Belinda Joyce
Why do we burp babies and why is it so important?
Babies need to be burped during and after breast and bottle feeds as they are unable to get into a position by themselves to bring their own burps up. You know yourself how uncomfortable that would be.
Burping is just to get wind up the oesophagus from the stomach. Wind that is past here, in the bowel for instance is too far down and at least some of this wind is likely to have been produced from the digestive process rather than from feeding or swallowing air. This wind can only be passed from the bottom as a fart!
When should a baby be burped, is it just after feeds?
Burping a little between breasts if breastfeeding or halfway through a bottle feed can help your baby go on to have a more comfortable and better feed as they make room for more. Often your baby’s body language will tell you they need a burp as they slow down or start squirming/fussing around.
Then they need to be burped at the end of the feed as well.
How to burp your baby
Put a burp cloth or cloth nappy on your shoulder before burping as they will often bring up small amount of milk. This saves on the washing, there is already enough!
The most common position is over the shoulder. Pop baby upright facing towards you over your shoulder (support their head) and rub their back gently and give some gentle pats as well. Gravity itself helps the burps come up, like a bubble in a bottle. In this position your shoulder will put slight pressure on the baby’s stomach, and this helps to get wind up too.
Other positions for burping?
- Sitting up on your lap with chin supported and rubbing their back.
- Face down across your lap
Parents usually find a way that works best for them and their baby.
How long do you need to burp your baby for?
Just a minute or two of burping is usually plenty, as you get to know your baby, you will learn if they need a little longer if they haven’t burped. Some babies really need to burp before they can settle, while others don’t.
In the past parents would often burp their baby’s for long periods, there is no evidence to show that this is necessary. Sometimes you won’t be able to get a burp up and your baby will burp later, perhaps when sleeping and this is fine.
Is it spitting up or vomiting:
Spitting up (positing) is quite common as the muscle at the top of your baby’s stomach is not fully mature and some milk escapes back up. This often occurs with a burp but is different from vomiting which is usually more forceful and most of the stomach contents come up.
If your baby is bringing up large amounts of milk you should discuss this with your Midwife, Maternal and Child Health Nurse or GP.
Babies who appear unwell and vomiting or if the vomiting appears to be painful or who are failing to thrive and grow adequately should be seen by a Doctor or Paediatrician.
What if your baby is asleep, should you still burp them?
Often your baby will fall asleep while feeding and it is still good to burp them to give them a chance to bring up any wind. They are less likely to bring up all of their wind when asleep as they are more floppy but try to support them and give them a chance. Even just being upright on your shoulder can help.
Are there other times that we should burp our babies?
After long bouts of crying which many newborns have, they would benefit from burping as they will have likely swallowed a lot of air.
If at any time your baby is unsettled or appears uncomfortable trying to give them another burp can sometimes help, it is often difficult to know what is causing the discomfort.
Many parents find themselves holding their baby against them and patting or rubbing their back becomes a habit and this is often helpful at any time.
You will get to know your baby; some babies really need to be burped every time and others don’t seem to need it as much.
As your baby gets older, they will often burp as soon as they are upright after a feed all by themselves.
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