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Bottle Feeding

How to Burp a Baby

Article By
Stu
Published On
02 Mar, 2023
Read Time
6 minutes

We all know how uncomfortable trapped wind can be. Unfortunately, it's normal for babies to get trapped wind.  

Even though it's common, parents understandably want to do everything they can to help their baby get rid of uncomfortable trapped wind. 

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

Read on to learn more about the causes of trapped wind in babies and find out the best way 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 stomach 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 

It's normal for babies to get trapped wind and it can be uncomfortable, but although these symptoms can be upsetting, gas or trapped wind isn't usually anything to worry about.  

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

What causes trapped wind in a baby?

Babies get windy because they can swallow air when breastfeeding or bottle feeding, and when they cry, yawn, or suck a pacifier. 

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.  

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 and usually happens from the newborn stage up to around 3 months old. This is when a baby’s digestive system starts maturing and they begin getting used to digesting milk. 

Top 3 baby burping tips

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

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Bottle Feeding

Baby burping techniques and positions 

Some babies will find it easy to burp, while others might need a helping hand.  

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 can help 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 cloth 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 to reduce the chance of 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 

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 nipple as they feed. This helps to stop them from ingesting too much air when they drink their milk. 

Paced feeding with a bottle or a nipple with a slower flow 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. Our Advanced Anti-Colic bottles are specially designed to help reduce air bubbles in baby's milk with their advanced venting system. 

If you're formula feeding your baby, you can minimize the number of air bubbles in the milk by swirling the formula with the water, or gently mixing with a spoon. A shaken bottle is a one-way ticket to the windy city!   

How long to burp a baby for 

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 stomach 

If they're displaying 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. 

When can you stop burping a baby?

A bottle-fed newborn baby should be burped between every 2-3oz of breast milk or formula until they're around 6 months old.  

You'll find that your baby will probably need burping less as they get older.  

Over time, they'll start to sit upright on their own, and eventually, they won't need your help with burping at all, but regardless of whether your baby shows this kind of independence, you should always help them if they seem to be struggling to burp.   

While there’s no exact age for when you should stop burping your baby, you’ll probably notice less of a need for it between 4 and 6 months when they start weaning onto solid foods. 

Shaking your baby's bottle to mix up a formula feed or ensure that all the milk inside is at the same temperature can also introduce air bubbles, and this can potentially make your baby more prone to trapped gas and wind. 

Babies get wind whether they’re fed breast milk or formula. It’s natural as their digestive systems develop. 

If you’re already using formula and your baby is very windy, then it may be worth trying a different brand. However, this may bring other complications like constipation as your baby gets used to their new milk.  

If you're unsure, it's best to seek advice from your family doctor. 

There are lots of medicines that claim to help with wind, like gripe water and lactase drops. 

Sadly, there's no scientific proof that they work, although many parents do swear by them.  

You should always speak to your family doctor or a pharmacist to make sure that any medicine you choose to try is safe for your baby. 

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