When can I stop burping my baby?

“Burping my baby is my favorite thing to do,” said no parent ever. If you have a baby you know how hard it is to get a burp out of him. Especially when it is 2 am in the morning and you want to jump back into bed. Some babies are good at it, they will burp away the gas even before you give it a try. If you have a baby like that, then you are lucky. But all the other parents will have definitely wondered at some point of their parenting life about when you could stop burping the baby. This article will bring you that good news, when can you stop burping your baby?

CONTENT

1.   Why do babies need to be burped?

2.   When can I stop burping my baby?

3.   What if burping is not enough? Burping alternatives

1.    Why do babies need to be burped? 

Babies swallow air during each and every feed. Your baby can be breastfed or formula-fed, all the babies will swallow a certain amount of air while eating. When air accumulates inside the baby’s tummy it will make them feel full causing discomfort. Frequent spit-ups can also result from air accumulation inside the tummy. 

We do not want our little ones to be uncomfortable so burping the gas out is the best way to take this excess air from the tummy. This will also help to take out the gas which is created from the digestion process. Breast-fed babies are recommended to be burped when breasts are switched while bottled fed babies can be burped after every 2-3 ounces of milk. 

If it is hard to burp your baby, the chance is high that your baby does not need to be burped. Further, there is a study revealing that burping does not help reducing baby colic and actually causes increased spit-ups in healthy babies. So do not be hard on yourself if you could not make your baby burp.

2.    When can I stop burping my baby? 

You can stop burping your baby when your baby’s digestive system is mature enough to deal with the accumulated air by itself. But there is no definite time for this milestone as one baby differs greatly from another. Some babies will be all fine even if they were never burped. Generally, you can stop burping your baby when they are 4 to 6 months old. Again, this depends on your baby and many other factors. 

Breastfed babies who latch properly to the breast will have a tight seal and will swallow less air when compared to bottle-fed babies. Breastmilk also has a slower flow and lesser air mixed in it. Due to these reasons, burping can be stopped earlier for the breastfed babies. 

When your baby can move around and sit by himself, it is also a sign that he is ready to stop burping or to be burped less. A newborn cannot position themselves comfortably to relive from the discomfort of a gas bubble, but a baby who can move himself can do that easily.

 With the age, the digestive system of the baby will become less sensitive when he is ready for semi-solid or solid food other than milk. It means that the digestive system is mature than before and can be trusted for handling the air accumulations properly. You can wean your baby from burping when he is ready for other food than usual breast milk or baby formula. 

Below is a summary of the factors you can consider before deciding when to stop burping your baby. 

• Breastfed babies can stop burping sooner.
• Bottle-fed babies will need to be burped till they are a little bit older.
• If your baby eats well and does not become fussy after the feeds, you can try to stop burping sooner.
• If your baby has frequent gas problems and gas pains, you might need to wait a little time before trying to stop burping.
• If your baby can sit up, moves by himself, and very active, it is a good time to wean from burping. 

3.    What if burping is not enough? Burping alternatives 

For some babies, burping will not be enough. Following activities can help the gassy babies to relieve their discomfort. But if the situation does not improve, you will have to go for solutions such as changing the bottle, changing the nipple size, or switching to premixed formula or to another brand of baby formula. 

You might be reading this because your baby does not burp easily and needs to know when you can get rid of the burping trouble. These are few alternatives for burping you can try and they do not need practice as burping does. You can follow these techniques even after you have weaned your baby from weaning. 

Bicycling the legs 

Lay your baby on his back and move his legs like he is pedaling a bicycle. It can help to remove the gas from their tummy as well as helping with constipation in some babies. You can include this as an exercise in their daily schedule. 

Body massages

Body massages can improve a baby’s circulatory and digestive systems, which can solve health issues related to gas and constipation. But there is little scientific research to support these claims. Even if massaging did not have anything to do with gas, body massages can be very relaxing for both babies and parents. So make it an everyday bonding moment.

Tummy Time 

Parents are advised to make their babies spend at least 30 minutes a day on their tummies while they are awake. This exercise is commonly referred to as the “Tummy Time”. Tummy Time gives your baby a good stretch and a soft massage to the abdominal organs which will stimulate normal bowel functioning and can help to eliminate gas in the stomach. This exercise will also enhance the posture and coordination of the baby