Daily baby care tip – why it is important to burp your baby after every meal

Ever wondered why it is important to burp your baby after every mean? Well, we give you the answer.

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Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : January 29, 2016 9:56 AM IST

Burping the baby

You might have heard this advice numerous times in the past, but the importance of this simple practice cannot be emphasised enough. Burping your baby after every meal is important because, when babies feed, they tend to swallow air along with their feed. This usually happens if your baby hasn't latched on to your nipple perfectly or is bottle fed. In some cases, spoon feeding can also lead to your baby swallowing air with her feed. This excessive air in your baby's tummy can give rise to some uncomfortable and often painful symptoms like colic.

Colic tends to cause pain in the abdomen which is due to the pressure trapped air exerts on your baby's tummy. The pain and discomfort makes your baby uncomfortable and cranky. Commonly seen in the evenings, the pain and discomfort can be so much that your baby does not stop crying for hours on end. As a parents you most probably are baffled since no amount of soothing gives your little one any comfort. Know more about the reasons that give rise to colic and how to counter them.

One way to counter colic pains and uncontrolled cries due to it, is to burp your baby after every feed. Even if your baby falls asleep while taking a feed which isn't a very good practice in itself hold your baby up and put her across your chest, with the chin resting on your shoulder. Then pat the back gently to help your baby burp. Sometimes she might not burp, but it is still important for you to do this. Hold your baby for at least for two minutes to help her burp. Burping allows the excessive air in your baby's tummy to escape, saving her from bouts of colic and other troubles like indigestion and bloating. Also read five reasons why it is important to burp your baby.

Next: Baby care Tip #2

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