Techniques for Burping a Baby

Burping a baby is an important part of feeding. Newborns are not able to bring air up on their own and yet when they eat they seem to get plenty into their stomachs. The baby will become very fussy if he or she isn’t burped because the air will cause a tummy ache, spit up problems, and often gas later on. During the feeding you should burp the baby at least once. You need to burp the baby when they are finished as well. When the baby is fussy or crying you should try to burp them to see if that helps.

In the beginning you can try several different methods to burp the baby until you find one that you like. In each of the positions you use a gentle rhythmic patting of the back is used to help force the air out of the belly. You may also find that you change your favored method of burping as your baby grows.

To help handle any spit up messes you can put a burp cloth, blanket, or towel under the baby. Pat the baby’s back repetitively until they belch once or twice. Newborns need head and neck support during this time to prevent their head from flopping about.

You can also set the baby across your thighs in order to burp them. Place them in a sitting position. You will want to hold their head and neck by placing your hand on their chest and holding their chin. You then tap the back as you usually would.

It is also possible to lay the baby on your lap as a burping position. You want their stomach to be gently pushing on your knee or thigh and you will need to watch their head and neck. Softly pat their back. The pressure of your knee often helps force that tough burp out.

When a burp isn’t coming out easily you need to be patient and walk or pace while you alternate between burping and rubbing the belly. While burping them can sometimes be time consuming it is the best thing you can do because your baby will be a happier person to be around.

If your baby spits up a lot you should try burping them more frequently. You may find that burping them more often is enough to stop the spitting issues.

You should burp your baby during and after each meal for the first four to six months. Usually once they start sitting up and moving about more they can burp better on their own. They will also begin getting solids which will aid in lessening the amount of air in their tummies.

A healthy and happy baby is one that gets burped frequently. It is true that burping takes more time than skipping it, but skipping it will cause the baby to be fussy, grumpy, and sometimes even inconsolable. You can choose the position that you and your baby like best and even change it as they get bigger.