Thursday 15 March 2012

How to burp your baby


A newborn baby's stomach is about the size of a walnut, but it grows rapidly. By the time the child is ten days old, its stomach will be the size of a chicken egg. Problems arise when air bubbles get into that little stomach or the intestines. They will cause painful cramps, and the baby will cry energetically.

To prevent this, the parent or caregiver should "burp" the baby after every two ounces of formula. If a mother is breast feeding, she should burp the baby when changing sides.

There is no single right way to burp a baby. Each parent and child will discover their own favorite method, the way that works best for them. Here a few suggestions you might try:

A. Over the shoulder. Place a burp cloth or another piece of material on your shoulder in case the baby spits up. Gently raise the baby up and place his body against you with his head resting on your shoulder. Hold the baby upright with one hand on his bottom, while your other hand gently taps his back. Gently move your hand upwards as you tap to encourage the gas to rise and be expelled as a burp. Repeat until you hear the baby burp.

B. Sitting on the lap. Sit the baby on your lap facing sideways, leaning slightly forwards. While supporting his head and chest with one arm and hand, rub or pat his back in an upward motion with the other.

C. Lying on the lap. Lay the baby across your lap, so that there is pressure on his tummy from your thigh. Rub or tap his back as in the other methods. Use a burp cloth to protect your lap and the floor in case of spitting up. Continue until you hear a burp.

D. The bicycle ride. Lay the baby on his back either on the floor or on your lap with his head at your knees. Gently hold his feet and move his legs up, down and around as if he were riding a bicycle. This sometimes helps him expel gas from the other end.

E. If nothing else works, try to make the baby laugh. When he moves his stomach muscles to laugh, it sometimes helps the gas to rise and come out as a burp.

It's important to have patience, especially in the first few weeks when you and your baby are still establishing a routine. When you discover the most efficient way to help your baby get rid of gas, the procedure will progress much more quickly.

However, never think you have the burping skill mastered. Every child is different. Your first baby may need to be burped after each two ounces of formula; the second may be quite happy with one session at the end of the feeding.

It's just one of the many surprises that come with each new baby. Be thankful. It keeps life as a parent from becoming boring.




No comments:

Post a Comment