One burp might be enough for a newborn if they seem content, but often they need more, so watch for fussiness or signs of discomfort; some babies need burping during feeds, while others only need it at the end, and you should keep trying until they seem relaxed, even if it takes 10-15 minutes, as it varies by baby.
Any burp is enough. It can be one big one, a few small ones. If none is heard within something like 10 minutes, then you can assume that it just slowly evaporated over time.
Whether breast or bottle feeding, babies swallow air, some more than others. Attempt to burp your baby once or twice during feedings. He may not always need to burp. If the baby seems to be guzzling a lot of air, or seems to be “full” before the end of the feeding, you may need to burp more often.
Some babies may be more prone to gas and discomfort if they go to sleep without being burped, while others may not have any issues. However, if a baby is already asleep and showing no signs of discomfort, it is generally safe to let them sleep without burping.
Burping helps to get rid of some of the air that babies tend to swallow during feeding. Not being burped often and swallowing too much air can make a baby spit up, or seem cranky or gassy.
When fed too much, a baby may also swallow air. This can produce gas, increase discomfort in the belly, and lead to crying. An overfed baby also may spit up more than usual and have loose stools. Although crying from discomfort is not colic, it can make crying more frequent and more intense in an already colicky baby.
You don't need to spend ages burping your baby, a couple of minutes should be enough. There are a few ways to burp your baby. Try them all out and see which works best – or use a combination.
Burping is a widely practiced caregiving routine in newborn care, believed to release swallowed air, reduce regurgitation and minimise colic. Despite its near-universal application, scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of burping in healthy term infants remains limited and conflicting.
After some time has elapsed, commonly around 20 minutes or so, you'll notice that Baby is mostly asleep and sucking-rhythm has become slowed while sucks have become more gentle, some describe it as “fluttery.” At this point, use your finger, at the corner of baby's mouth, to break the suction of the latch.
Signs of overfeeding a baby include frequent spitting up/vomiting, fussiness, gassiness, a tight belly, and changes in stool (loose, green, frothy, or explosive). While babies often know when they're full (turning away, falling asleep), signs of overfeeding often involve discomfort and digestive issues, sometimes with rapid weight gain or a very full, hard tummy, especially if fed past fullness cues.
Yes, all. Having just spent nine months as fetuses developing in fluid, newborns have no experience with air until they take their first breath. Then, if they swallow some air when they cry or feed, eventually, some of the air comes up as a burp. Gas expelled from below (farts) comes from a different source.
Signs Your Breastfed Baby is Gassy
The hardest week with a newborn is often considered the first six weeks, especially weeks 2-3, due to extreme sleep deprivation, constant feeding demands, learning baby's cues, postpartum recovery, and a peak in inconsolable crying (the "witching hour"), making parents feel overwhelmed as they adjust to a new, exhausting routine. While the first week is tough, the challenges often intensify as the baby becomes more alert but still fussy, with major developmental hurdles like cluster feeding and increased fussiness peaking around 6-8 weeks.
But, according to experts, there are a few common signs of a gassy baby you can look for, including:
The 7 key danger signs for newborns, often highlighted by organizations like the WHO, are not feeding well, convulsions, fast breathing, severe chest indrawing, lethargy/unconsciousness (movement only when stimulated), high or low temperature, and jaundice (yellow skin/soles) or signs of local infection like an infected umbilical stump, requiring immediate medical attention.
The "Colic 333 Rule" is a common guideline for identifying infantile colic: a baby cries for more than 3 hours a day, for more than 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks, in an infant who is otherwise healthy and well-fed. It helps differentiate normal crying from colic, though parents don't need to wait three weeks to seek help if they're concerned, and modern criteria may vary slightly.
Baby hiccups are a normal, involuntary reflex often occurring during or after feeding, caused by the diaphragm muscle. Common triggers for baby hiccups include overfeeding, eating too quickly, and swallowing air, but hiccups are harmless and typically subside in 5-10 minutes.
Burping is the best way to get rid of baby hiccups. If breastfeeding, burp the baby when switching breasts. If bottle feeding, burp the baby about halfway through. “Sometimes, the baby needs a break so their tummy has time to digest.
If you feed at night, always make time to burp after the feed and consider it part of the usual feeding routine. If you place your baby down and they start to show signs of discomfort like arching their back, clenching their fists, or crying, then pick them back up and try to burp them again.
🚫 Mistake 2: Using only one position. If the traditional over-the-shoulder position isn't working, try sitting your baby upright on your lap or laying them belly-down across your knees. 🚫 Mistake 3: Burping only once. Babies may need a few breaks during a feeding session to burp.
The "4-4-4 rule" for breast milk is a simple storage guideline: fresh milk is good for 4 hours at room temperature (up to 77°F/25°C), for 4 days in the refrigerator (39°F/4°C or colder), and up to 4-6 months (or longer) in a standard freezer (0°F/-18°C). It's a handy mnemonic, though some organizations like the CDC recommend up to 6 months in the freezer and the AAP up to 9 months, with deeper freezers offering even longer storage.
Does swaddling help with gas? It can! Research shows that swaddling (when done correctly) can reduce excessive crying, soothe pain, and improve sleep. This means a swaddled baby is less likely to take in air from crying, which means less gas.
Signs of overfeeding a baby include frequent spitting up/vomiting, fussiness, gassiness, a tight belly, and changes in stool (loose, green, frothy, or explosive). While babies often know when they're full (turning away, falling asleep), signs of overfeeding often involve discomfort and digestive issues, sometimes with rapid weight gain or a very full, hard tummy, especially if fed past fullness cues.