In this article:
How To Burp A Baby?
There are several approaches to getting a baby to burp. Here are three distinct burping techniques you may use. Experiment to see which one is most comfortable and beneficial for you and your infant.Burp your infant against your chest or shoulder
- To protect your clothing from spit-up, place a rag over your shoulder and let it fall down your back.
- Hold your infant towards your breast with their chin resting on your shoulder.
- Support their bottom with one hand while softly patting or rubbing their back with the other.
Alternatively, if your infant has more head and neck control, try this:
- Hold your infant higher up on your shoulder, so that your shoulder softly rests on their abdomen, causing moderate pressure to bring out the burp.
- Support them with one hand while softly patting or rubbing their back with the other.
- Make sure your infant can breathe easily and isn't stooped over too much. A brief look in the mirror to verify their head position might be beneficial.
Burp your infant when they are seated on your lap
- Place a cotton bib on your infant or over your lap to collect any spit-up.
- Sit your infant on your lap, facing away from you or to the side.
- Use one hand to hold their body, with the palm supporting the chest and the fingers softly supporting the chin and jaw. (Make sure you don't place your fingers around their neck.)
- Lean your infant slightly forward while softly patting or rubbing their back with your other hand.
Burp your infant face down on your lap
- Place a rag over your lap to collect any spit-up.
- Lay your infant face down on your legs, perpendicular to your torso.
- Support their chin and jaw with one hand. Make sure your baby's head is not lower than the rest of the body to prevent blood from rushing to it.
- Pat or stroke their back with the other hand.
Here are some basic burping guidelines for your baby, no matter which position you use:
- Make sure their back is straight and not twisted over.
- Apply firm, yet soft pressure.
- Also, try circular movements.
- If you bottle-feed, you may discover that particular kinds of bottles help your baby ingest less air and burp less often.
- If your infant spits up often, you should avoid postures that create more pressure on their abdomen when burping (for example, high on your shoulder or laying face down across your lap).
When Does A Baby Need To Be Burped?
One effective method is to take a burping break after around ⅓ of a cup if you're bottle-feeding, or when your baby changes breasts if you're nursing.If your baby seems uncomfortable when feeding - squirming, pulling away and screaming, arching their back, or pulling up their legs - it might be because they have air in their belly. This is the best moment to attempt burping.
If you do not burp your baby when they need it, air will take up the space they need to fill with breast milk or formula. Trapped air might cause a baby to get gassy or vomit up often. It may also create a vicious cycle: if your baby is upset because they need to burp, they may scream and swallow more air, which causes them to burp even more.
Burping may also help infants who spit up often, have gassy stomachs or suffer from gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
However, there is no rule requiring newborns to burp during each meal. If your infant seldom burps and falls asleep right after feeding, you may not need to burp them. In fact, some newborns may not need regular burping.
If your baby is a good eater, is gaining weight well, and does not appear to be affected by gassiness or reflux, then skipping the burping sessions altogether is reasonable, says Dr Sandeep Rajput.
When Should You Stop Burping Your Baby?
As newborns get older, their digestive systems develop, and they may learn to feed without swallowing large amounts of air. This might happen around the time they start solid food, which could be anywhere between 4 and 6 months. There's nothing wrong with continuing to burp your baby beyond this time if you believe they still need help.How Long Should You Burp A Baby?
Some newborns burp readily, while others need some (or a lot of) help. Most will burp within a few seconds, but others may take longer and need more encouragement.Once your baby has burped a few times and seems to be content, you may stop burping them. If they aren't satisfied, they'll eat more and probably need to burp again.
If your baby hasn't burped within a few minutes and seems unhappy, try a new position. If they are still uncomfortable, lay them down on their back for a few minutes. Gently massage their stomach and/or cycle their legs. Then lift them up and gently attempt to burp them again.
If you've tried burping your infant for a few minutes and nothing happens, you may stop; your baby may not have any trapped air that needs to come up. If you know your infant often takes longer to burp, keep trying. Taking the effort to ensure that all of the air bubbles have been removed will make your baby happy - and will allow them to sleep better.
Do Breastfed Infants Need To Be Burped?
Breastfed infants often need less burping than bottle-fed newborns since they ingest less air when feeding.However, burping is necessary for certain breastfed newborns. If you have a quick letdown and/or a large amount of milk, your baby may swallow some air while they acclimatise to the flow and need burping later. A breastfeeding infant may also swallow a large amount of air if they are really hungry or unhappy when they begin nursing. Each infant is unique, so pay attention to their indications.
WhatCauses Trapped Gas In Babies?
Gas may also result from the breakdown of some meals in the large intestine. It might be an ingredient in baby formula. Other common causes of gas in breastfed infants include:- Beans and high-fibre foods
- Cruciferous vegetables (including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts)
- Sugar-free candy and gum
- Soda
- Fruit and fruit beverages
- Dairy and Chocolate
Additional Tips For Relieving Gas In Babies
If burping does not help your baby's pain, try other postures and strategies to move the gas.
- Apply slight abdominal pressure: Parents can help by giving an infant a massage or pushing the legs back and forth when the baby lies on their back—bicycling. Allowing a baby to lie on their stomach while awake might also help.
- Eliminate the cause: You might also attempt to determine the source of the extra gas. For example, if you're nursing, something in your diet may be causing your baby's pain. Everyone is different, but one of the most common culprits for gassiness is dairy—milk, cheese, ice cream.
- Adjust the flow: Other options include allowing the bottle to settle before feeding your baby (shaking adds a lot of air to the milk) and using an age-appropriate nipple. If you're breastfeeding with an excessive letdown, consider manually expressing some milk before feeding to prevent overwhelming your baby with a quick flow. If you're bottle-feeding, consider using a bottle type that reduces the quantity of air within. If nothing else works to relieve gas, parents may try over-the-counter medications (with the agreement of a healthcare professional).
When To Call A Healthcare Provider?
Gassiness should seldom be accompanied by other symptoms. According to experts, the following symptoms may suggest that something else is happening:- Temperature exceeds 100.4 F
- Diarrhoea
- Bloody stools
- Excessive fussiness
- Inability to settle
FAQs on Burping A Newborn Baby After Breastfeeding
- Can you burp a sleeping baby?
If your baby falls asleep during feeding, you can still burp them. The procedures for burping a sleeping infant are the same as for burping an awake baby; merely use milder movements. If your baby hasn't finished feeding, burping may help to wake them up and keep them feeding for a little longer. - What if your baby doesn't burp?
Not all babies burp all the time. If your baby has not burped after you have attempted to burp them, return to feeding. They may not burp at all.
