[AI generated]
Every new parent or aspiring parent would have probably heard the advice to:
remember to burp the baby after feeding!
But do you know why it is so important to do so? And why does it help to make babies a lot more comfortable after eating? What if you forget to burp the baby?
Let us have look at the idea behind this common practice and learn how to ensure that your little one stays comfortable after each meal.
Why do babies burp?
Babies are the very delicate in the sense that everything about them is still developing and that includes their digestive system as well as their ability to fee. Their small mouths sometimes leave for gaps while they latch on to breast or bottle when they feed, causing them to swallow air as they swallow milk.
The swallowed air form pockets and in ultimately cause discomfort to them. Burping is a way of expelling the extra air that they might have swallowed.
Swallowing air can also be triggered by hurried feeding or incorrect feeding positions. Because babies still have a very immature digestive system, they cant control their swallowing reflex as much as an adult can. Consequently, if these pockets of air, accumulate, they can cause a lot of discomfort.
Trapped air
When babies swallow air when they feed, the air can get trapped in the stomach and create pressure leading to discomfort. This trapped air can lead to symptoms like:
- fussiness and crying after feeding
- spitting or mild vomiting
- trouble sleeping or difficulty settling down.
- colic- a condition where the baby can cry for long hours without clear cause-- it is mostly attributed to the digestive system working hard to expel those pockets of trapped air.
When should you burp?
Burping halfway through feeding and again at the end of feeding can be an effective way to prevent air from getting trapped in the stomach.
If you are breastfeeding, you can burp your baby when switching breasts. If you are feeding your baby using a bottle it can be helpful to take breaks every few minutes to prevent swallowing a lot of air.
what if your baby just wouldn't burp.
While it is good for babies to burp, some babies do not burp after every feed, mostly because they did not swallow a lot of air during feeding. It is good to determine the need to burp based on the signs that the baby shows you. If they are comfortable and content after feeding, there might be no need to burp. However, if the converse is true then you may try to use different burping techniques to relieve their discomfort.
Burping becomes unessential.
As babies grow older, they tend to get more mature digestive systems and they swallow less air during feeds.
By the time they are 4 to 6 months, many babies are able to burp on their own and may no longer need help with burping.
Burping Techniques.
Here are a few ways that have been shown to be effective in releasing the trapped gas from the stomach of the baby after feeding.
- over the shoulder burp-- patting the baby gently or rubbing their back while they are placed over the shoulder.
- sitting burp- supporting their chin and patting them gently over the back.
- lying on the lap-- same thing, but the baby is lying on the lap facing downwards.
Each baby is different and there are some babies that would need more frequent burping than the others, especially babies that are preterm who are more sensitive to gas build up in the stomach.
Conclusion
Burping is a simple and important way to keep your baby comfortable after feeding by releasing trapped air in the stomach. This is important because it ensures that the baby is comfortable enough to sleep which is a vital activity for growth and development as well as the ability to fight off infections.
There are multiple techniques used in the release of trapped gas. The only way to be efficient at it is to find out what works for your baby and stick with it. Every baby is different and would respond differently, but ultimately, the goal is to ensure that the baby is comfortable.
Thank you for reading.
I am Covenant, a Medical Doctor with a passion for holistic medicine-( fancy word for treating a patient as an individual and not just addressing their symptoms).
My focus lies in the deep connection between mental health and overall wellbeing, and I create content across various medical topics with an emphasis on mental health. Follow me for insights into holistic medicine and approaches to health and wellness.