The Best Advice On How To Burp Your Newborn NZ is all right here at your fingertips! Once you are done with this post, you will leave no burp in your baby!
Burping your newborn can be way more difficult than you may have first thought. So this guide is going to give you everything to be able to burp your baby easily, help them sleep better, and avoid tummy discomfort for your new Bub.
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Why Do I Need To Burp My Newborn?
There are so many important reasons to burp your newborn! Babies up until the age of 4-6 months or even older struggle to burp, so they need a helping hand.
If you have ever had trapped gas as an adult… it is so painful! Imagine being in pain and not knowing how to communicate it.
Being able to burp your baby well helps prevent grizzly and sore babies, which makes every newborn parent happier.
So if you are here because you want to know more about burping and more about exactly how you can do it and do it well, then you are in the right place!
Reasons Burping Is SO Important…
Burping your baby is so important, and here is a basic list of reasons why!
- Avoid tummy pain
- Avoiding tummy pain avoids a grumpy baby
- More settled baby
- Less squirmy and more calm baby
- Less likely to spill
- Winding your baby will help them feed better as they are more comfortable
How To Burp A Newborn Step By Step
So let’s get into how you can burp your newborn effectively to help make both of your lives easier!
Feed Your Baby Well
Getting a burp-up starts with a good feed! Remember, babies who are breastfeeding feed in waves, so in between each wave (AKA letdown), they might have a rest; this can be a really good time to burp them.
Bringing up wind between switching sides or before letting them keep feeding will help your baby feed better. Not only that, but it helps to create a want for the breast. It will help your baby feed better by creating them less fussy.
The same thing happens with feeding with the bottle; babies are less likely to fuss and will feed far better without wind trapped inside them. Taking the bottle from a fussing baby, burping, then re-popping them on can be very beneficial.
Making sure to wind your baby as you feed them will allow them to feed better and create less trapped wind. This is going to make your job easier at the end of their feed.
Move Them Into Position Gently
Once your baby is finished with their feed, then it is time to get them into a position to be burped.
You must move them into position as gently as possible; sometimes, wind can be trapped under milk. If that is the case, moving them to a burping position too roughly can cause them to spill.
Spilling means they will bring up the milk they’ve just drunk. It is very normal, especially for some babies, but it can be avoided more often than not by moving them into burping positions gently.
Positions that are good for burping:
- Babies chest against your shoulder
- Sitting in your lap facing away
- Lying along your arm face down
REMEMBER: With a newborn, you must always support their neck in the head in all of these positions. Their head MUST be carefully supported where it can’t slip or move.
The most common burping position is placing your baby against your shoulder and patting or rubbing their back. Having them upright helps them to bring wind up, and supporting them against your body makes it far easier for them too.
When you choose to use the sitting position, you will need to lean your Bubs slightly forward and support their chin with a cupped hand to allow their airway to be supported and open. In this position, sometimes just rocking or swaying in circles will be sufficient to move the wind.
Some people may choose to lay their babe along their arm and pat their back in this position. Again in this position, it is essential to ensure their head is supported.
Pat Their Back Gently
The next step is to gently pat or rub your baby’s back; doing this can break up and shift around the wind helping it to come up.
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to how firm or gentle you will need to pat. You need to go off your baby’s cues.
Windy babies tend to be unsettled, unhappy, and squirmy. If your baby has bought wind up but is still acting like they have wind persevere. Sometimes a bit of extra patting or rubbing in circles may not bring up wind but move it so that Bub will be comfortable again.
Rock Or Sway Whilst You Pat
My favorite part of burping a newborn was rocking or swaying while you did it, with some babies just swaying or moving around is enough to bring up wind.
Swaying from leg to leg can be so helpful for settling and helping move wind; this will make your baby far happier in the long run.
If you choose to sit them in your lap facing away from you, tilt them slightly forwards and move them in circles gently. This is usually more than enough to bring up newborn wind and is super soothing for your baby.
Adjust positions and pat again.
If your baby doesn’t bring up wind straight away, make sure to keep going with your chosen position for a wee while. Then if they still haven’t bought up wind swap positions.
Trying different positions can be so helpful, as moving your baby around can adjust that wind and make it far easier to bring up!
