Baby Burping, Hiccups & Spit-Up

Young babies naturally fuss and get cranky when they swallow air during feedings. Although this occurs in both breastfed and bottle-fed infants, it's seen more often with the bottle. When it happens, it may be helpful to stop the feeding rather than letting your infant fuss and feed at the same time. Continued fussing will cause your baby to swallow even more air, which only increases discomfort and may make them spit up. One thing you can try is to burp your baby frequently, even if they show no discomfort. The pause and the change of position alone will slow gulping and reduce the amount of swallowed air. If your baby is bottle- feeding, burp them after every 2 to 3 ounces (60–90 ml). If nursing, burp them when they switch breasts. Some breastfed babies don't swallow very much air, so they may not need to burp. Here are a few tried-and-true burping techniques. After a little experimentation, you'll find which ones work best for your child. Hold the baby upright with their head on your shoulder to support their head and back. Gently pat their back with your other hand. Sit the baby on your lap. Support their chest and head with one hand while patting their back with your other hand. Lay the baby on your lap with their back up. Support their head so that it is higher than their chest, and gently pat or rotate your hand on their back. Most babies hiccup from time to time. Usually this bothers parents more than the infant. But if hiccups occur during a feeding, change your baby's position, try to get them to burp, or help them relax. Wait until the hiccups are gone to resume feeding. If they don't disappear in 5 to 10 minutes, try to resume feeding for a few minutes. Doing this usually stops them. If your baby gets hiccups often, try to feed your baby when they are calm and before they are extremely hungry. This usually makes hiccups less likely during feedings. Spitting up is also common during infancy. Sometimes it means your baby has eaten more than their stomach can hold; sometimes they spit up while burping or drooling. (See "Why Babies Spit Up.") Although it may be a bit messy, it's usually no cause for concern. It almost never involves choking, coughing, discomfort or danger to your child, even if it occurs during sleep. Know that even if your baby has frequent spit- ups, the best position for sleep is on their back and with the mattress flat, not elevated. Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) & Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Safe Sleep for Babies With Reflux How Much & How Often Should Your Baby Eat?