MIL says the UK is the only country where people burp babies - is that true?

[turnedabout]

Hi Mumsnet

MIL is adamant parents in other countries don't burp their babies for trapped wind. Is that true? Ta!

The French definitely do it, I was taught to as au pair to a newborn.

I have it on good authority that Australians, South Africans and Americans do it too.

DS was EBF, if I didn't wind him he'd be writhing in agony an hour later.

Well I breastfed both my babies and they both still needed winding and brought up good amounts. Think it depends on the baby not the country.

I’m Russia we just dip them naked in the snow to shock the wind out of them, followed by a shot of vodka and some pickles.

When I had my PFB I was discussing the subject with the midwife or HV, can’t remember which. They told me that the French don’t burp babies (contrary to a PP), nor do ?the Chinese. Maybe I’m remembering the specific nationalities wrongly, but anyway, it made me decide to stop the faff and neither of my children appeared to suffer. Think I tried again initially with my second as he had reflux a bit, but I found it made no difference so I desisted. So I vote for No Burping British Babes!

Not to worry, will soon be a moot point - I hear it's in the Brexit negotiations that the UK will no longer have to burp babies either. Maybe your MIL read it and got mixed up.

My two were breastfed, and most definitely needed burping.

BF babies don't routinely need burping as others have said (unless they have a tongue tie or poor latch for another reason, or the mother has fast let down, and they are therefore gulping air).

It's probably breast versus bottle feeding related to a degree. It's very unusual not to breastfeed for the first six weeks in Germany at least - though for some reason it's also mildly unusual to breastfeed much past six months.

Why wouldn't you burp your babies?! Have a penchant for the scent of vomit perhaps?!

@MonstranceClock

Surely all the Cossack dancing just kinda does it for them, though?

Mine never needed burping - both breastfed which probably makes a difference.

Ffs at the smug breastfeeders . I breastfed both my dc to 12 months. They both benefitted greatly from bringing up wind.

BF babies don't routinely need burping as others have said (unless they have a tongue tie or poor latch for another reason, or the mother has fast let down, and they are therefore gulping air).

Well, having hung around MN for a few years now, it feels like every ruddy baby has one or more of these issues...

Half mine were bottle fed, half bf. All needed to burp.

i was told that bf babies don't need burping (england)

quite confusing isn't it

My BF babies needed burping

I didnt realiwe "burping" was a thing. Didnt do it with either of mine. they werent sicky babies though if it makes a difference.

Both of my bd babies were/are windy fuckers!

I’ve been told this ‘only the English burp their babies’ shite too though...pretty sure my useless HV touted it a while back.

*bd = bf!

My breastfed Italian baby was burped.
As are all Italian babies I've ever had to watch being fed.

My breastfed baby definitely needed burping

But then a pp mentioned a fast let down being a cause of gulping air, pretty sure I practically jet washed the poor little sod so maybe that's why!

I never really buried either of mine 😬 they were always asleep at the end of a feed so I wasn’t going to risk waking them

I BF and imdidnt routinely burp any of my 3 babies, occasionally I might have burped them if they occasionally acted like they needed it but mostly they fell asleep when feeding so didn’t disturb them!
they didn’t pile up lots either so not burping them didn’t mean I was covered in vomit like a PP suggested.

I think your MIL probably means other countries don’t burp babies as standard after am every feed as part of the routine, I didn’t realise people burped babies after EVERY feed regardless of wether the baby needed it or not!

American burp cloths are very popular and weird to me they're rare here. Think muslins have the monopoly. But burp cloths are a better shape.

In Australia we burp the babies after they had their milk and the husbands after they've had their beer.

My Spanish friend never burped her baby, and was surprised to see me doing it - we had babies born within a week of each other. That said, she may have just been a bit odd in general - she never sterilised anything at all, right from birth. She formula fed her son, and made up bottles using water directly from the cold tap. I should add that her son was never sick or unwell at all, and she just insisted that sterilising wasn't a thing in Spain. No idea whether that's true or not.

My Russian FIL is the KING of baby burping. Your MIL is talking bollocks.