Add all the swaying, rocking, patting, rubbing, and positions together, and you are going to have one very settled, comfortable baby.
What Is The Easiest Way To Burp A Newborn
Newborns are inherently tricky ad overwhelming; at least they can feel that way! With a bit of practice, you will figure out exactly what your baby needs, and you will be away and laughing.
Shoulder + Patting
Again the most generally practiced position is placing the baby against your shoulder and patting your back.
It is an easy one for a few reasons;
- Your body supports theirs
- They are in an upright position that helps the wind move up naturally
- You can pat them or rub their backs easily
- This is a comfortable position for the baby and the parent
Sitting And Rocking
Sitting and rocking was the best way I found for my baby. She was a spiller, so patting could sometimes result in her losing some of her feed.
I used to sit her away from me with a hand cupped under her chin, and I would either rock or I would move her in circular motions; if she ever wouldn’t burp on my shoulder, this always worked.
It has some great benefits too;
- If your baby has fallen asleep feeding, this position can be used to burp them and not wake them up!
- Is gentler than patting for babies who easily spill
- Moves any sort of trapped wind
- It is soothing and helps the baby to settle
Swaying + Rubbing
Another great position is holding your baby against you and swaying whilst rubbing their backs; this is another easy technique for similar reasons.
- Gentler than patting for spilly babies
- Rocking soothes baby, plus helps shift and break up the wind
- Comfortable and relaxing for baby and parent
- Baby is supported against you
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How To Burp A Newborn That Won’t Burp
Sometimes that wind can be stubborn! It is normal; the best thing you can do for yourself and your baby is to persevere.
Remember, if you ever have any significant health concerns for your baby, take them to your health care professional.
Firmer Patting
Sometimes you may need to increase the strength behind your pats. Some firmer parts may be able to break the wind up and help shift it.
This is going to help your baby burp a lot quicker. Newborns are fragile, so make sure you do these firmer pats gently.
They may not always need firmer parts, so don’t stress if they just do sometimes for that stubborn wind.
Prolonged Burping
Some babies need prolonged burping. You know that it takes more time it will make it also less frustrating. Putting a program quietly on TV and watching it through whilst you sway and pat will take your mind off the time it takes.
By taking the time (even though it may feel frustrating, this is normal) to burp your baby well, you are going to have a much more settled baby.
It can feel so tricky and overwhelming sometimes but know even by being here and reading this, you are doing the right things.
Move Around
Moving or walking around is so underrated in good burping! Sometimes simply walking up and down the hallway with your baby in your arms will help them to move their wind. Sometimes even bring it up.
Another great idea is to put your baby in a carrier or pram and head for a walk; the carriers, especially, we found, helped our newborn with her wind so much.
Plus, getting outside feels so good for you both! Never underestimate the power of a walk in the fresh air.
Gentle Bounces
Sometimes another awesome way to get your baby to burp is to gently bounce them. You can hold them in your arms and gently bounce them.
You could place them on your knees and support their head and bounce.
Even sitting on a bed, couch, or chair, you can move up and down just helping to move or break up that wind.
Remember, our ultimate goal is a baby who is;
- Settled
- Comfortable
- They are unlikely to spill their milk (minus those babies who are prone to it)
- Ready to sleep!
Switching Positions
You might find if you have attempted a position for a good amount of time that when you switch positions, your baby may burp!
Sometimes your hand on their chest or the way you shift them brings up the wind that they may have been holding on to.
Sometimes burping may just shift that wind and not bring it up! Persevering is worth it.
Burping A Newborn At Night
Burping a newborn at night can feel tricky; they’ve just gone to sleep in your arms, and now I am supposed to wake them to burp them?!
Nope! Burp with the technique of placing your baby facing away from you, sitting in your lap. Next, support their chin and move them in gentle circles.
This moves the wind, soothes and helps your baby stay asleep, and makes for a happier baby and happier parents!
How To Burp A Newborn NZ
Now you have all the tools you need to easily burp your newborn! Avoid discomfort and make life way more pleasant by using these techniques that are sure to help your babe bring their wind up.
Remember, if you have any concerns or your baby struggles with a lot of pain or nasty symptoms, make sure to head to your GP or health care professional.
Burping your baby takes practice, but in no time, you will both have it under your belt!
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