When you become a parent, there are certain things you obsess about with a new baby. Certain things you probably never talked about much in your pre-parent life. Things like pooping and burping.
In addition to keeping track of feedings and sleeping schedules, you find yourself overly concerned about poops and burps. When did he poop last? What did his poop look like? Did he burp? Was it a good burp? Yes, these are the glamorous conversations you find yourself having all of the time.
That’s because a happy baby usually has a happy tummy. Things like diarrhea, constipation and gas bubbles are not only painful for your baby, but also stressful for moms and dads. In addition to using products that can alleviate tummy issues quickly like Little Remedies Gas Relief Drops, using the proper burping techniques makes a big difference too.
Slow and Easy
When you apply firm pressure to your baby’s back, remember slow motions work the best. Apply steady pressure and make a circular motion with your hand. Think about what feels good to you – like a nice massage as opposed to someone slapping you on the back. Babies don’t like to be startled and they don’t like quick rapid movements.
Over The Shoulder
The first burping position most people envision is over the shoulder. Oddly enough, moving an infant into this position can be a little tricky at first, but like everything else, you’ll get the hang of it. You can gently lay your baby over your should and rub her back. This puts a little bit of pressure on her tummy and allows air to pass. Make sure you use a burp cloth!
Sitting Up
You can try sitting your baby upright on your lap, supporting her head and chest. Then lean her slightly forward and rub her back. Sometimes the effectiveness of shifting positions is immediate, so make sure your burp cloth is handy. Remember, it’s totally normal for newborns to spit up since the muscle at the entrance of the stomach is still developing. That muscle holds down feedings and it will become stronger as your baby gets bigger.
Laying Down
If the shoulder or upright position aren’t working, you can lay baby across your lap and angle her head to be slightly higher than her body. Then firmly rub or pat her back. Figuring out the right pressure for a “firm” rub or pat will become easy and you’ll be a burping expert in no time.
Take a Burp Break
If you’re breastfeeding your baby a great time to burp her is after you finish feeding on one breast. Before you switch, take a few minutes to burp her. If you’re bottle-feeding, take a little burp break when she’s half way done with her bottle. If she doesn’t burp, you can rock her or walk around with her and try again in 5-10 minutes.
Read Your Baby’s Signs
As you get to know your baby better, you can observe some signals that she may need to burp. If your baby starts to wiggle, frown or start fussing, she may feel gas bubbles building. Being proactive by burping her before the bubbles get trapped can relive that uncomfortable tummy pressure.
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About Cathy Hale
Cathy Hale is a nationally recognized writer and lifestyle blogger.
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About Cathy Hale
Cathy Hale is a nationally recognized writer, lifestyle blogger, autism advocate and proud mother of two. In 2008, she began navigating the wild world of motherhood as a mom blogger after her oldest son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Cathy's candid perspective about raising a child on the autism spectrum garnered national interest. Cathy has contributed articles and appeared in lifestyle powerhouses like Babble, iVillage, Betty Confidential, SELF, HLN, Marie Claire, Parents and Parenting. Cathy grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and attended Virginia Commonwealth University where she graduated with a BA in English and a German minor. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her family and writes about life in the Texas Hill Country for LakeTravisLifestyle.com.