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A Guide to Burping a Baby

It's normal for babies to get trapped wind and it can be uncomfortable, so parents understandably want to do everything they can to help their baby get rid of it.  

We've written this simple guide to help you understand your baby's trapped wind symptoms and turn frustration, frowns and cries into giggles and smiles.  

Read on to learn more about the causes of trapped wind in babies and find out the best techniques to burp a baby, as well as what to do if your baby won't burp. 

What are the symptoms of baby wind? 

If your baby is experiencing trapped wind they might: 

  • become fussy and uncomfortable during or after a feed 
  • spit up or is sick more than usual 
  • cry, turn red, or look like they're in pain after a feed 
  • have a tummy that feels hard or firm due to bloating 
  • struggle to sleep 
  • clench their fists 
  • arch their back and pull their legs up to their tummy 

Although these symptoms can be upsetting, gas or trapped wind isn't usually anything to worry about.  

Some experts believe trapped wind is more a feeling of discomfort for babies than pain, and most of the time it can be easily relieved.  

What causes trapped wind in a baby?

Babies get wind in their tummies because they can swallow air when they breastfeed or bottle feed, and when they cry, yawn, or suck a soother. 

It can be difficult for babies to get rid of trapped gas by burping or passing wind (like we do as adults) because their digestive system is still developing. 

This can make them uncomfortable and feel like they're full, even when they aren't. 

Don't worry though, trapped wind is common in babies from the newborn stage up to around 3 months old. This is when their digestive system starts maturing and they begin getting used to digesting milk. 

Trapped wind can happen whether your baby is breastfed or bottle-fed.  

Some babies will experience quite bad trapped wind, while others may not at all. Premature babies may be more likely to experience trapped wind. 

Top 3 baby burping tips

  1. Lay a burp cloth over your shoulder or knee.
  2. Swirl formula or gently mix it with a sterilised spoon.
  3. Choose a specially designed baby feeding bottle with an anti-colic venting system. Less bubbles = less tears.

How to burp a baby

Some babies will find it easy to burp, while others might need a little help.  

You can pat or rub your baby's back gently to encourage them to bring up wind. It can help to focus on the left side of their back (this is where their stomach is). Most babies will be okay with a soft touch, but others may need just a slightly firmer pat to get things moving.  

You'll soon discover the best way to wind your baby, but you can try the following techniques to find the right way for you both.  

Over the shoulder 

While sitting or walking, put your baby over your shoulder, hold them and let their chin rest on your shoulder.  

Then, support their bottom with one hand and gently pat or rub their back with the other, making sure their head and shoulders are supported.  

Sitting up  

Sit your baby on your lap facing away from you.  

Support their chest and chin with one hand while you gently pat their back with the other.  

It helps to lean them forward a little in this position.   

Lying down 

This is the best method for burping a sleeping baby.  

Lay your baby face down on your lap and softly tap and rub their back with one hand while you support their chin with the other.  

Remember that some of their feed may come up when you wind them, so be prepared with a bib or muslin, and place it over your shoulder or knee. You can bet that the one time you don't protect your outfit will be the time you'll get a major spit-up. 

Tummy massage 

If the above methods don't work, you can try lying your baby on their back and gently massage their tummy in a circular, clockwise motion.  

This not only helps move any trapped gas through and out of their digestive system, but it also provides pain relief and a lovely bonding moment by releasing the hormone oxytocin. 

Movement can help too, so try circling their legs back and forward like they're riding a bike - this is known as 'biking out the burp'.  

How long to burp a baby?

There isn't a definite amount of time that you should burp a baby, but it can help to learn their discomfort cues such as: 

  • fussing after a feed 
  • being sick more than usual 
  • crying or turning red 
  • having a tummy that feels hard or firm due to bloating 
  • struggling to sleep 
  • clenching their fists 
  • arching their back 
  • pulling their legs up to their tummy 

If they're showing these cues, it might mean that they're still uncomfortable during or after a feed, and need to burp again to relieve any remaining trapped gas. 

How to reduce trapped wind when feeding a baby

Swallowing too much air when feeding is the most common cause of baby wind.  

To help reduce the risk of trapped wind, you should try to burp your baby after every feed. Some parents find that it's beneficial to wind their baby during a feed when they naturally take a break from the bottle or breast, this is known as paced feeding. 

Preventing baby wind when breastfeeding 

If your baby is experiencing trapped wind when breastfeeding, the issue may be that they're not latching onto your nipple effectively.  

To help, you can try sitting them upright while they're feeding and winding them after breastfeeding. 

If that doesn't help and they're still experiencing a lot of gas, speak to your health visitor or get specialist support from a lactation consultant.  

Preventing baby wind when bottle feeding 

Try to sit your baby upright when bottle feeding and make sure you're tipping the bottle high enough so that the milk can fill the whole teat as they feed. This helps to stop them from ingesting too much air when they drink their milk. Paced feeding and using a slower flowing teat may also help.  

If they're guzzling down their bottle of milk at a very quick rate, chances are that they'll also be taking in a lot of air.  

Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic bottles are #1 for helping ease the discomfort of colic, gas and reflux*. Baby sucks the nipple to feed from the bottle. Air flows into the bottle as baby sucks and stops a vacuum forming. Air is drawn into the patented vented wand, through the star-shaped silicone valve, and away from the milk (and baby's stomach) while they feed. 

*tommeetippee.com/verify 

If you're formula feeding your baby, you can minimise the number of air bubbles in the milk by swirling the formula with the water, or gently mixing with a spoon.  

When can you stop burping a baby?

Does shaking their bottle make a baby windy?

Does gripe water help with baby gas?

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