How to burp your baby?

It is essential to make a baby burp after every meal. Burping aids in eliminating some of the air that is swallowed by the babies during feeding. If the baby is not being burped properly then there is accumulation of much swallowed air which can lead to spitting up, crankiness, and fussiness. A simple burp can ease the gas and comfort the baby. Generally, bottle-fed babies require more burping as compared to breastfed babies; as bottle-fed babies tend to swallow more air when feeding.

Burping is required when the baby seems uncomfortable while feeding, is fussy or pulls away the bottle and starts crying. If the baby falls asleep during or after feeding, don’t bother about burping. Gradually, as the babies grow older, they learn to eat without swallowing much air hence; the need of burping is not required.

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Common Burp Positions

There are three common positions used to burp the baby - over the shoulder, face down on your lap, and sitting up. Most of the babies are comfortable burping in one position rather than the other hence, it is advisable to experiment with different position, if you are not getting the desired results.

• Sit upright and hold your baby against your chest, over the shoulder. Rest your baby's chin over your shoulder; support your baby with one hand. With the other hand, gently pat your baby's back. Avoid patting too hard. Rubbing the back can also generate the burp. Gently rocking with your baby while you do this may be beneficial. Place a towel on your shoulder or under your baby’s chin, for easy cleaning of the ‘wet burp’.

• Hold your baby sitting up on your lap. Support the baby's head, neck and back. Cradle the baby's chin in the palm of one hand, while resting the heel of your hand on the baby's chest. Use the other hand to pat your baby's back gently. Avoid holding the throat of the baby.

• Lay your baby on your lap on his or her belly. Support the baby's head and ensure that the baby’s head is higher than his or her chest. Gently pat on your baby's back.

During the initial 6 months of the baby, the baby is to be kept in an upright position for 10 to 15 minutes, after feeding to avoid the milk from coming back up. You need not worry if your baby spits sometimes. At times, the baby may awaken because of gas, make your baby to burp which might put him or her back to sleep. Babies may suffer from colic after swallowing excess air during the crying spells, making the baby to burp can be of great hep in such situations.

Author, Dr. Varsha Sharma is a Consultant Homoeopath, practising since last 17yrs. She is an Associate Professor in a Homoeopathic Medical College. She has got vast experience in treating several ailments ranging from hair fall, psoriasis, acne, skin complaints, recurrent respiratory complaints, bronchitis, asthma, allergic coryza, migraine, sinusitis, nasal polyps, kidney complaints, female disorders, respiratory diseases, digestive disorders, arthritis, pains and aches, erectile dysfunction, impotence, kidney stones, depression, psychiatric disorders, recurrent attacks of cold, paediatric complaints, old age diseases, etc. She further offers Online Homeopathic treatment; Dietetic counselling; martial counselling and addiction counselling. She can be reached on her email – drvarshas@gmail.com

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