I hate burping my newborn

My DS takes a long time sometimes to burp and I feel like I'm abusing him. He turns his head and looks at me w a furrowed brow as I pat his back & it makes me feel terrible. Anyone else feel/felt this way?

ETA: I don't hit him hard. I don't think I'm actually abusing him. He's so little just patting his back for so long feels upsetting.

Message edited 1/20/2012 9:35:07 PM.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Have you tried just rubbing his back? I was so scared to burp my DS and I found this to be more gentle and it really worked!

Sometimes leaning them forward helps too.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

I used to lay my DC across my lap and rub their back--it did the job and was much gentler!

One of the nurses burped DC in the hospital and I felt like she was hitting so hard, but claimed that's what you had to do

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Summer (summerlyn) showed me this during my newborn session with her and it REALLY works!

hold him on your leg in a sitting up position (one hand supporting him under his chin/on his chest) and then rub his back, HARD, upwards starting from his waist up. It works! it pushes the bubbles up without banging

i tell everyone and they always come back and say it works, even for babies who have a hard time burping.

(thanks summer, almost 2 years later )

Message edited 1/20/2012 7:32:08 PM.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Are you BFing or bottle feeding? If you are BFing, your DS might not need to burp. My EBF DD burps maybe once or twice a day. I always try for 3 minutes or so, but it rarely works. And please don't ever hit your baby hard to burp him. If he needs to burp, a gentle rub or light pats will get it out.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

I do half patting, half rubbing. It seems like the rubbing never works and he only burps during the patting. But I'll try just rubbing and see if it works.

And I never hit him hard. My in laws tell me i need to do it harder. I feel like even just patting his back for so long when he's so little is mean though. It breaks my heart.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

the nicu nurses taught us to burp hard and it works. it never hurt my even when they were tiny.... really tiny

Re: I hate burping my newborn

I felt the same thing when my DS was so tiny. But you know what? He LIKES it. If he is fussing, it calms him down.

I agree with Dava, BF babies don't burp as often as formula babies.

You can always google videos to see other ways of doing it.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Posted by LightUpOurLife

I felt the same thing when my DS was so tiny. But you know what? He LIKES it. If he is fussing, it calms him down.

I agree with Dava, BF babies don't burp as often as formula babies.

You can always google videos to see other ways of doing it.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

I don't think he likes it but he doesn't cry or complain so I could be wrong. I'll look up videos - good suggestion. Thanks, ladies.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Posted by Champ

the nicu nurses taught us to burp hard and it works. it never hurt my even when they were tiny.... really tiny

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Definitely look up google videos. There are so many other ways to burp. My LO is EBF so I almost never burp her, but my sister uses the rock back and forth method and then a rub of the back.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Posted by maymama

Summer (summerlyn) showed me this during my newborn session with her and it REALLY works!

hold him on your leg in a sitting up position (one hand supporting him under his chin/on his chest) and then rub his back, HARD, upwards starting from his waist up. It works! it pushes the bubbles up without banging

i tell everyone and they always come back and say it works, even for babies who have a hard time burping.

(thanks summer, almost 2 years later )

Re: I hate burping my newborn

I've probably used every burp technique out there. DD was hard to burp, too.
The one that often worked the best (but felt the most awkward to do) was to sit her on my knee, supporting her head with my hands and rotating her whole upper body. I worked all the time—though it looks very silly!

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Posted by Dolphinsbaby

Posted by maymama

Summer (summerlyn) showed me this during my newborn session with her and it REALLY works!

hold him on your leg in a sitting up position (one hand supporting him under his chin/on his chest) and then rub his back, HARD, upwards starting from his waist up. It works! it pushes the bubbles up without banging

i tell everyone and they always come back and say it works, even for babies who have a hard time burping.

(thanks summer, almost 2 years later )

I admit I was skeptical, but I tried this on my twins last night and this morning and it worked every time!! Even for one of my guys who takes FOREVER to burp. Thanks for the tip!

Re: I hate burping my newborn

What's funny is the first things the pediatrician showed us is how to burp DS. She said everyone does it too light and you have to be more forceful. My mom was nervous about shaken baby syndrome and the next time we went back she asked the dr. They claim you have to not pat lightly.

I say do whatever works. It was actually helpful to lightly bounce him once or twice on my knee and I noticed when i moved him he would burp.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

When you flip him on your shoulder to burp him, make sure his belly is your shoulder so that when you gently pat his back, the gasses in the tummy get moved around and they burp faster.

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Re: I hate burping my newborn

Re: I hate burping my newborn

try using the heel of your palm in a strong circular pattern as opposed to the whole hand to pat the back...also bend the baby forwards and backwards gently. I also know that with my son sometimes if I stand him upright so that his body gets a little stretch that gas bubble comes right up.

Message edited 1/22/2012 12:23:32 AM.