Learning ways to burp a sleeping baby can help relive gas and pressure that often cause discomfort. It is even more important when you are dealing with a newborn baby who has just started sleeping through the night. Not burping your baby in the right way may cause crying. It is common for babies to fall asleep while feeding, but there're ways to burp them without waking them. Let's find out more about it.

How to Burp a Sleeping Baby

If you do not burp your baby, he/she is going to be fussy when he/she wakes up and this can cause all sorts of problems. To have a peace of mind, you need to learn the ways to burp your sleeping baby. Here are some suggestions:

1. Start with Your Baby over Your Shoulder

A good way to burp your sleeping baby is to hold him/her over your shoulder. Most experts recommend keeping your baby upright on your lap, but this position may disrupt the sleep. Therefore, you will be better off starting with the over-the-shoulder position.

Once in position, gently rub the back and shoulders of your baby using the heel of your hand. Do not apply too much pressure or you will end up waking your baby up. You should use your other arm and hand for support. It is better to sit in a rocking chair while burping your sleeping baby because that steady rocking motion will help him/her go to sleep if he/she wakes up during burping.

2. Start in an Under Arm Position

This is another effective technique for anyone interested in learning how to burp a sleeping baby.

• Hold your baby securely by grasping them under the arms.
• Now, gently sway your baby like a pendulum to help expel any gas trapped in the esophagus.

3. Start with Your Baby Lying Down

The method works great if you already lie next to your baby while feeding. Here is what to do:

• Simply bring your baby close to your body and prop his/her head a bit with tummy against your lap.
• Keep his/her tummy on your leg and apply gentle pressure to the tummy using your leg. It is important to ensure that your baby's body is perpendicular to your body while applying any pressure.
• It is also important to tilt his/her head to one side to make breathing easier. At the same time, support his/her head using your hand but do not keep your hand near his/her throat or against neck. This increases the risk of choking.
• Continue with the movement until your baby burps.

4. Start with Your Baby Against Your Body

You can try this technique in case your baby likes to sleep on the stomach. You may not want to try this technique if your baby is a light sleeper.

• Find a chair, lean back against it or put several pillows behind your back to elevate your body a bit.
• Now, lean your baby up against your body. Your baby should be facing down with head on your chest and stomach against your stomach.
• Use your hand to support his/her bottom and pat his/her back gently with your other hand.
• Continue with the technique until your baby burps.

Some Facts You Must Know about Burping

It is important to learn how to burp a sleeping baby, but it is equally important to have your doubts cleared about burping. Here are some of the most common questions new moms ask about burping.

1. Do I really need to burp my baby?

This usually depends on your baby. Some babies may swallow more air while feeding, while others do not. If your baby swallows more air, you may have to burp them more often. It is also the case when you have a bottle-fed baby. Ideally, you should try to burp your bottle-fed baby mid-way and at the end of the feed. Your baby swallows more air when they fail to latch-on to your breast. It could also happen when the bottle nipple is not suitable. Baby who feeds too quickly may end up swallowing excess air.

2. How long do you need to burp your baby?

There are no strict rules about how long or how many times you need to burp your baby. The time usually depends on your baby's individual circumstances. It is still important to avoid doing it for too long because this can interfere with the sleep quality of your baby and make them feel tired. An over-tired baby will cry a lot, then it will be difficult for you to tell if your baby is crying due to tiredness or gas.

3. What should I do if my baby does not burp?

It is rather tricky to get your sleepy baby to burp, especially if you do not know much about how to burp a sleeping baby. Generally, you should try only for 5 minutes to get your baby burp after feeding. Understand that your baby is not going to burp every time. If you stop feeding to burp them, they may start crying because they are still hungry. Be sure to return to feeding in a couple of minutes if your baby cries and does not burp.

4. Will there be problems if my baby does not burp?

The only issue is that swallowed air creates a feeling of fullness that keeps your baby from drinking enough milk during the next feeding. When your baby does not burp often, you may notice a little milk coming up whenever they burp. Do not feel concerned though. This is normal. In fact, swallowed air does not always cause discomfort – your baby's body may absorb it and cause no issue whatsoever.