06/11/2025
Burping your baby helps release swallowed air during feeding, which can prevent discomfort, spitting up, and fussiness. Here are three common and effective positions to burp your baby:
1. Over the Shoulder:
• Hold your baby against your chest with their chin resting on your shoulder.
• Support their head and back with one hand.
• Gently pat or rub their back with your other hand. The pressure on their tummy against your shoulder helps to release air.
2. Sitting on Your Lap:
• Sit your baby on your lap, facing away from you.
• Lean them slightly forward, supporting their chest and head with one hand (your palm supporting their chest and your fingers supporting their chin/jaw, making sure not to put pressure on their throat).
• Gently pat or rub their back with your free hand.
3. Face Down on Your Lap (Across Your Lap):
• Lay your baby face down across your lap.
• Make sure their head is slightly higher than their body to avoid blood rushing to their head.
• Support their head with one hand.
• Gently pat or rub their back with your other hand.
Tips for Effective Burping:
• Burp during and after feeding: If bottle-feeding, try to burp your baby every 2-3 ounces. If breastfeeding, burp them when they switch breasts or halfway through a long feeding. Always burp them at the end of a feeding.
• Keep them upright: After a feeding, try to keep your baby upright for 10-15 minutes, even if they've burped, to help settle their stomach and prevent reflux.
• Be patient: Some babies burp easily, others take a bit longer. If a burp doesn't come immediately, try changing positions.
• Gentle pats: You don't need to hit your baby hard. Gentle, rhythmic pats or rubs are usually sufficient.
