Burping

Essential information to remember

Essential information to rememberTo burp your baby, gently rub or tap his back for a few minutes.

Photos: Geneviève Colpron

All babies swallow varying amounts of air as they drink. If your baby is calm during and after feeding, he probably doesn’t need to burp.

But if your baby seems to be in a bad mood or squirms while drinking, the first thing to try to calm him down is to burp him. One or two burps are usually enough, but more may be required for babies that drink quickly or from a bottle.

How to burp your baby

Here’s how to burp your baby:

  • Hold your baby in an upright position against your shoulder or sit him down on your lap.
  • Gently rub or tap his back for a few minutes.

After he burps, check to see if he’s still hungry.

Don’t insist if your baby won’t burp: some babies don’t. Let him be if he’s asleep. He’ll wake up if he needs to burp.