As a new parent, you would have been advised to do a number of things for the sake of your baby’s health. These suggestions might have come from your parents, relatives or even friends who have walked down this path of early parenthood. One such suggestion is about burping your baby. But why is it recommended? When should one burp a baby? And how?
The Importance Of Burping Your Baby
Your baby’s digestive system is still developing and sensitive, so keeping their tummy happy requires a little bit of extra care. Burping your baby helps you to relieve the gas that your baby swallows during feeding. When your baby is gassy, they will experience stomach pain and discomfort. A number of factors can cause your baby to feel gassy, causing colic pain.
Improper Latching – As a new mom, you might not be able to get your baby to latch on properly in the beginning, which can cause your baby to take in air while breastfeeding. This can also happen if you bottle feed your baby.
Teething Pain – Teething can be irritating and painful for your baby, which is why they cry a lot during tooth eruption. Due to this excessive crying, they involuntarily inhale air through their mouth, which can lead to trapped gas and stomach pain.
Crying Leads To More Pain – When your baby cries due to tummy pain, a lot of air enters their tummy. So crying due to being gassy can actually cause your baby to become even more gassy.
What Happens
When your baby swallows air, their stomach senses that it is full, and this leads to the release of digestive acids into the tummy. Since there isn’t enough food for the acids to digest, it will cause a burning sensation in your baby’s stomach. This is what causes your baby to cry.
How To Burp Your Baby?
There are several ways to burp your baby. Here are the two most common and easiest ways to burp your little one:
1. On your lap
Make your baby lie stomach down on your lap. Use your hand to support their head and neck. Hold a burp cloth in one hand and gently pat them on the back with the other hand to burp them. The burp cloth can be used to clean up any baby spit up due to the burping action.
2. Over your shoulder
Place your baby’s head over your shoulder, making sure to support their neck. Their body should be flat against your chest. Now, gently pat their back until they burp.
When To Burp Your Baby
You can burp your baby right after meals, during the feeding and between meals. Whenever you sense that your baby is gassy, simply use one of the above techniques to gently burp your baby. If they still seem to be gassy, you can give them a teaspoon of Woodward’s Gripe water to relax their tummy. By following these tips, your baby will stay happy and healthy.
