Winding your baby
The importance of winding a baby is often not fully emphasised. While some babies have no trouble with wind, the parents of babies with wind know the discomfort leads to an unsettled baby which affects sleeping, feeding and parents patience!
When to burp your baby
If your baby seems uncomfortable while feeding, is squirmy, or pulls away and starts crying, give burping a try. Some parents take a burping break halfway through a bottle or, for breastfeeding mums, when they switch breasts.
If baby falls asleep during or after a feeding it is worth trying to get a burp from them before you lay them down to sleep, to help prevent them waking and crying out 10 minutes later due to trapped wind.
By 4 to 6 months old, many babies have outgrown burping. They've become more efficient eaters and don't swallow as much air.
How to burp your baby
There's more than one way to get the job done. Experiment to find the one that's most comfortable and effective for you and your baby.
Here are some tips from The Baby Whisperer as shown on TVNZ's Good Morning Show.
Burping process:
- Lie your baby flat on their back across your knees when they come off the breast or bottle. The only time I would not do this is when a baby is making a gulping or swallowing sound, in this case sit them up until they have settled then lie them back down.
- Place one hand under their head to carry the weight and balance their bottom on your legs.
- Massage their tummy 3-4 times as if you are feeling for tightness, massaging the digestive system below their ribs and above the nappy line.
- Place your hand on your baby's chest, ensuring that the palm of your hand is not across their chest bone but sitting and supporting their diaphragm area. The tip of your index finger and your thumb are supporting their head. Slip the other hand's thumb under the inside arm and sit your up baby into a sitting burping position. As you change them from lying down position lift them up and then down onto knee so as to help dislodge the burp if trapped. Make sure they are sitting up nice and straight, their bottom not over your knee but on your knee.
- 'Paddle tap' their back between the shoulder blades in a quick firm rhythm and if you have not got a burp up then I would massage around the side of each side of their back and then back to tapping or try lifting her up and down again to stretch out their tummy.
- If they are grizzly or wriggling in discomfort I gently bounce or jiggle them at the same time (with your knee).
- Try then over the shoulder if you are not successful, putting your arm over their bottom instead of under. Rubbing again in upwards strokes and patting between the shoulder area of the back.
(for a visual demonstration see Sharlene Poole's Baby Whispering DVD)
Still no luck?
Note: When using any burping method, give up or try a different position if you don't get a burp after a few minutes. Your baby may not be ready to burp just yet.
We have found that the burps come out most readily when baby's tummy muscles are relaxed, so if he has knees pulled up or arching his back, it may be helpful to calm baby first. Once he is relaxed, try again.
Sometimes lying baby down on your lap or bed for a couple of minutes, before picking him up and trying again, can be enough to dislodge the burp. Or try comforting him by holding and rocking him in a side or tummy position, then try again.
If baby is still unsettled, offer some more milk, he may be crying as the wind has moved and he has more room in his tummy. Also don't forget to check his nappy to rule out that discomfort - remember the wind can come out either end!
The "ouch, I have wind!" cry is a very high pitched cry. The area above baby's top lip may appear bluish also.
If you are becoming increasingly frustrated with baby, ask a friend or family member to help for a while, or place baby safely in his bed and take a few minutes away from him to calm yourself. It can help to remember that "baby is having a hard time, not giving me a hard time".
Purchasing some "gripe water" or "wind drops" can help release baby's trapped wind and is helpful to have on hand for when you feel you have tried everything else.
Where to go for more info
Ask your Midwife or Plunket Nurse for a demonstration to help with winding your baby.
If baby continues to be upset, you are concerned for any reason, or you feel like you might hurt your baby, call plunketline, healthline, your midwife or doctor for help.
