Burping
Every time your baby feeds, she swallows air as she suckles. If you don't burp her, she'll become fussy and spit up. If she swallows a lot of air without being burped, she'll show signs of colic and become irritable.
When Do I Burp My Baby?
A baby needs to be burped in the middle of a feeding and afterwards.
- breastfeeding: if you breastfeed your baby, that means you should try burping her when you switch between breasts
- formula feeding: if your baby is formula-fed, then it's important to burp her in the middle of her feeding; babies that formula feed suck more air and so have worse gas
Signs That My Baby Needs Burping
Parents should become aware of their baby's feeding habits so that burping can be easily identified. If your baby slows down or stops feeding, it's a sign she's ready to be burped. Switch her to the other beast or continue bottle-feeding.
Burping Positions, Everyone
There are three burping positions that every parent should try. Usually, a baby responds best to one position, so keep trying until you figure which position your baby prefers.
- over the shoulder: this is the most common position; hold your baby over your shoulder and support her back and neck with your arm, gently patting her back for one or two minutes. Apply a slight pressure to her stomach to help the gas bubble up.
- lying down on lap: in this position, the baby lays face down on your lap; one of your hands will apply a gentle pressure to her stomach while the other hand pats the baby's back.
- sitting on lap: sit the baby on your lap, and support her head by cradling her cheeks with one hand, laying your arm flat against her tummy to provide pressure. Again, burp her by patting for about one or two minutes.
If your baby doesn't burp after one or two minutes, she may simply not need to be burped. If, on the other hand, she hasn't burped yet but has a painful look on her face, try rubbing her tummy and then continue burping.
Questions or concerns? Chat with other new moms in our online forum.
