How to burp a baby: 3 positions, when to burp, and wind pain

To burp your baby, hold them upright over your shoulder, sit them on your lap leaning slightly forward, or lay them face down across your lap, and gently pat or rub their back. Support their head and chin, never pressing on the throat. A couple of minutes is usually enough; if nothing comes up, carry on with the feed. The AAP suggests burping bottle-fed babies every 60–90 mL (2–3 oz) and breastfed babies when they switch sides, but there are no strict rules.

Why do babies need burping?

Babies swallow air when they feed and when they cry. The AAP's guide to burping says young babies naturally fuss when they swallow air during feeds, and that stopping the feed for a moment can help, because a baby who keeps fussing swallows even more air. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby adds that some babies feed very quickly, and young babies don't always seal their mouth tightly around the breast or teat, which lets in extra air. Gas is also made as milk breaks down in the gut.

It's worth being honest about the evidence. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says there's no real evidence that burping lowers colic or how often babies bring up milk, and no proof that changing position helps — but burping does no harm. It also says that if burping is stressing you or your baby, you don't have to do it. Many parents find a pause and a burp settles a fussy feed, so it's reasonable to keep doing what works for your baby.

How do I burp my baby? Three positions

Whichever position you use, the NHS suggests supporting your baby's head and neck, keeping their tummy and back straight, and gently rubbing or patting their back. You can try each one or combine them. Keep a cloth handy — a little milk often comes up with the wind.

1. Over your shoulder

1. Put the bottle down, or take your baby off the breast.
2. Hold your baby upright with their chin resting on your shoulder.
3. Support their head and shoulders with the hand on that side.
4. Gently pat or rub their back with your other hand.
5. Walking around slowly can help.

2. Sitting on your lap

1. Sit your baby on your lap, facing away from you.
2. Place your palm flat on their chest and support their chin and jaw with your fingers — don't press on their throat.
3. Lean them forward slightly. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby notes the gentle pressure of your hand on their tummy may help bring up wind.
4. Pat or rub their back with your other hand.

3. Lying across your lap

1. Lay your baby face down across your lap, or along your forearm looking outwards.
2. Support their chin, again without pressing on the throat. The AAP suggests keeping the head a little higher than the chest.
3. Gently rub or pat their back, or move your hand in slow circles.

This position is for awake, supervised time only. When your baby is ready to sleep, lay them on their back in their own cot — Safe to Sleep advises the back for every sleep, on a firm, flat surface with nothing soft or loose around them.

When and how often should I burp my baby?

There's no fixed rule. The NHS says some babies need burping during the feed and others after, and suggests pausing to wind your baby if they seem uncomfortable, or waiting until the end if they seem fine.

The AAP notes that some breastfed babies swallow very little air and may not need much burping. It also suggests burping regularly even if your baby doesn't seem uncomfortable, because the pause and change of position can slow down a baby who's gulping.

At night, keep it short. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby's night feeding guide suggests giving your baby the chance to burp if you think they need it, but not trying for too long — sleeping babies tend not to burp.

What if my baby won't burp?

That's common and usually fine. The AAP says that if your baby hasn't burped after several minutes, you can carry on feeding — no baby burps every time. The NHS says a couple of minutes should be enough.

If your baby still seems uncomfortable, the NHS suggests:

1. Lay your baby on their back.
2. Gently massage their tummy.
3. Move their legs back and forth in a slow cycling motion.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby also suggests a warm bath and a tummy massage for an unsettled baby. If winding still doesn't help and you're worried, talk to your GP or child-health nurse.

What helps with wind and gas pain?

The NHS lists signs of trapped wind as crying, an arched back, drawing the legs up into the tummy, and clenched fists. Some babies also look as if they're straining or uncomfortable during feeds.

You can't stop a baby swallowing air altogether, but you can often reduce it.

If you're bottle feeding, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests:

• trying a slower-flow teat if your baby seems to drink too quickly
• holding your baby on a slight incline so air bubbles rise to the top of the bottle
• giving more frequent pauses to sit your baby up and see if they want to burp

The NHS bottle feeding advice suggests holding your baby semi-upright for feeds and giving them plenty of time. Paced bottle-feeding can also help slow a gulping baby.

If you're breastfeeding, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby notes that some mothers have a fast milk flow, and newborns can struggle a little with it until their suck-and-swallow pattern improves. See latch and positioning for feeding positions, and a breastfeeding helpline (the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1800 686 268 in Australia, the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 in the UK) can talk through a fast flow.

For everyone: try to feed before your baby is very hungry and crying, since crying babies swallow more air. Our hunger cues guide explains the early signs.

Hiccups

The AAP says most babies get hiccups from time to time. If they happen during a feed, change your baby's position, try a burp, and wait until they stop before carrying on. If they last more than 5 to 10 minutes, try feeding for a few minutes. Feeding when your baby is calm, rather than very hungry, can make hiccups less likely.

Is it normal for my baby to bring up milk when they burp?

Yes. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says it's normal for babies to spit up a little milk — a spill or posset — when they burp. The AAP says spit-up is common in babies, usually no cause for concern, and almost never involves choking or danger, even during sleep.

The AAP suggests keeping your baby upright for 10 to 15 minutes after the last burp to reduce spit-up. It's also clear that babies who spit up a lot should still sleep on their back on a flat mattress. See reflux and spit-up for more.

Is it wind or colic?

Wind and colic can look similar. If your baby cries for long stretches and burping and the steps above don't help, it may be colic rather than wind. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says there's no real evidence that burping reduces colic, so read our colic guide and soothing a crying baby.

If you keep notes, jot down feed times, how long the crying lasts and what (if anything) helps. A few days of notes helps your GP or child-health nurse tell wind, colic and a feeding problem apart.

When should I get help?

Call your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) now if your baby is struggling to breathe, has blue, grey or blotchy skin or lips, is floppy, difficult to wake or can't be woken, has a seizure, or has a weak, high-pitched or continuous cry — the NHS guide to serious illness lists these as emergencies, along with a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher in a baby under 3 months. Also call your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) for green or yellow-green vomit, which the NHS vomiting guide lists as an emergency in children.

See a doctor today if your baby, as Pregnancy, Birth and Baby lists:

• vomits large amounts of milk, or vomits with force (projectile vomiting), especially after every feed
• seems unwell or has a high temperature
• is refusing feeds or taking less than half their usual feeds
• keeps crying for long periods no matter what you try

Talk to your GP or child-health nurse if wind or crying is getting you down, you're not coping, or you're worried for any other reason. You can also call a parenting support service (Tresillian or Karitane in Australia, your health visitor in the UK, your pediatrician's office in the US) or a perinatal support line (PANDA on 1300 726 306 in Australia, Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline on 1-833-852-6262 in the US). If you ever feel you might harm yourself or your baby, put your baby down safely in their cot and call a crisis line (Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, 988 in the US) or your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US).