Until you have a baby, you do not know that there is a right way and a wrong way to burp a baby. If your method works, then use it. If your method is not working you might want to continue reading for the right and wrong way to burp babies.
If you just had a baby you know it is imperative that you burp the baby. If the baby gets too much air in his or her tummy and formula goes on top of the air, the result is spit up. When babies suck on bottles they get air in their tummies. The air tends to be sucked in around the bottle and sometimes through the bottle.
It is important to buy baby bottles that control air flow consumption. Even with the best bottle, your baby will still get air in his or her little tummy. It will be imperative that you burp your baby.
You will need to burp your baby throughout his or her feeding. You cannot just burp your baby when he or she is through eating. You will get spit up on you if you only burp after feedings. Burp after every ounce when your baby is a newborn and every couple of ounces as your baby gets older.
To burp a baby you would think throwing the child over your shoulder and patting them in the small of the back would be sufficient, but it is not. To burp a baby, there are several methods. The most important part of burping the baby is patting the baby on the lower back and work your way up the baby’s back. This helps bring the air out of baby’s tummy.
One method of burping baby is to hold baby to your shoulder. While you are holding baby, you pat the lower back of baby and work your way up baby’s back and repeat until the baby burps.
Another method to burp baby is sit baby on your lap and rest baby’s chin in your palm. Start at the bottom of baby’s back and work your way up patting. This is a harder method to burp baby because baby is usually squished since he or she cannot sit up straight.
A third method of burping baby is to lay baby across your knee. Baby’s stomach will rest on your knee and baby’s body will bend across you. Start at the small of baby’s back and pat, pushing the air upward. This is a really good method if you are having trouble burping baby across your shoulder.
Remember that whatever technique you use, it is important to burp baby in the middle of their bottle feeding so you do not wear it later. Burping a baby will also help baby to hold more formula, longer and you will have to do less feedings.
Note: When babies are gaseous, they sometimes tend to become rigid. My son’s body would get so straight and hard that I could not bend him. I would have to stand up with him hanging from my shoulder to try to burp him. After the first burp, he would usually be able to bend.
