14 Baby Burping Tricks That Work

Are you having a hard time getting your little one to burp? Trapped air can make for uncomfortable sleep and fussiness. Here are 14 baby burping tricks to help expel gas and get those burps out quickly!

Baby Burping Tricks

As a first-time mom, I couldn’t figure out why my baby’s burps were getting stuck, despite holding him for 20 minutes.

I knew he had to burp because he’d squirm and scream if he didn’t. I’d pat his back forever with no luck only for him to spit up practically everything he ate within minutes of putting him down. I’d give him gas drops and gripe water to no avail.

How exactly do you burp a baby that is hard to burp?

I knew I couldn’t keep doing what I was doing, so I researched just about everything to get those burps out. Thankfully, with a few tricks, I was able to help my baby release all that trapped gas and finally feel comfortable. Hopefully, with these tips, you’ll get your baby burping in no time, too:

Sitting the baby on your lap

Take a look at these tricks to try while sitting your baby on your lap to help him burp faster. Support him by placing one hand on his chest and “cupping” his chin in your palm, between your thumb and index fingers. Then, keeping him in an upright position, you can try to:

  1. Gently jiggle or bounce your thigh.
  2. Pat his back firmly and quickly to help him burp.
  3. Rub his back in circular motions from the bottom to the top.

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Holding the baby over your shoulder

You’ve likely tried holding your little one over your shoulder, but sometimes you need a little extra to get the air bubbles out. This is especially true if you’re trying to burp a sleeping baby. Take a look at these tricks to try while you’re in this position:

  1. Hold him high so his belly presses on your shoulder (in other words, his head shouldn’t be the only part peeking over your shoulder). The pressure on his belly helps push the gas out.
  2. Pat his bottom to push the gas up.
  3. Rotate your upper body forward, right, backward, and left. The movement helps him dislodge swallowed air and get it up and out.

Laying the baby tummy down

Many babies will only burp when they’re “lying down” somewhat horizontally, stomach side down. Take a look at these burping positions to see if they work for your baby:

  1. Hold her along your forearm, cupping her chin with your hand to support the head. With your other hand, pat her back and gently move your arm up and down to loosen the gas bubbles.
  2. Sit down with your feet flat and close to your body, so that your knees form a “mountain.” (For instance, sit on the couch with the bottom of your feet against the edge of the coffee table.) While keeping your knees together, lay her belly down with her head cupped between your knees. Rub her back to get the gas bubbles up.
  3. Sit with your legs together, and lay her across your legs with her face down. Support her head with one hand and pat her back with the other. You can also lay her across just one leg, so that she’s not completely horizontal, and instead is inclined against your leg. And lastly, you can bounce your knees for extra motion.

Burping while feeding

Burping a newborn after breastfeeding or giving him a bottle is a must. Take a look at how to get a burp out during and after a feeding session:

  1. If you breastfeed, burp after changing breasts. If you’re bottle-feeding, burp after the first ounce. Your baby is probably hungrier at the start of a feed when he swallows and gulps more air. By getting the burp out mid-way or after the first ounce, you can help expel the gas earlier in the feeding.
  2. Feed him unswaddled. I know it’s easier to just lay him down already swaddled, but burping while swaddled can be difficult. Plus, feeding unswaddled keeps him awake for a full feed (and makes sure he falls asleep drowsy but awake).
  3. Feel his belly. If it’s soft, then he likely got all his gas out, but if it’s firm, there may still be more gas inside.
Burping a Newborn After Breastfeeding

Moving the baby around

Sometimes, all your baby needs is a bit of motion. Whether you walk around or move about, these burping tricks are sure to help:

  1. While carrying your baby upright, walk around heavily on your feet, stomping each time your foot comes down. You can also walk up and down stairs, which naturally adds a “jolt” to each step you take.
  2. Hold him against your chest, then slowly lay him down for a few seconds. Then, bring him back toward your chest again. Repeat a few times to bring the air up a little.

The bottom line

Dealing with a baby who won’t burp is a challenge for any parent, especially when he just falls asleep. Hopefully, these tricks can help you get those burps out—and much faster than holding him for 20 minutes.

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