Burping after each feed is a good idea with a newborn. All babies have underdeveloped digestive systems, making infant reflux quite common. Plus, when you are both new to latching and feeding, swallowing air can happen, which causes gas pains. Burping helps prevent gas pains by encouraging any air they swallowed to come back up.
Here are some burping tips:
If baby seems fussy while feeding, you can pause to burp in-between rather than at the end of a feeding session.
Try different positions. You can pat your baby’s back while holding them against your chest with their head above your shoulder. Or, place your baby across your lap on their belly, ensuring their head is supported.
Maintain a gentle pat for a few minutes, which is generally enough time to help babies burp if any air bubbles are trapped.
If your baby doesn't burp and seems content, they likely did not swallow much air. It can still help to keep them upright for 30 minutes after feedings to prevent reflux.
If your baby doesn’t burp but continues showing signs of gassiness – like clenched fists, back arching, crying, and drawing legs into their belly – then you can try these two supportive measures next: infant massage and baby bicycling.
Infant tummy massage:Place your two thumbs above your baby’s belly button. Then, gently press down while sliding your thumbs away from each other.
Baby bicycling:While your baby is lying on their back, gently hold each leg and rotate as if they were riding a bike. Alternatively, you can scrunch their knees towards their belly and hold for 10 seconds.
If your baby seems to struggle excessively with gas pains, consult your pediatrician or lactation consultant for more proactive measures. Swallowing air can be prevented by ruling out ineffective latches and trying a slower-paced feeding approach.