Burping is an essential aspect of feeding a baby since it aids in the elimination of air that infants frequently ingest while feeding. If a baby is not burped frequently or consumes excessive air, they may experience symptoms such as spitting up, fussiness, or flatulence.
Understanding how to burp a baby is therefore important, but there’s more to it than just knowing which positions. Making sure that your baby is feeding from the right bottle, and finding the best time to burp a baby is equally as important as knowing the best ways to burp a baby. This blog post will offer guidelines for all aspects of burping a baby.
Which Feeding Bottle is Best?
In today’s market, there are many different types of baby bottles to choose from, and this can be confusing for first-time parents. There are 3 main types of baby bottles to consider:
Standard bottles – these are largely inexpensive bottles that are readily available and fit most standard teats. With these, however, they have narrow necks which make them difficult to clean and babies may swallow excess air from these whilst sucking.
Anti-colic bottles – these bottles help reduce the incidence of colic, a painful condition in the abdomen, resulting from indigestion or gas. To prevent excessive air intake, anti-colic bottles were specifically designed to prevent the intake of air whilst sucking. Comparatively, these are more expensive and not as readily available.
Self-sterilising bottles – these bottles, as the name suggests, sterilise themselves. Water is poured into the lower section of the bottle, and the remaining parts are placed on top. It is then heated in the microwave for a prescribed number of minutes. This is convenient and time-saving for most parents, but you do need a microwave for this to work.
So, which is best? Well, that’s up to you, but know that generally the higher the price, the more specialised the bottles are, and whilst anti-colic might seem like an ideal option, it should be noted that it isn’t guaranteed to prevent colic.
When is The Best Time to Burp a Baby?
The timing of burping your baby is flexible, and there are no hard and fast rules to follow. Some babies may require burping while they are feeding, while others may need it afterwards. You can observe your baby’s behaviour for clues; if they appear uncomfortable while taking the bottle, it is advisable to pause and burp them. Alternatively, if they seem comfortable, it is recommended to wait until they finish. Your baby’s cues will guide you on when to burp them.
Best Ways to Burp a Baby?
If you’re wondering how to burp a baby, there are a few techniques you can use. After eating, the baby should be held upright for the first six months of its life, either on your lap, knee, or chest. Use one hand to support the chest and the other to pat the baby’s back softly. If none of these methods works, gently pat the baby’s back while keeping them on your lap with their tummy facing down and making sure their head is higher than their chest.
Try laying the baby on their back and gently massaging their tummy if these burping techniques fail and the child displays symptoms of trapped wind (crying, arched back, drawing legs into the abdomen, clinched fists, etc.). Additionally, rock the baby back and forth with its legs like they’re riding a bicycle. If this doesn’t work, speak with a medical professional; they can give you advice on what to do next.
