While it might not be the most glamorous of tasks, burping your baby is important for his or her comfort. When babies are feeding, they take in air, which can build up and make them uncomfortable, causing you to find yourself with a fussy, squirmy child.
When to Burp Your Baby
How much a baby needs to burp will vary from baby to baby. If you're burping a newborn after breastfeeding, the baby will typicallyburp less becausethey swallow less air.Most babies will outgrow the need to be burped by 4-6 months of age.
You can often tell that a baby needs to be burped if he or she is squirmy or pulling away while being fed. This being said, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents try to burp their baby:
- When a nursing mother switches breasts or
- Every 2-3 oz. if being bottle-fed (60 – 90 mL)
Pausing to burp frequently slows feeding and reduces air intake. However, if your baby has not successfully burped after a few minutes of trying, switch methods or give up and continue with the feeding. It is possible that your baby doesn’t actually have to burp. The best method for burping will generally differ for babies and parents – use the method that works best for you.
Burping Methods
There are three popular methods for burping newborns and babies. All will require a burping cloth to protect from spit up or wet burps and a gentle patting motion across a baby’s back to coax out the burp. The main difference is how the baby is held. Take care to support the baby’s head and neck safely and move the baby slowly and gently.
- Leaning
- Place a burping cloth or towel on your shoulder and/or back.
- Rest your baby’s chin or belly on your shoulder. (If opting for the belly, make sure that your baby can breathe easily. Parents may benefit from trying this option after their baby has better head/neck control.)
- Support and hold your baby in place with one hand, while using the other to gently pat your baby on the back.
- Sitting
- Place a burping cloth or towel across your lap and put a bib on your baby.
- Using your palm to support your baby’s chest and your fingers to support his or her jaw (not throat), place your baby sitting on your lap, facing away from you.
- With your free hand, gently pat your baby on the back.
- Laying
- Place a burping cloth or towel across your lap.
- Lay your baby across your knees, perpendicular to your body.
- Use one hand to support your baby’s head so that it is higher than the chest. This will prevent blood from rushing to the head.
- With your free hand, gently pat your baby on the back.
More information about feeding and burping your newborn:
When to be Concerned About Spit Up
Feeding Your Newborn
Is My Baby Eating Enough?
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Burping Your Baby
Alexis L.. Sawyer, Boys Town Pediatrics
Burping is mostly a comfort issue for your newborn or your baby. When excess gas or air builds up in their stomach, they can be very uncomfortable. They can cry more. They can also have more reflux or spitting up, because that air takes up space and they don't have quite as much space for that milk to sit in the stomach.
We recommend if you're breastfeeding to burp in between breasts when you are offering them breasts for breastfeeding. If you are bottle feeding actually about every one to two ounces is appropriate.
There are multiple different ways to burp a baby but the most important thing to keep in mind is you need to make sure you're supporting their head and neck when you're burping the baby. Often times you'll see classically people burping their babies over the shoulder which is perfectly fine. Put a burp rag over the shoulder, you kind of sling the baby over the shoulder but make sure that the head isn't hanging over the shoulder too far, and then patting until you feel or hear the release of gas and a burp.
Another nice way to do it is in your lap with your baby sitting in your lap. You also once again need to support them usually around the jaw area to help keep their head up and not slumped over. You can sit them sideways and pat them on the back and it's a good way of being able to visualize your baby's face and whether or not they are spitting out what they are burping.
You don't have to pat hard. Sometimes people just actually rub the back. That works as well so gently pat. Patting or rubbing oftentimes will get the result that you want.
Every baby is a little different, if they are still fussy after feeding after six months then I'd probably continue on with the burping but once babies get to hold themselves up right a little bit more than they are more likely to be able to relieve that gas on their own because they are able to move around more independently and then movement and being upright helps them release that gas.
Newborn Pediatrics;Lactation Consultation
FAQs
When burping your baby, repeated gentle patting on your baby's back should do the trick. Cup your hand while patting — this is gentler on the baby than a flat palm. To prevent messy cleanups when your baby spits up or has a "wet burp," you might want to place a towel or bib under your baby's chin or on your shoulder.
