Burping involves assisting a newborn in releasing air swallowed during feeding, a common occurrence with both breast and bottle feeding. Parents often wonder if a single burp is sufficient or if they should continue patting until another one appears. This guidance provides practical recommendations on effective burping practices to ensure your baby remains comfortable and well-fed.
Why Burping is Essential for Newborns
Newborns swallow air during feeding because their coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing is still developing. This often happens with bottle-fed babies taking in air around the nipple or breastfed babies dealing with a fast milk let-down. Burping helps expel this trapped air before it travels further down the digestive tract.
If air remains trapped in the stomach, it takes up space meant for milk, leading to distention and discomfort. Trapped air results in gassiness, fussiness, and increased episodes of regurgitation (spitting up). Releasing this stomach pressure through a burp alleviates pain and allows the baby to continue feeding comfortably, especially since an infant’s lower esophageal sphincter is immature.
When and How Often to Burp
Whether one burp is enough depends on observing your baby, but generally, one is not the limit for a full feeding. Parents should view burping as a routine break incorporated throughout the feed, rather than focusing on a single, definitive burp. These breaks prevent a large air bubble from building up, which is harder to expel later.
For babies who are bottle-fed, a good guideline is to pause and attempt a burp after every 2 to 3 ounces of formula or breast milk consumed. This mid-feed intervention slows the pace of the feeding and provides a necessary reset for the baby. If you are breastfeeding, the ideal time for a burp break is when you switch from one breast to the other.
Babies prone to gas, frequent spitting up, or gastroesophageal reflux may need more frequent burping attempts. This could mean burping every ounce for a bottle-fed baby or every five minutes during a breastfeed. After the entire feeding session, actively attempt to burp your baby for about five to ten minutes. If no burp occurs after several minutes and a change in position, it is safe to stop, as the air will find its own way out.
Changing burping positions can increase the effectiveness of your efforts. Positions include holding the baby over your shoulder, sitting them on your lap while supporting their chin, or lying them face-down across your lap. Gentle patting or rubbing on the back helps move the air upward. The goal is to maximize comfort, not to force an audible sound; a “silent burp” or small amount of spit-up can also indicate successful air release.
Reading Your Baby’s Cues
Your baby’s body language is the most reliable indicator of whether a burp is necessary or if the session was successful. During a feed, signs that your baby needs a burp break include becoming suddenly fussy, pulling away from the nipple or bottle, or beginning to squirm and grimace. These behaviors suggest an air pocket is causing pressure and momentary discomfort in their stomach.
If the air is not released, the baby may arch their back or begin to cry suddenly during the feeding. Successful air release is signaled by a distinct change in demeanor. A baby who is calm, has a relaxed body posture, and settles down comfortably is likely free of trapped air and ready to continue feeding or sleeping. If your baby seems distressed after a burping attempt, the discomfort may be due to still being hungry or needing a diaper change.