What's your best burping technique?

[rumtumtugger]

I'd like to try out some new tried and tested techniques for getting those last stubborn pockets of air out!

[Littlemissexpecting]

What always works for us is walking up or down the stairs. If ds needs a burp it will come out then!!

[Meid]

I was told by my health visitor when I had my first baby (12 years ago) that the 'latest thinking' was to hold the baby upright after a feed and if there is a burp it will come out. No idea what today's 'latest' advice is.

However, I found this didn't work and generally gave mine a little pat on the back and didn't stress about it too much.

I did have a family friend shout (!) at me that my baby will have a cot death if I don't bring up a burp after every feed. This was the same lady who also gave me the parenting advice to prop the baby's bottle up at the side of the crib and go back to sleep to make the night time feeds easier! (Sorry went off on a tangent then.)

[PrincessYoni]

Betcha didn't think the thread would go the way it did eh OP?!

I think it can be cultural as i was remarkably satisfied when DD did a little burp. I generally sat her up and patted her back which did produce a burp and, when DH hugs me and strokes my back, i generally burp too not a horrid belch I hasten to add and he's not doing it to make me burp

[tobiasfunke]

When I went to our local NCT class the bfing woman told us that bf babies don't need burping. Oh how she scoffed at the burpers. A friend who had bfeed her babies also was on the just let them fart it out school of thought. I, as an idiot first time mother, took this as gospel. Turns out I could've avoided a lot of the first couple of months screaming after feeds if I'd realised my baby needed a good burp. Sometimes he burped sometimes he didn't. There was nothing wrong with his latch, he didn't have any trouble feeding he just needed a burp.

No jiggling about worked for us. The midwife in the hospital had showed me to sit him on my knee with my hand under supporting his chin and gently rock him back and forth. I'd thought - I won't be needing any of that breastfeed babies don't need burped. Turns out she was right.

I found that there was quite a lot of these baby feeding things set in stone. If your baby is doing x, y or z IT IS WRONG. Even if it works for you IT IS STILL WRONG. Turns out that all babies are different and one size doesn't fit all - who would have thunk it?

[KristinaM]

Qumqat - if I were you I woudl be checking out if I had anyfood intolerances. Nausea after every meal is not normal

[pettyprudence]

occasionally ds would need assistance with burping but he usually belted one out on his own when he did need help, the figure of 8 method (seems to be the same as roundabout or corkscrew) usually worked the quickest but i have no evidence that he wouldn't have just burped anyway made me feel proactive and useful though.

All women (except mw and bfc's) over the age of 62 would inform me that any little whimper from ds was agonising wind trapped in his belly and i should wake him and wind him immediately or it was child cruelty FACT.

[TerrorMeSue]

I had 4 babies. I burped the first one for a fortnight. Then I forgot. It made no bloody difference, so I stopped. He still burped (lying down, sitting up, whatever). The other three all managed to burp fine on their own too, what with it being a reflex and all.

I did notice that when they cried more they burped more afterwards, probably from gulping air when crying. All posset tend sometimes, but it never bothered them.

That tinkling gurgling sound their tummies make... That's the sound of normal human digestion .

[qumquat]

I don't know about babies (not had mine yet), but I certainly need burping! I have to stay upright and walk around after a meal until the burps come, and I often need to sit up during the night to release a burp. If it's not coming, I even get up and jiggle myself baby style! I learned to burp myself a few years ago and it's freed me from a lifetime of nausea after meals. Maybe I'm weird, but the need to burp babies seems obvious to me, when they spend so much time horizontal.

[PeriodFeatures]

My baby gets trapped wind and possets a lot. It makes sense to me that a tiny baby with a newly operating digestive system who cant walk or indeed move her torso about might need a bit of a hand.

The notion of burping after every feed is some old fashioned advice. I dont do thaT as she is oftn asleep. she will thrash her little arms and legs about, go red and grimace if she needs a trump. sometimes this is clearly uncomfortable so i'll pick her up and rub and pat her back, which she likes, sometimes i'll put her on play mat or my knee and wiggle her legs or upper body to get things moving.

the sling is aLSO good as moving about helps lots. Trumps are hilarious and sooo loud!!

She is a really enthusiastic feeder so takes air in somtimes..

[Wheretogofor1stworldproblemsup]

Had three babies and never winded any of them. We were never taught to at any of the ante natal classes or feeding classes after they were born. No wind problems either. That was Sydney.

[ZingWantsCake]

poocatcher

no-one suggested to shake a baby!

[QueenoftheSarf]

For adults, going down on all fours and waving bum around/rotating hips relieves trapped wind so I'd imagine that finding a way to mimic the same movements for your baby will help them to pass it too. Trapped wind is so bloody painful - no wonder babies howl like they do with it.

[ringaringarosy]

i have 4 and have bf one of them for 2 yrs,the other 3 i did it between a few weeks and few months,i found when i was bf i didnt need to wind at all,but when i ff i needed to burp them.they just used to d it when i sat them up though,occasionally patted their back.

[poocatcherchampion]

blimey! what a lovely thread

dd1 didn't need burping and rarely produced one herself

dd2 occasionally gulps loads as she is feeding and usually swiftly sitting her up does the trick.

we don't do patting and shaking here it's boring

I don't know what else to say except that I hope tiktok isnt put off offering her support to those who need it. sadly I expect it isn't the first time for these sort of challenges.

also I am wondering if this board has experienced other controversy as suggested up thread. I thought all the rows were ff v bf - this bizarre debate might be a whole new sideline.

[libertychick]

Rumtum I used to sit DD up as straight as possible, supporting her chin with my hand and she usually burped fairly quicklyg

[Lerato]

I read a very interesting book recently called 'Dream Babies' which was a history of child care manuals. From memory it stated that winding a baby was first mentioned about 100 years ago. I think it was at a time when babies were being put down in a cot to sleep rather than being cradled in the arms more. It was also thought to be a comfort / bonding time.
It definitely it cultural trend and not all babies need to be winded. I ama GP by the way.

[jellyfl00d]

Sorry...children posting before finished writing...
I found the traditional gripe water great with wind upper & lower

[jellyfl00d]

I found the traditional

[jellyfl00d]

Or reflux, silent or otherwise?

[minipie]

oh and rum if your baby is v windy and is BF it's worth getting checked for tongue tie...

[ZingWantsCake]

rum

I sent you a PM

[rumtumtugger]

Thanks minipie :) I like the joystick visual!

[minipie]

rumtum here's what helped with dd who was sooo hard to burp when small and did certainly feel discomfort if not burped:

• up and down the stairs as already mentioned

• lay horizontal for a minute, then back to vertical (dd would sometimes burp after a nappy change, still does!)

• sit on knee, facing sideways, and tilt gently backwards and forwards and sideways (almost as if baby is a joystick iyswim) while supporting back and chin so airway is as straight as poss

• sit on knee upright and vibrate knee

• tiger in a tree position with my hand supporting her chin

• burp frequently during feed, not just at the end (though I wouldn't break latch to do this, just wait till she takes a break)

[ZingWantsCake]

I didn't say "always", so don't put words in my mouth tiktok.

and evidence? biology is evidence . experience is evidence.
besides I don't need to prove you anything as this is not a court case.

I give advice based on my experience and what I know.
I don't assume others know better or worse, I merely state what I think, so not sure where your judging and criticism and patronising is coming from.

[tiktok]

rumtum, I understand, but my only input today has been in response to people addressing me directly.

But I will just maintain a dignified silence from now on!