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 Ask Dr. Jana
Burping Basics | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Jana,
How long should you burp a child and at what intervals of feeding? I'm asking at what age do you stop burping, and when you do burp how much formula should you give before doing so?— Frustrated Nana | | | ANSWER |
March 22, 2001 | | | Dear Frustrated Nana,
In general, burping a baby is useful in releasing air that may have been swallowed during a feeding, since this air can sometimes cause stomach discomfort and/or spitting up. Some babies seem to swallow more air than others because they cry a lot before eating (which causes them to swallow a lot of air before the feeding has even started), because they gulp vigorously, or even because they are allowed to suck on a bottle that is not ideally positioned and end up sucking air. The result for some, but not all, babies is an increase not only in discomfort but also in spitting (since breast milk or formula often accompany the air bubbles back up out of the stomach).
I have found that when it comes to burping, every baby is different. While some require burping during the course of a single feeding--after every couple of ounces or so--others essentially have no problems doing entirely without. There are some babies who would clearly benefit from burping, but even valiant efforts can't elicit a good burp.
With those basics in mind, the straightforward answer to your questions is that it's reasonable to stop burping a baby when he no longer seems to need it--either because there doesn't seem to be any air to get out, or because he's not bothered by what air there may be. Whether this is at two weeks or nine months, the bottom line is that if there is no air to get out, then you don't need to burp.— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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