How long to keep baby upright after feeding

Burping Your Baby (for Parents)

Reviewed by: Madhu Desiraju, MD

Primary Care Pediatrics at Nemours Children's Health

en español Hacer eructar a su bebé

An important part of feeding a baby is burping. Burping helps to get rid of some of the air that babies tend to swallow during feeding. Not being burped often and swallowing too much air can make a baby spit up, or seem cranky or gassy.

How to Burp Your Baby

When burping your baby, repeated gentle patting on your baby's back should do the trick. Cup your hand while patting — this is gentler on the baby than a flat palm.

To prevent messy cleanups when your baby spits up or has a "wet burp," you might want to place a towel or bib under your baby's chin or on your shoulder.

Try different positions for burping that are comfortable for you and your baby. Many parents use one of these three methods:

Sit upright and hold your baby against your chest. Your baby's chin should rest on your shoulder as you support the baby with one hand. With the other hand, gently pat your baby's back. Sitting in a rocking chair and gently rocking with your baby while you do this may also help.
Hold your baby sitting up, in your lap or across your knee. Support your baby's chest and head with one hand by cradling your baby's chin in the palm of your hand. Rest the heel of your hand on your baby's chest, but be careful to grip your baby's chin, not the throat. Use the other hand to pat your baby's back.
Lay your baby on your lap on his or her belly. Support your baby's head and make sure it's higher than their chest. Gently pat your baby's back.

If your baby seems fussy while feeding, stop the session, burp your baby, and then begin feeding again. Try burping your baby every 2 to 3 ounces (60 to 90 milliliters) if you bottle-feed and each time you switch breasts if you breastfeed.

Try burping your baby every ounce during bottle-feeding or every 5 minutes during breastfeeding if your baby:

tends to be gassy
spits a lot
has gastroesophageal reflux (GER)
seems fussy during feeding

If your baby doesn't burp after a few minutes, change the baby's position and try burping for another few minutes before feeding again. Always burp your baby when feeding time is over.

To help prevent the milk from coming back up, keep your baby upright after feeding for 10 to 15 minutes, or longer if your baby spits up or has GERD. But don't worry if your baby spits sometimes. It's probably more unpleasant for you than it is for your baby.

Sometimes your baby may awaken because of gas. Picking your little one up to burp might put them back to sleep. As your baby gets older, don't worry if your child doesn't burp during or after every feeding. Usually, it means that your baby has learned to eat without swallowing too much air.

Babies with colic (3 or more hours a day of continued crying) might have gas from swallowing too much air during crying spells, which can make the baby even more uncomfortable. Check with your pediatrician before giving your baby anti-gas drops.

Reviewed by: Madhu Desiraju, MD

Date reviewed: June 2022

Holding Your Baby Upright After Feeding? Stop! It Doesn't Help

Spit happens! Even people who have not spent much time with babies know that spit up comes with the territory. But did you know that more than 2/3 of babies spit up regularly? More often than not, spit up is nothing to worry about. There are some tried-and-true methods out there that help reduce the frequency of spit up in babies. There are also some very common misconceptions. And, contrary to popular belief, holding your baby upright after a feeding doesn’t help. In this blog we will discuss:

why babies spit up.
the difference between spit up and vomit.
when to worry about spit up.
why holding your baby upright after a feed is not necessary.
myths and truths to reducing spit up.

Why do babies spit up?

Spitting up is physiologically appropriate in babies. This is because the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) has not fully matured – and doesn’t until around 18 months of age. You can, however, expect to see a decrease in spit up as baby gains core control (ie when they begin sitting up). The floppiness of this sphincter is why you may notice your baby spitting up over an hour after they’ve finished feeding.

Your baby may also spit up if they have had too much to drink and their stomach is full. The excess fluid can put additional pressure on the LES, leading to spit up. You can compare that to feeling ‘uncomfortably full’ after a holiday meal. However, you don’t spit up your food because your LES is fully matured.

What is the difference between spit up and vomit?

Spit up and vomit are not the same. The distinction between the two has nothing to do with the volume of fluid that is ejected. Spit up tends to leave your baby’s mouth at a slower speed; it may even dribble out. This can happen when you’re burping your baby. Vomiting is a forceful event. The liquid projects out from the mouth and may travel several inches.

When should I worry?

Every baby is different. Keep in mind, it may appear that your baby has spit up an ‘entire feed’ but the amount of spit up usually looks like more than it actually is.

