How to burp a hard to burp baby is a serious concern for many nursing mothers and caregivers. It can be frustrating because you are trying to burb the baby, but it’s not helping. Yes, burping is supposed to calm a baby and make them burp. But sometimes, it is easier said than done because your little one may have other plans.
So, if you are faced with such a situation, what should you do? In this article, we will provide you with all the answers you need – and more. Let us get to it, shall we?
How to Burp a Hard to Burp Baby – Tips and Tricks
There are tips and tricks that you can employ to burp a baby, even on a hard to burp baby. In this session, we will give you all the information you would need.
If you are faced with the dilemma of how to burp a hard to burp baby, the first thing you should do is to try different burping positions. This is a tested and trusted solution, and it is often advised when you notice that your baby is hard to burp.
Rather than burping the baby in the usual way, you should change the position into something like the football hold burp. You should also try rubbing the baby’s back in circles instead of patting.
Another way is to gently lean the baby in a forward and backward motion, like a rocking technique. If any of these doesn’t work, then you should try to calm your baby first and burp the baby later, as the baby may be upset.
How to Burp a Hard to Burp Newborn
When it involves a newborn baby, there is a limit to what you can do – or experiment. However, when you want to burb a newborn baby that is difficult to burb, you should pat the baby firmly on the back.
When you want to do this, ensure that you cup your fist to ensure that it traps the air as you pat the newborn baby’s back.
Another trusted and effective way to burp a newborn baby is to pat them on their bottom instead of their back. For many parents, this is the most effective way to make a newborn baby burp. They prefer this because they do not want the patting on the newborn baby’s back to cause discomfort in breathing.
If this doesn’t work, then you should rub the whole back area in a circular motion gently.
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When Do You Stop Burping a Baby?
As a general rule, you should only consider stopping burping a baby when you notice they can burp on their own. For some babies, this may be a period between 4 to 6 months of age, and for others, it may be higher than that.
Babies do not develop in the same way, so it is somewhat difficult to put timelines to certain developmental timelines. You should handle each baby in a peculiar manner and not compare them with other siblings or babies.
So, monitor the baby to know when they can burp on their own. If the baby burps on his or her own, then you have no business burping the baby anymore. You should focus your time and energy on other areas of baby care.
At What Age Do Babies Start Burping on Their Own?
Burping a baby naturally becomes easier after 2 months of age. Then, soon after, they are able to start burping on their own, with the help of the mother or caregiver. For some babies, burping on their own begins between 4 to 6 months, and for some others, it is a few months after.
You should give your baby until 7 to 9 months before you can speak to a doctor if they are unable to burp on their own. Also, it is important for you to be conscious and aware of the position that aids burping for your baby.
So, you should help them to that position when you want to train them to start burping on their own. It could be placing the baby on the chest, placing the baby in an upright position, or putting the baby on your lap.
How to Burp a Hard To Burp Baby – General Tips
There are some general tips you should remember before trying to burp a hard to burp baby. Below are some general tips you should consider to help burp a hard to burp baby.
5 General tips on How to Burp a Hard to Burp Baby
1. Always Try to Calm the Baby Down First
The dynamics of calming a baby before burping them is a tricky one because burping is supposed to also be a calming technique. But you need to look at it this way. Burping helps to release air bubbles from the baby’s stomach.
This would be difficult to achieve if the baby is tensed and crying. So, you should try to soothe them and calm the baby down before you try to burp them. To calm them down, you can sing them a song, shush them, rock them, or do any other thing that works for your baby. When you notice that the baby is calmer, then you can burp the baby.
2. Always Try Out Different Positions
There are a lot of different positions you can employ when trying to burp a baby. It is advisable that you try out different positions to determine which one works best for your baby.
Many nursing mothers and caregivers are only familiar with the over-the-shoulder burping technique. There are other very effective techniques like laying them over your laps or across your forearm in a football-style hold.
If you are someone who just feels naturally comfortable with the over-the-shoulder technique, you should try to do some things differently every time. Try to put pressure on their abdomen to allow air to escape or pat their backs in different directions and motions.
3. Try Rubbing the Back Instead of Tapping
If you have attended many parenting and nursing mother classes as I have, you would be familiar with the various patting patterns suitable for babies. Yes, these are effective and have been solving burping issues for many years. But sometimes rubbing comes in more effective than tapping.
If you are trying to burp a hard to burp baby, you should try rubbing their backs, especially in circular motions. This worked effectively with my babies, and many nursing mothers and caregivers have attested to it also.
4. Perfect the Rocking Motion with Your Baby
Babies love it when you rock them or engage them in a slow back-and-forth rhythmic movement. If you feel that air bubbles are trapped in your baby’s stomach, try to rock them. Not only will the baby love this, but the baby will also burp as the trapped gas will escape.
The best way to do this is to sit the baby down and move the upper body forward and backward gently. This will cause movements in the bowel and abdomen of the baby and allow the gas bubbles to escape freely.
5. Try the Bicycle Movement
When it comes to causing stimulation or movements around the bowel or abdominal area, nothing works better than this. The bicycle movement is a fun, therapeutic movement that helps to ease tightness in a baby’s stomach.
Not only will this help the baby release trapped air bubbles, but it will also relieve the baby. Place the baby on his or her back and move both legs in a circular rhythm, as if the baby is riding a bicycle.
What to Do if Baby Cries When Burping
If your baby cries during burping, you should try not to panic because this is a common occurrence in many babies. In such a situation, you should try to calm the baby down first before you burb the baby. So, place the baby down and try to sing to the baby or try any other technique to calm the baby down. After the baby is calm, then you can burp.
FAQ – How to Burp a Baby that is Hard to Burp
Question 1: How Old Do You Stop Burping a Baby?
Answer: You should stop burping a baby at around 7 to 9 months. But the most important thing is to stop burping the baby when the baby can burp on their own. So, if you notice that your baby can burp on his or her own at around 3 months, you should stop burping the baby.
Question 2: Why is My Baby So Hard to Burp?
Answer: Some babies are more difficult to burp than others. But sometimes, it is because you are applying the wrong burping technique for the baby. You should always try out different burping techniques to determine which one works for your baby.
Question 3: What Age Can You Stop Burping a Baby?
Answer: Babies develop differently from one another. So, you should not necessarily use age as a yardstick to determine when to stop burping your baby. Stop burping the baby when you notice that they can burp on their own. However, if you notice that your baby can not burp on his or her own at around 9 months, contact your medical adviser.
Question 4: Baby Cries When I Take Bottle Away to Burp – Is It Normal?
Answer: Yes, this is normal. It can be as a result of the fact that the baby has swallowed too much air during feeding. At that point, the baby may be experiencing some discomfort as a result of the air bubbles trapped in his or her stomach. In such a situation, you should try calming the baby before continuing with the burping.
