Burping your baby helps release air that becomes trapped in their stomach. Burping is often most effective right after or in between feeding when a child sucks in extra air while feeding on milk or food.
Burping your baby will help them release that air, improving their feeding and general comfort.
Here is how to burp your child while they are over your shoulder:
Hold the baby over your shoulder
Be sure to support your child’s head and neck while you do this. You might have more success lifting your baby higher so that his or her belly is resting on your shoulder.
You might want to put a burping cloth over your shoulder, especially if the child is under a year old. The bottom of their esophagus (the tube that brings food into the stomach) is not all the way developed and may be briefly sent out of whack when the baby burps. This sometimes causes them to spit up but is perfectly natural.
Read also: 7 Easy Ways To Prevent Baby’s Neck Rashes
Pat them between the shoulder blades
You should only pat them using wrist action; do not move your arm in order to burp your child.
If you don’t want to pat your child, you can also rub his or her back using a circular motion with your hand. Although a bit less effective, it often accomplishes the same thing.
