Burping-tips on baby safety after a meal
Don’t forget to make him burp after he takes milk!, most mothers will tell their baby’s nanny. But how exactly to do it, is sometimes a nightmare, especially when you are a first-time mum.
Most mums dread to think what the consequences of not burping a baby might be. To allay such fears, it is important to learn more about burping and to get the subject broken down into a step by step explanation. That is exactly what Beatrice Awich, a nurse at a major referral hospital in Nairobi has done here.
Why burp?
It is one of the most important aspects of feeding your baby. First, it helps get rid of some of the air that your baby may have swallowed during the feeding and secondly, it helps prevent spitting up, colic and crankiness that occur as a result of the air swallowed. Normally, when you burp your baby correctly, the air in his stomach will form a large bubble that is then released in a burp. In case the accumulated air in the stomach of your baby is not released, your child may gradually begin to develop tummy issues. And thus the importance of burping your baby.
Why after every feed?
Because, the type of feeding and the rate of eating are the main factors which affect the amount of air a baby will accumulate and burp up. Take for instance, the amount of air a breast-fed baby will accumulate will always be much less in comparison to a baby who is fed through a bottle. Whereas in breastfeeding your baby is well able to control the flow of milk and suck with a slower rhythm that allows better coordinated breathing and swallowing, the opposite is true for bottle feeding. Milk flows from the nipple faster; this forces your baby to gulp air in between closely spaced swallows. You will also find that you breast feed your baby in a more upright position which lessen the swallowing of air. Do not read the wrong message here; whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby, just make sure you burp the baby after each feed.
Signs that baby needs to burp
■ He may balk, squirm or grimace when you lay him down.
■ There may be a painful expression on her face.
■ He may let out a smaller burp.
■ Your baby may become fussy while feeding.
■ You will notice him spitting a lot.
■ He may tend to awake a lot because of the discomfort caused by the accumulation of gas.
Ways to burp your baby
When burping your baby, pat his back gently and repeatedly. You could do with placing a towel or bib under his chin or on your shoulders in case your baby has a wet burp. You will be required to try experimenting with different burping positions so as to identify what is comfortable for you and your baby. Nonetheless, the most commonly used methods are:-
Sit upright and hold your baby against your chest
This is probably the most common method but could also be the most difficult to produce results. To effectively do this, ensure that your baby’s chin rests on your shoulder as you support him with one hand. With the other hand, gently pat your baby’s back. Some mothers will place the baby such that his upper belly is against their collarbone. The collarbones helps to apply pressure on baby’s stomach as they use the heel of their hands to gently rub circles on baby’s back, in both positions, you could gently rock the baby while doing the patting to hasten the burping.
The lap method
In this method, sit your baby up on your lap or crossed knee supporting his chest and head with one hand by cradling his chin in the palm of your hand and resting the heel of your hand on baby’s chest. Slightly lean him forward and using the other hand, pat his back or better still rub circles gently. This position is said to be the best for babies who spit up frequently.
Lay baby on his belly on your lap
This may not particularly produce a burp but will go along way to comfort your baby in case he is experiencing a lot of gas or even colic. You will be required to lay the baby on your lap making sure to support his head that should be slightly placed higher than his chest. Gently rub circles on his back with the heel of your hand. This will relax the baby and help him fall asleep.
As we conclude, there are no rules about what method to use for your baby; you just need to try every other method to determine what is best for your baby. The frequency of burping should not be a case for concern either because this also varies with your baby’s feeding schedule. Just enjoy it while he outgrows the problem.
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