How long should you burp a newborn? ›
Support your baby's head and neck, make sure their tummy and back is nice and straight (not curled up), and rub or pat their back gently. You don't need to spend ages burping your baby, a couple of minutes should be enough.
Is it okay to put baby to sleep without burping? ›
Some babies may be more prone to gas and discomfort if they go to sleep without being burped, while others may not have any issues. However, if a baby is already asleep and showing no signs of discomfort, it is generally safe to let them sleep without burping.
What age do you stop burping a baby? ›
Most babies will outgrow the need to be burped by 4-6 months of age. You can often tell that a baby needs to be burped if he or she is squirmy or pulling away while being fed. This being said, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents try to burp their baby: When a nursing mother switches breasts or.
What happens if I don't burp my newborn? ›
An important part of feeding a baby is burping. Burping helps to get rid of some of the air that babies tend to swallow during feeding. Not being burped often and swallowing too much air can make a baby spit up, or seem cranky or gassy.
Does spit up count as a burp? ›
Spit-up is what happens when the contents of your baby's tummy come back up easily – not forcefully – through their mouth. It often comes along with a burp. It's not the same as vomiting, which is when your baby throws up their stomach contents with force and muscle contractions.
Will a baby wake up if they need to burp? ›
This is generally associated with either eating or crying, which means it would be very rare for a baby to wake in the night needing to burp. Instead, the need to burp typically happens after feeding or bouts of crying. If you suspect gas issues are waking your little one, try these tips for a gassy baby.
Can a baby choke if not burped while sleeping? ›
This is a natural concern. However, your baby has natural ways to prevent spit-up from going down the windpipe (also called the airway). This special protection even exists when she is on her back. Sometimes, your baby may cough or gag if she spits-up.
How long to keep a newborn upright after feeding? ›
Hold your baby upright for 15 to 30 minutes after feeding. Avoid a lot of movement during and immediately after feeding. Slightly elevate the head of babies' cribs so babies can sleep with their heads slightly up.
How to do the magic burp? ›
It's very important to support your baby's head. You can kind of make a C shape with your fingers. and just cradle the neck and the head like this. Bubbles and air will start to rise upwards, and you might get a burp.
If your baby won't burp after a feed, don't panic! The first thing you should do is try out a different burping position! Sometimes it just takes more movement or a different angle to get that trapped gas out. And remember, some babies don't need to burp as much as others.
How soon after feeding can I put my newborn baby down? ›
Instead of laying your baby down flat after feeding, keep them upright for about 30 minutes so gravity can help them digest their food. Otherwise, they're more likely to spit up.
When can I stop worrying about SIDS? ›
After 6-months old, babies are typically able to lift their heads, roll over, or wake up more easily, and the risk of SIDS decreases dramatically. However, 10% of SIDS happens between 6 and 12 months of age and safe sleep recommendations should be followed up to a baby first birthday.
When do babies no longer need night feeds? ›
Most doctors will agree that you can stop intentionally waking your baby for night feedings around 3-4 months as long as they're showing stable weight gain and staying on their growth curve. However, some babies won't be able to sleep through the night without any feedings until closer to 9 months.
Do babies burp with Dr Brown bottles? ›
Your baby will be able to feed more comfortably with Dr. Brown's baby bottles because the vent system allows him to nurse freely without having problems with vacuum or the discomfort of ingesting air bubbles. This will in turn reduce the feeding problems like colic, spit-up, burping, and gas.
Do breastfed babies need to be burped? ›
Do breastfed babies need to be burped? In general, breastfed babies don't need as much burping as bottle-fed babies because they tend to swallow less air when feeding. In fact, some very efficient nursers don't need to be burped at all. But some breastfed babies definitely do need to be burped.
Does burping mean newborn is full? ›
Sometimes we think our babies are full but really what they need is a good burp! Once they've got rid of this wind they are able to finish their feed. Good, full feeds will sustain your little one for longer, meaning they are more likely to sleep well and you are more likely to get a break!
Should you wake a newborn to burp? ›
Yes, you should burp your baby even after a dream feed, which is a late-night feeding you wake your little one up for before you head to bed. The reason? Any feeding, including a dream feed, can create gas and/or cause your baby to spit up.
