Burping releases air trapped in the stomach.  Babies usually swallow in air during feeding and this makes them fussy  and can even make them spit. Burping gives the baby more room in his stomach and relieves discomfort. Both breastfed and bottle-fed babies swallow air during feed but  it is more common in bottle fed babies. When babies swallow air, you have to stop feeding rather than letting the baby fuss and feed at the same time. Doing that will only result in the baby swallowing more air and making him  uncomfortable and make him  spit.
 

 

When to burp your baby 

 
It is a good strategy to burp your baby frequently even if he shows no discomfort. Pausing and changing positions will reduce the amount of air the baby takes in. If baby is being breastfed, you should burp him whenever he switches breast. For bottle fed babies, you need to burp about every 2 to 3 ounces. Some breast-fed babies don’t swallow a lot of air so there may be no need to burp often.Around 4 to 6 months, most baby’s outgrow burping.

How to burp your baby ?

 
There are different way to burp a baby. You can experiment with them to find out which one is the most effective and comfortable for both you and your baby.

Different ways of burping your baby

 
On the chest or shoulder  : Hold the baby across your chest so that his chin is resting on your shoulder. Support the baby with one  hand while using the other to gently rub his back. Another alternative is holding the baby high up on your shoulder. The baby should be high enough so that your shoulder lightly presses on his belly. This will create a gentle  pressure that will coax the burp out. Support him  with one hand and gently rub his back with the other hand.

The second one works best when your baby has some head and neck control. You should also make sure that the baby breathes comfortably. You need to put a burp cloth over your shoulder or back before burping your baby. This will protect your clothes from the baby’s spit.

Sitting on your lap : Sit your baby on your lap facing away from you.  Support your baby’s body with one hand, use your palm to support his chest while your fingers gently supports his chin and jaw. Make sure your fingers are not around the baby’s throat. Slightly bend the baby forward and rub or pat his back gently with your other hand. Make sure you have a burp cloth on your lap or a bib on your baby to catch any spit-up.

Face down across your lap : Lay your baby face down so that she is lying across your knees. The baby should be perpendicular to your body. Support her jaw and chin with one  hand. It is important that the baby’s head isn’t lower than the rest of his body. This is to prevent blood from rushing  to his head. Pat or  rub the baby’s back. Put a burp cloth on your lap before trying this option.
 
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