How to Burp a New Born

Having a newborn is a wonderful and exciting experience; however, for new parents it can also be very intimidating. One of the first experiences you will have with your new baby is feeding and burping him. It helps to understand the reason you have to burp a baby. According to the Kid's Health website, burping a baby helps to relieve the excess gas caused by the air that babies tend to swallow when feeding. Not burping your baby frequently enough will cause this gas pressure to build up and can lead to spitting up and crankiness.

Instructions

When to Burp the Newborn

1

Feed the baby. When bottle feeding a newborn (0 to 3 months), Ohio State University Medical Center recommends burping the baby after every to 1 oz. the baby ingests. If your baby spits up, take a break from feeding to burp him.

2

If you are breast-feeding, burp the baby each time you switch breasts or every five minutes. Stop feeding if the baby spits up and burp her.

3




Soothe the baby.

Soothe the baby. It may take a few minutes for your baby to burp and he may become fussy. Pat or rub his back; you can also lightly bounce or rock him as well. If he doesn't burp after a few minutes, trying switching the baby into a new position. If he still doesn't burp, that is fine; just continue with the feeding.

Positioning the Newborn

4

Find a comfortable position for you and the baby. There are three common positions when burping a baby; experiment with each position to find which is best for you. If after a few moments your baby still does not burp, try changing positions before resuming the feeding.

5

Place a small towel across your chest and shoulder and hold the baby's chest against your chest or shoulder. Be sure to secure the baby's head and neck with one hand and with your free hand gently pat or rub the baby's back.

6

Place the baby in a sitting position in your lap. Be sure to secure the baby's chest and head with one hand. Allow the baby to lean forward slightly and with your free hand gently pat or rub the baby's back.

7

Place a small towel across your lap and lay the baby, chest down, across your knees. With one hand, secure the baby's head and with the other hand gently pat or rub her back.