Typically if your baby is continuing to gain weight and doesn’t seem bothered by spitting up, it is not a reason to worry. These babies are often dubbed “happy spitters” and the spitting up is more of a “laundry problem” than a medical one.

If you feel your baby is spitting up excessively, I definitely recommend calling their pediatrician. Other scenarios which may be a cause for concern include:

when it occurs after every feeding.
if your baby is not gaining weight.
if the spit up looks like anything other than milk/formula (undigested or partially digested). This includes spit up that is green, yellow, bloody, or looks like coffee grounds.
a baby who cries for more than 3 hours daily and is irritable.
if spitting up begins after your baby turns 6 months old.

Why isn’t holding your baby upright after a feeding necessary?

I realize this idea may be different than what you’ve heard in the past, but hear me out. It takes approximately 2 hours for your baby’s stomach to empty. While holding your baby upright for 30 minutes after a feeding may allow for some of the feed to leave the stomach, the majority of the feed remains in their stomach after that time. When you lay your baby down, their immature LES could still open, causing them to spit up.

So unless you are holding your baby upright until their stomach is completely empty, the chance of them spitting up still remains. Now if you were to hold them up until their stomach emptied, you would bring yourself to the time of their next feeding. This strategy would be grossly inefficient. It would result in you getting no rest, or your baby getting into the habit of having to be held or worn at all times.

You may wonder about propping your baby up to reduce spit up. It is unsafe for a baby’s sleep surface to be elevated (that means those crib wedges are not a safe option). Products like nursing pillows, baby loungers, and bouncy seats put your baby at risk for positional asphyxiation. And they don’t diminish the incidence of spit up!

Myths and Truths to Reduce Spit Up

Many pediatricians will, wrongfully, recommend switching to formula because it is “heavier” than breastmilk. The heaviness only means it takes longer to digest than breastmilk, not that it will be less likely to come back up. And adding rice or oatmeal cereal to the bottle will not help reduce spit up either (but it can create a choking hazard!).

The best ways to help reduce spit up in your baby include:

avoiding overfeeding.
burp your baby, well, during and after feeding. Trapped air in the stomach can increase the incidence of spit up.
avoid rigorous activity soon after a feed.
if you’re bottle feeding your baby, opt for a slower flow nipple. This helps baby to recognize when they are full before they become overly full.

Other Blogs You May Like

What is the Best Bottle?
Does Breast Milk Cause Cavities?
Pass the Bottle, Please!

The information contained in this blog is the opinion of Rebecca Tucci, certified doula and lactation counselor. It is not meant to take the place of consultation with your child’s healthcare provider. The above information cannot diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.

How to help the baby when regulating

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↑ Verki

Breastal feeding - completely special time for mom and her newborn baby. Together with the feeling of closeness and affection that feeding brings, understanding its nuances cannot but raise many questions, including the question of how to help an infant spit up. Regurgitation in a newborn is by no means always the result of a simple pat on his back.

In this article, we'll talk about the basics of helping a newborn spit up, as well as other questions you may have about spitting up.

Why do babies spit up?

Let's get it straight: why do newborns need to burp in the first place? During feeding, children usually swallow extra air - this is called aerophagy. Spitting up helps prevent this air from entering the intestines, as well as vomiting, gas, and crankiness in the baby. To avoid the return of milk after feeding, you should give the baby the opportunity to burp more often.

How to help a newborn spit up?

During the first six months, the baby should be kept upright in a column for 10-15 minutes after each feed. This will help keep the milk in his stomach, but if the baby occasionally burps anyway, parents need not worry. While carrying your baby in an upright position, you can put a baby diaper or wipes on your shoulder to keep your clothes clean.

We've already seen why spitting up is important, now let's find out how to help your baby spit up. Parents should gently pat the baby on the back with a hand folded in a handful until he burps. Folding your hand into a handful is important because clapping with a flat palm may be too strong for an infant.

Every baby is different and there is no one right position for spitting up. To get started, you can try the following options:

Sitting position with the baby on the chest. In this position, the parent puts the baby's head with his chin on his shoulder and with one hand supports the baby under the back. With the other hand, you can gently pat the baby on the back. This method is most effective in a rocking chair or when the baby is gently rocking.
Holding the child upright on your legs. With one hand, parents can hold the baby by the back and head, supporting his chin and placing his palm on the baby’s chest, with the other hand, you can gently pat him on the back. At the same time, it is important to be careful: do not press the child on the throat, but only gently support his chin.
Holding a baby on your lap while lying on your tummy. Make sure his head is above his chest and gently pat your baby on the back until he burps.

