Date: August 3rd, 2009
Topic: Breastfeeding
Question: When breastfeeding, do you burp your infant afterward and why?
Explination: I have read many theories on this and have come up with 2
catagories of answers/ideas.
Idea 1: Babies don't swollow air, during breastfeeding, like they can
during bottlefeeding, as their mouth is tightly sealed or latched onto
the nipple. Therefore burping is NOT needed after breastfeeding.
Idea 2: Babies swollow air from their nose as they're still learning
how to cordinate sucking, swollowing and breathing, all at the same
time. Thus passing gas bubbles into the belly. Therefore burping IS
needed after breastfeeding.
I just wanted to know, from women with experience, did you burp after
breastfeeding and if so, did it help at all?
Stephanie - Thumper's Mama
Petals Of A Flower
www.petalsofaflower.blogspot.com
Neither have my kids have ever needed to be burped, but I do know a few that have. It totally depends on the baby. Often on their latch, but sometimes kids just need to burp regardless. If he's fussy after eating, try a burp. It seems that about 90% of the time, exclusively nursed babies don't need to though.
ReplyDelete1 out of my 3 needed burped afterward. The 2 latched on so tightly that they never needed to be burped, although I would try it just to make sure. My middle child would unlatch sometimes and swallow air that way. I would always make sure and burp him if he unlatched. If he didn't unlatch at all during his feeding, he didn't need it though. HTH...
ReplyDeleteI burp Charlotte about half the time. I understand that IN THEORY she shouldn't be taking in air when she's on the breast, but in reality?
ReplyDeleteIn reality, she unlatches to smile at me and relatches. Or she gets the hiccups mid-nursing. Or she starts to fall asleep, and freaks herself out, so she starts breathing furiously fast and somehow makes this weird suction noise because she's partially unlatching. Or she accidentally sticks a finger in there too, which allows some air in. Etc.
Maybe as she gets older, we'll need to burp her less, but as it is, I need to burp her periodically because sometimes she manages to get air in =)
Sorry it's taken me so long to stop by! I keep meaning to come over and say thanks for all of your support and best wishes =) I'm glad I finally did; I can tell that I need to add you to my reading list. I love when blogs pick up on little topics of interest like this.
Yes- I burped them until they were rolly-polly (mobile) enough to not need burping anymore. 2 of my babies would spit up a lot too, as well as 2 of them having multiple ear infections (all of which you would think wouldn't happen for exclusively breastfed on the breast babies).
ReplyDelete