Take a spoonful of sugar. Change your breathing pattern. Hold your breath and swallow three times. These are three of MANY ways people get rid of hiccups. I, on the other hand, try to help Isabelle get rid of her hiccups using a tactic my father used with me as a little girl. I try to startle them out of her.
This afternoon she began hiccuping and couldn’t stop.
“Bah!” she yelled.
“You can’t scare the hiccups out of yourself, silly!” I told her.
“Bah!” she said again.
“It’s not going to work,” I told my mini-me.
She continued hiccuping. I casually helped her get changed for rest time. That’s when I startled her.
“BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I shouted.
Her little head, hands, and body shook at the sound of my voice. She started to giggle. But then, HICCUP!
“Oh no. It didn’t work,” I said.
I smoothed out her woolies and then startled her again.
More laughter. But then, another hiccup surfaced.
“Maybe I’ll just have to tickle them out of you,” I told her.
“Okay!” she said.
I tickled her underarms, her feet, and her tummy. But, — HICCUP!
“It’s still not working. You need more tickles!” I said.
A few minutes later, she was all tickled out. She picked two picture books for rest time and sidled up next to me. Everything was quiet as I was about to read The Pigeon Needs a Bath.
“They’re gone aren’t they?” I asked.
“Yup!” she replied. “Because you bah-ed me.”
It works every time.
Raising Literate Humans 
Bah… It worked! Funny story. Hiccups don’t come up in my adolescent students very often, but it always starts a conversation when they do.
What a precious slice with your girl! Love love love!
“You bah-ed me”…CUTE! Tickling them out seems like a good strategy to me.
So cute! This might be the beginnings of your next manuscript…
Stacey, what a cute little vignette. My favorite method is to try bringint the tips of your index fingers as close together as possible without letting them actually touch.
Reading this made me smile.
what a lovely slice! “you bah-ed me” —great line. this slice is so sweet–I love examining an “ordinary” moment and seeing the glory of it. these are the treasured moments that make up our lives.
Funny how we all have our different ways to get rid of those hiccups. I recently learned a new way too that seems to work with my girls (changing the breathing – inhale through the nose, hold for a count of 5, then slowly exhale through the mouth). But I also love the tickling and scared silly method too! Whatever works, right? A fun little slice of life that may easily be forgotten, but you captured the moment perfectly!
super cute!
I don’t know how this works, but every single time I try it, it works…
If someone has hiccups, ask them what tofu is made of.
Seriously, that’s it. I think it’s ridiculous, but I see it work every time!
So cute! I love how you call her your “mini me.” It reminds me of a story my mom tells me of how I taught my sister how to say “I” instead of “me.” When she finally got it right, I proudly announced, “Good Julsie! I teached ya!”