A comfortable way to burp your baby after breastfeeding

Burping is a method used to remove excess gas in the body and digestive system as a form of newborn care. Not only adults need to burp, newborn babies also need to burp. Usually this activity is carried out every time the mother finishes breastfeeding. However, not a few new parents are confused about the right way to burp a baby. Before discussing how to burp a baby, we will first discuss the importance of burping for babies after breastfeeding.

The importance of burping your baby after breastfeeding

Burping your baby after each feed is very important and requires the right way. The reason is, when breastfeeding the baby will swallow air that can enter and get trapped in the digestive system.

If these trapped air bubbles are not released, they will make the stomach uncomfortable and the baby will be fussy all day long.

In addition, trapped gas can also make babies full faster when in fact the feeling of fullness is caused by the large amount of gas in the stomach.

As a result, babies don't get enough of the nutrients their bodies actually need for their growth.

Apart from swallowing air when the baby is breastfeeding, there are several conditions that cause gas in the baby's stomach:

Gassy foods that the mother consumes (broccoli, cauliflower, soft drinks).
Allergic reactions or food intolerances from maternal intake or from formula.

The baby's body immediately reacts by creating more gas when he has an intolerance to certain foods that the mother consumes or contains in formula milk.

Therefore, belching is needed to get rid of some of the air that is swallowed up during the breastfeeding process.

In many cases, too much gas is entering, trapping, and not expelling the baby to gas, fuss, and feel restless.

Quoting from the official website of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), burping a baby is also done as a way to prevent spitting up in your little one.

When do babies need to burp?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics you need a way to burp your baby even when they are not crying or whimpering because of the baby's flatulence. There are several conditions that require a baby to burp, namely:

When given a bottle of milk

If your little one is given a bottle of milk, either containing formula or expressed breast milk, you must burp the baby every time the baby drinks about 60-90 ml of milk.

This is due to the small capacity of the baby's stomach and to prevent the baby from developing gas and vomiting.

When changing breastfeeding positions

If your baby is being breastfed, you should burp your little one every time she moves to the other breast. When you move your baby from one breast to the other, the baby will usually swallow a lot of air.

This is because usually the mouth still looks like it is sucking on the nipple even though it has been removed, so it requires a way to burp the baby. The little one who has been burped will feel comfortable and make the baby's sleep better.

When the baby is fussy after feeding

When your baby wakes up after breastfeeding, he may feel bad stomach. This usually happens when you don't burp her right after breastfeeding, for example, because the baby is already asleep.

For that, you can try to burp after he wakes up from sleep.

How to burp a baby

To burp your baby, you can do this by holding the baby and resting his head and body on your chest, letting the baby's chin rest on your shoulder.

Then, grasp the back of the head and shoulders with one hand. While the other hand rubs and pats the baby's back slowly and gently.

For more details, here are some ways to burp your baby that you can follow, quoting from Kids Health.

1. How to burp a baby: Carry it on the chest or shoulder

This method is most often used by parents to burp the baby after feeding. There are two positions you can try, namely holding the baby on the chest or on the shoulder.

This position can be adjusted according to the comfort of the parents when they want to burp the baby

In chest

This one method is the easiest and is often used in newborns. How do you burp your baby while carrying it on your chest? Here are the steps.

Put a cloth over your shoulder to cover and protect the clothes you use from your little one's saliva.
Hold and place the baby on the chest so that the chin rests on your shoulders (see picture).
Hold your little one with one hand.
At the same time, your other hand is patting and gently rubbing her back to release gas in her stomach.

If you want to see your baby's face while burping, do the steps above while looking in the mirror so you can see whether the baby is comfortable or not.

On the shoulder

How to burp a baby by carrying it on the shoulder is usually done on babies who are old enough.

At least the baby's neck is strong enough to support his own head, here are some steps you can try:

Place a cloth or washcloth over your shoulders and try to cover half the sides of your back.
Hold and hold the baby over the shoulder. Place the baby's tummy on your shoulders and so that the stomach is slightly compressed.
Hold your little one with one hand.
At the same time, your other hand is patting and gently stroking his back so that the air escapes from his stomach.
Make sure the baby can breathe comfortably and does not slump too far away from the shoulder.

When you burp your baby on your shoulder, you can do this while in the mirror. This is to check the baby's position is very comfortable and your little one can breathe properly.

2. How to burp your baby: sit on your lap

Maybe some parents are hesitant to burp their babies in this way, because the position is quite difficult. However, you can try it by following the steps below.

Place an apron or cloth over your lap to anticipate the saliva that your little one might expel
Sit the baby on your lap, either sideways or facing you
Use one hand to support the baby's body by placing it on the chest
Your fingers grip the chin and jaw gently. Make sure not to put fingers on their necks so that the child doesn't suffocate
Lean your little one's body forward and while patting and gently rubbing his back with your other hand

If you are unsure about burping your baby in this way, you can ask your partner or parent to help you feel more comfortable burping your little one.

3. How to burp your baby: lie down on your lap

This position can also be tried as a way to burp the baby, here are the steps:

Source: Livestrong

Place the cloth on your lap in anticipation of the saliva that your little one might expel
Lay the baby on your lap face down, toward your feet
Gently grasp the chin and jaw with one hand
Try not to keep the baby's head lower than the rest of the body to prevent blood from flowing to the head
Gently pat and rub his back to release the air in his stomach

Among the three methods, choose the most effective way to burp your baby and of course still make your little one feel comfortable. However, if within a few minutes the baby does not burp try to repeat using the other two positions.

If that doesn't work, this is a sign that your baby doesn't need to burp, perhaps because the gas is very little swallowed.

What if burping your baby doesn't get rid of gas in the stomach effectively?

If you have done a way to burp the baby but the gas still collects in your little one's stomach, of course this is uncomfortable. We recommend that you choose milk bottles and nipples that are specially designed for the baby's age.

Usually, the nipples in baby milk bottles are grouped according to age, starting from premature babies, newborns, 3 months of age, and so on.

If you are bottle feeding, be sure to choose a pacifier that is age-appropriate for the baby. This is to reduce the swallowed air during the breastfeeding process.

Some types of milk bottles also have a special design so that air does not still enter the bottle. There is a slanted shape to keep the milk from entering the teat towards the nipple.

Conditions that make babies have to see a doctor

After many ways to burp a baby, what conditions do parents need to pay attention to? If the baby cannot burp or you rarely burp, the amount of air in the baby's stomach will increase.

This then makes the baby even more fussy and can interfere with their health. You should immediately take your baby to the doctor if he experiences: