The baby’s burp. Does it always have to do it or not? And how do you help it?
Breast-fed or bottle-fed babies often swallow air during a feed, which collects in the upper stomach. It is this air that determines that typical infant burp that one tries to make them do as soon as the feed is over, placing the newborn on the shoulder.
It will seem strange to you that such a small child is able to emit burps, which almost frighten themselves. You will get used to it
What is baby burp?
A burp (or burp, if you prefer) is nothing more than the emission of gas bubbles from the stomach to the mouth. Sometimes it happens that with the burp a small part of the contents of the stomach is also emitted, what we call regurgitation in infants.
Why do babies need to burp?
When gas bubbles get trapped in the baby’s stomach, they can cause a feeling of fullness and discomfort, which can lead to sickness and crying. Babies use crying as a method of communicating any sensation or emotion, they cry whether they are tired, hungry, wet or bored, so it can be difficult to distinguish crying caused by air in the stomach. For this reason, pediatricians recommend helping the baby get rid of the air by burping after feeding.
Why does the stomach get filled with air bubbles?
There are three causes:
- Ingestion of air during feeding. This happens above all for bottle-fed babies because they tend to eat faster and in this case it is advisable to check that the holes in the teat are not too large.
- The digestion of some foods creates more air than others and this also happens due to the foods the nursing mother eats. If the mother eats beans and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts or drinks sodas or fruit drinks it can cause more gas in the baby’s tummy
- If a breastfed infant has an intolerance to certain foods from the mother’s diet or to a type of formula milk, her body may react by creating more gas.
When to burp
Pediatricians usually recommend burping during and after feeding breaks. For example, you should also burp when changing between breasts.
The best positions for burping
There are two preferred positions for burping. One is the classic one with the child resting on the shoulder. The alternative is to hold the baby with your hands under your armpits and sitting on your knees, tilting him a little to the side in an alternating manner. Choose the location that best suits you.
Leaning the baby on the shoulder, massage his back or give him light pats. If the burp doesn’t come even after 5 minutes, then it means he doesn’t need it.
In any case, always keep a bib close at hand to clean up any regurgitation.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.