Burping your baby: why, when and how do you do it?

You burp your baby by holding your little one upright against you and gently rubbing their back. This lets air swallowed during feeding come back up. You do this after the feed, and sometimes in between. Not every baby needs to burp after every feed: if your baby stays calm and content, that's fine.

Why do you burp a baby?

While drinking, your baby sometimes swallows air, for example when drinking fast or greedily, or when often letting go and latching on again. That air ends up in the stomach and can cause pressure. Your baby then becomes restless, cries more or spits up more. A burp helps your baby get rid of that air, so the tummy stays calmer.

When do you burp your baby?

• After the feed: the best-known moment. Hold your baby upright against you for a while.
• During the feed: when your baby becomes restless, often lets go or has trouble drinking. A short break brings calm, after which your baby often continues drinking in a relaxed way.
• Before the feed: sometimes useful when your baby has just woken up, or when burping after the previous feed didn't work.

Which positions work well?

• Over the shoulder. Hold your baby upright against you, with their head on your shoulder. Support the head and neck and gently rub the back.
• Sitting upright on your lap. Sit your baby on your lap and let them lean forward slightly. Support the chin and chest with your hand and rub the back.
• Tummy down on your arm. Lay your baby tummy down on your forearm, with their head near your hand. The gentle pressure on the tummy feels pleasant for many babies.

You don't need to pat hard. Gentle rubbing or soft patting usually works better. Always support the head and neck in the first weeks. Keep a burp cloth at hand: a little milk coming back up is normal.

How long should you try to get a burp?

A burp often comes within a few minutes. If it hasn't happened after five to ten minutes, you can stop, especially if your baby is calm.

Does a baby always need to burp?

No. Some babies hardly swallow any air and don't need to burp. Try another position or take a short break, but don't keep forcing it. If your baby drinks well and is content afterwards, all is well.

Does your baby cry a lot after almost every feed, often arch their back or clearly feel uncomfortable? Discuss this with your child health clinic or GP. Also read about tummy cramps in your baby.

These signs show that air is still trapped

• Your baby becomes restless after just a few sips.
• Your baby pushes the bottle or breast away or keeps stopping.
• Your baby arches their back, cries or has a tense tummy.

How can your baby swallow less air when bottle feeding?

• Offer the bottle like the breast. Stroke the teat along your baby's lips or chin. When your baby takes the teat, let it go into the mouth up to the base.
• Keep the teat filled with milk. This way your baby drinks milk, not air.
• Choose a teat that suits the drinking pace. If the milk flows too fast or too slowly, your baby swallows air more easily. Read why your baby drinks restlessly from the bottle.
• Use a bottle with an anti-colic system. In the Difrax anti-colic S-bottle, the anti-colic valve in the base keeps air from mixing with the milk: 100% milk, 0% air. Thanks to the S-shape, the teat always stays filled. This is how the S-bottle reduces the risk of tummy cramps, spitting up and burping.

Does your baby also need to burp when breastfeeding?

With a good latch, your baby swallows little air at the breast. That's why breastfed babies often need to burp less. Your baby can still swallow air when latching on still takes practice and your baby often latches on again, or when the milk flows fast. This happens mostly in the first weeks and usually gets less by itself.