Here are some tips on how best to help your newborn spit up:

Let your baby spit up during feeding. If the baby is restless or has swallowed air, it is worth giving him the opportunity to burp during feeding, and not just after.
When bottle feeding, let the newborn burp after every 50-60 ml.
When breastfeeding, let the baby burp at every breast change.

It is important to let your baby spit up after eating, even if he spit up during feeding!

If your baby is gassy, spit up more often. Also, if he vomits frequently or suffers from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), have him spit up after every 30 ml bottle-feeding or every five minutes while breastfeeding.

How long should a baby be held for it to burp? It's different for everyone, but generally keeping a newborn upright for 15 to 20 minutes after a feed helps the milk stay in the baby's stomach.

Minimize the amount of air you swallow. Gas production and regurgitation result from aerophagia during feeding. The baby will inevitably swallow air, but there are ways to prevent it from swallowing too much. Whether you bottle feed your baby or combine breastfeeding with bottle feeding, the Philips Avent anti-colic bottle with AirFree valve is designed so that the nipple is always filled with milk without excess air, even in a horizontal position, thus preventing the baby from swallowing excess air during feeding.

Reducing the amount of air your baby swallows can help reduce your baby's risk of colic, gas, and spitting up.

Breastfeeding is a wonderful time to strengthen the bond between parent and baby. Every mom and every baby is different, so learning to help your newborn burp properly can take time and practice.

Articles and tips from Philips Avent

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Tips on how to calm a crying baby

Crying is a way for a baby to communicate, but despite its naturalness, it is not out of place to try to calm a crying baby. It is logical that parents will have a question: “How to calm the child?” This may seem like a daunting task at times, but understanding the reasons will help you learn how to soothe a crying baby. Remember: you are doing great. We just want to give you some useful tips to help ease your worries.

If you have any questions or concerns about your baby's crying, seek medical advice. Sometimes crying can be a sign of an existing medical condition, so it's best to pay attention to any additional symptoms right away.

Why does your baby cry

Baby crying is not only natural but also expected, especially during the first three months of life. Babies usually cry for an hour every day for the first few weeks. At about six weeks old, your baby may cry for up to two hours a day, and from eight weeks on, again for about one hour a day. However, remember that all babies are different and cry differently! ¹

Crying is a way of saying something is wrong. When it comes to learning how to soothe a crying baby, it's important to understand what exactly is causing her anxiety. Your baby may cry if: ¹

he is hungry;
the baby is troubled by belching or bloating;
need a diaper change;
he wants to sleep;
wants to be picked up or rocked;
baby is hot or cold;
baby has colic;
feels uncomfortable: wants to roll over, pressure on diaper or clothes, or tight swaddling interferes with baby;
the baby is teething.

If your baby cries for more than three hours a day and more than three days a week, he may be suffering from colic. However, this is not a reason to panic, and there are several ways to soothe a child with colic. Find out here about colic, its symptoms, and how to soothe a baby with colic.

If you think reflux (regurgitation) may be the cause of your crying, you can learn more about the different types of reflux and how to manage it here.

Be sure to contact your child's doctor if your baby seems ill or has the following symptoms in addition to excessive crying: ¹

fever;
shortness of breath or cough;
vomiting;
diarrhea;
rash;
crying worse when the child is picked up or moved;
increased irritability or lethargy.

How to soothe a crying baby

Once you have ruled out some potential causes of crying, you will have a better idea of how to soothe your baby. The most important thing to remember is not to get upset and stay as calm as possible.

Here are some tips and tricks on how to calm your baby: ²

1. Swaddle your baby.

One of the most useful techniques to soothe a crying baby is swaddling. When doing this, make sure that you do not cover the child's head and do not overheat him. Don't swaddle your baby too tight: swaddling too tightly can interfere with your baby's natural body position, breathing, and blood circulation: your baby may not like it, causing him to cry. Don't swaddle your baby when he starts to roll over, which usually happens around four months of age.

2. Take the child in your arms and comfort.

When your baby is crying, it's natural for you to want to pick him up. And when your newborn cries for no reason, he probably wants to be picked up. If you're trying to calm your baby at night, try keeping him upright or in a rocking chair until he falls asleep.