Parenting comes with a whole lot of tasks as a mother. There are a lot of things that we should know about our babies so we can make them feel comfortable at all times.
Aside from other parenting skills like knowing when to feed your baby, when to change their diapers, when to give them a warm or cold bath, you need to master the skill of burping.
When your baby release gas bubbles from their mouth, it is called a burp.
Sometimes while they burp, they release some contents from there stomach, and that is why you possess a burp cloth you can use your baby burps anytime.
Burping is normal for babies, especially after eating due to gas intake while eating, and this may lead to a lot of fussiness, discomfort and make them full ever when they are not.
You need to help your baby burp due to them having an undeveloped digestive system.
There is no reason to stop burping your baby till they get older, and their digestive system is matured enough.
If burping does not help release the excess gas and you still discover your baby is still experiencing discomfort, you may try other techniques like infant massage or make the baby lie on his/her stomach.
When should you burp your baby
Babies are fed two ways, either by breastfeeding or through bottle feeding, and you can burp your baby halfway between meals and after they are done eating.
When bottle-feeding your baby ensures you pause and burp your baby then continue feeding him this help to reduce some air he may have taken in while feeding on the bottle and prevent fussiness.
You should also burp your baby when breastfeeding as you switch him from one breast to another before you start feeding him again, try to burp him. Note that your baby may refuse feeding again due to air intake, making him seem like he is full. So you need to burp him before switching from one breast to the other.
Basic positions for you to burp your baby
- Over your shoulder: Put your baby over your shoulder firmly. Use one hand to support her bottom and with your other hand, pat her gently on the back
- Sitting on your lap: Keep your laps closed together, put your baby in a sitting position facing towards your right or your left. Bend your baby forward slightly using one hand to support your baby firmly on the chest. Gently pat her on the back till she burps
- Facedown: Keep your laps closed. Lie your baby with her tummy facing down. Ensure her tummy and head are well balanced on both laps to avoid her head dangling. Then gently rub her backs till she burps
- Walking: While standing or walking, hold your baby firmly in front of you with one hand on her bottom and the other hand lightly on her tummy. The pressure applied from your hand will help release any gas holding up in her stomach.
If your baby is always fussy and experience discomfort during and after meals, you should check the following factors
Air intake
Babies who are bottle-fed will naturally take in more air while eating than those who are breastfed. Babies take in air if they feed fast, especially when they are hungry. If the mother’s breast milk runs very fast, there is the tendency of the baby gulping air in his effort to keep up with the breast milk flow.
Try other breastfeeding positions and bottle feeders to reduces high intake of air
Check bottle style
There are different bottle with nipple sizes for appropriate ages. Babies who are bottle-fed are prone to high intake of air than those who are bread fed. So try your best to get the appropriate bottle with the right nipple size for your baby to avoid making the baby eat too fast, swallowing air at the same time.
Baby formula
Mothers mix their baby’s formula this way:
Water in a feeder+ baby’s formula+ shake very well to mix= Feed their baby. This step is obviously right and wrong at the same time. Now while shaking the feeder to mix up the formula, excess gas is introduced to the mixture, and you feeding your baby straight away will bring the baby discomfort.
The best thing to do after shaking is to allow the bottle to settle a bit before feeding your baby or probably use a premixed formula for your baby.
Allergic reactions
Babies get allergies too, and they are intolerant to some of the foods we eat. As a breastfeeding mother, it’s important you watch the things you eat to avoid causing your baby discomforts.
They may be sensitive to some of your meals, causing them to release lots of gas just like you. Mothers should note that babies are highly intolerant of dairy products and try reducing their intake of these products.
Tips
- Gently rubbing or patting you babies back help release excess gas intake
- Get a burp cloth to help protect your clothes and the baby’s
- When burping, concentrate more on the left side of your babies back
- If you notice your baby is fussy during meals, try burping to release air
- Babies tend to consume the same food from their mothers through breast milk during breastfeeding. So check your diet to avoid causing your baby discomforts.
- Most babies fall asleep after feeding. Lay your baby on her stomach if she falls asleep immediately after feeding, then gently pat her back.
- When babies burp, just a few stomach contents come out; if your baby ends up vomiting after eating, you need to see a doctor.
- If, after trying to make your baby burp, she doesn’t, then she doesn’t need to. But if you notice some discomfort, just keep trying.
