If you’re a brand-new parent, burping your baby will become second nature over the next few months. But it can’t hurt to have some handy tips on the baby burping basics! Here’s a quick guide on how to successfully burp your baby, and why it’s so important. 

Highlights:  Because the muscles in their bellies haven’t fully developed yet, babies need to be burped until they can do it on their own, which is typically around 7-9 months.  Babies can be burped in various positions, such as over your chest, in a sitting up position, or over your lap. See below for instructions on each position.  How often you burp your baby will depend on their feeding schedule.  As they grow, babies will swallow less air as they feed, which means they won’t need to be burped as often.

Why Babies Need to be Burped

Without the sweet release of a burp, your little one can experience tummy aches from gas being trapped in the belly. Babies will also frequently spit up, become gassier, lose sleep, or feel full before they’re finished feeding if they don’t burp. Because babies naturally swallow air while they’re feeding, burping becomes a necessary and routine ritual in the first few months of life. Since the muscles in their bellies aren’t fully developed yet, they need parents and caregivers to burp them until they can handle it on their own, which is typically around 7-9 months. 

 How to Burp Your Baby

Here’s a quick guide on how to properly burp your baby over your chest: 

• Either in a standing or an upright sitting position, place a cloth over your shoulder and hold your baby against your chest so their chin is resting on your shoulder. 
• While you support your baby with one hand, use the other hand to gently pat on your baby’s back. Cupping your hand while patting can be a softer option than a flat, open palm. 
• Gentle pats commonly work well, but softly rubbing your baby’s back or slightly firmer patting can also help them burp. 

Remember that it’s normal for babies to spit up while burping. However, if you’re noticing that their muscles are contracting and the spitting-up looks more like vomiting, be sure to contact your pediatrician. If your baby hasn’t burped after these steps, try moving them into a different position.

Other Baby Burping Positions 

The chest position described above is one of the most common positions for burping babies, but they can also be burped in the following ways: 

Sitting Up Position 

• Hold your baby in a sitting position in your lap. When using this position, it’s important to make sure their head and chin are supported, since they’re not quite ready to hold their head up on their own. 
• Using one hand, hold your baby’s chest and head. Make sure your hand is cupping their chin, not their throat, while the heel of your hand rests on their chest. 
• Gently pat your baby’s back with the other hand. 

Lap Position

• In a sitting position, lay your baby down on your lap with their belly facing down. On one leg, their head should be turned to the side, while their tummy rests on your other leg. 
• Make sure their head is supported and is positioned a little bit higher than their chest. 
• Gently pat your baby’s back with the other hand. 

When Should You Burp Your Baby? 

Your burping routine will depend on your baby’s feeding schedule. For breastfeeding moms, you can burp your baby when switching from one breast to the other. If your baby seems fussy or eager to stop eating, you can try burping prior to the switch. If you’re feeding with formula, you can burp your baby mid-bottle or after every 2 – 3 ounces. Again, if your baby seems uninterested in eating or a little cranky, try burping intermittently throughout the feeding. 

As your baby grows, you may notice that they’re not burping as often as they used to. This typically means that they’re swallowing less air as they feed. Around months 7-9, their digestive systems become more developed, meaning you’ll hear those tiny little burps (or big burps!) release on their own.