How to burp a baby

When you become a parent for the first time, there are several aspects that you need to know about the proper ways on how to care for your baby. One of which you should remember is feeding. Feeding your child is one of the best concerns that you can address, and probably the most-neglected aspect of it is burping.

Parents may think that burping a baby is such an easy task. This is a big misconception about this matter. Burping a baby is something which is very important. Babies tend to swallow a lot of air when they are fed. If ever babies have swallowed too much air, it can cause them to feel a great deal of uneasiness. Sometimes, babies who haven’t been burped properly can cry for more than three hours. This can surely cause a lot of stress for you and your baby. Just imagine about three hours of continuous wailing, and you do not even know what is it all about, just because you were not able to let your baby burp properly. Because of this, it is very important to know beforehand about this neglected aspect.

Here are some tips on how to properly do it:

While sitting upright, hold your baby close to you, with his chin resting on your shoulders. Pat the baby’s back gently until he burps out the air. This is perhaps the most common position to burp a baby, but sometimes, it is also difficult to bring out results using this method.

Hold your baby while he is sitting up on your lap. Slightly lean his body forward, placing the heel of your hand gently slightly under his ribcage. Make sure that you support his chin with your fingers, if he is too young to hold his head up by himself. Pat him gently at the back in this position.

Another yet unconventional way to burp a baby is to let him lie with his back on your lap. Slowly and gently bend both of his legs up and down so as to pump out a burp. But however, necessary precautions must be taken when doing this. More often than not, babies also feel a desire to defecate when you apply this method.

Lastly, you may also do the reverse: lay the baby on your lap but now, with his tummy facing your lap. Gently massage his back until he lets out a burp. Remember to support his head while doing this.

Parents may consider this aspect of feeding as something very trivial. Yes, there are far more things to worry about as a parent other than burping. But we certainly cannot hide the fact that everything involving the comfort of your own child should be paid with much attention. Also, remember to put that towel in front of you. It is going to be one heck of a mess when that burp goes out.