

Some women, according to Healthline, don't feel hiccups ever. For others, it's nearly daily. However, it should be mentioned that these jerky movements should only be felt up until week 32. After that, they might not be hiccups any longer, but instead may mark a rare, but serious problem with umbilical cord compression, which needs to be treated immediately.

It's pretty cool to feel your baby having the hiccups when they're just little things resting comfortably in your womb, and you may feel them pretty early. Just be on the lookout for hiccups late in your pregnancy, and don't hesitate to call your provider. Until then? Enjoy the silent entertainment, because soon, your child will also be "roooaaring" all over the place.