HELP! My 2 Month Old Won't Burp!!!

Updated on September 13, 2008
A.D. asks from Ann Arbor, MI
20 answers

Hi all! Does anyone have any suggestions on burping? My 2 month old is breastfed and has formula & I have a very hard time burping her. She can have 4 oz. & cries when I try to burp her. It's very frustrating & a half hour or so after eating she'll spit up about a 1/2 oz. Please help with any suggestions...I'll try ANYTHING now:)
Thanks,
A. D.

1 mom found this helpful

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So What Happened?

I wanted to thank everyone for all of the GREAT advice. I tried all of the ideas and they all pretty much worked. HURRAY FOR SMART MOMMIES:)

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A.H.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Try mycilon drops. It should break up the bubble...hopefully dislodging it easier. Maybe try dipping her up and down after eating it seemed to work on the stubborn bubbles my son had as a baby. Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful

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R.W.

answers from Detroit on

I'm sure you have tried every burping technique invented to man, but here's one I didn't know about, rocking the baby. Set the baby on your lap with your hands supporting him/her under the armpits and rock back and forth. Sometimes you can even "tip" them back and bring them up semi-fast and that will get the air out.

I don't know how long you feed when you do. My oldest would nurse all day if I let her and she would spit up what seemed like a gallon of breastmilk when I was done nursing. My doctor recommended feeding on each side for 9 minutes, but stop every 3 to burp. She also told me that babies stomaches are only about the size of a golf ball. If you express your milk you know that you're putting out more than that!

That leads me to my next piece of advise is to pump when you are done feeding. It took me three kids to figure this one out. You'll have plenty of milk stored and won't need to buy expensive formula. I think we only went through 4 cans in one year. I had so much milk in the freezer I considered selling on Ebay! lol We went through it all eventually!

Hope it helps!

4 moms found this helpful
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B.C.

answers from Grand Rapids on

As a mom of 3 a grandmother to 1 and many in my care along the way I have used many methods to burp baby.

I usualy do the upward patting and sometime throw in between rubbing their back in a circular motion sometimes the combination does the trick..the last little one was more difficult and I would have to lay him flat for a couple minutes then pick him back up and pat again...Usually the picking him back up motion did the trick..

Sometimes holding him securley I would have to tip his body slightly so his head was down and feet upward for a few seconds and that would move the bubble in his little tummy...

Good Luck, some that I've taken care of their mommies didn't think they even needed to be burped but then complained of having a fussy baby.. DUH!!!!

3 moms found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Hi A.,
My son is 10 weeks and he has had a lot of trouble with gas too. Sometimes it takes a LONG time to get him to burp and it breaks my heart to hear him scream in pain, so I know how you feel. One thing that usually works with him is just to stand up and bounce him lightly while I pat his back. The standing up distracts him and lets him relax enough to let the burp out. This doesn't always work but its something you could try. Good luck!

3 moms found this helpful
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D.F.

answers from Detroit on

I remember it taking forever to get my daughter to burp. One time my mother in law came in the nursury and asked me if I was trying to burp the baby, I was. She said the little pats I was doing on her back were not going to do it. I started patting her a little firmer in an upward motion on her back, and she burped right away. I think I was treating her a little to fragile. Good luck,I know its frustrating.

3 moms found this helpful
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T.A.

answers from Detroit on

For my son we rubbed his back in a circular motion and that seemed to help, as well as patting harder because he just would not burp. Some people also say to lay the baby on his stomach accross your knees and pat. I say try them all and find out what works best. Sometimes just changing positions will help the air bubble move so it can come up. It is normal for them to cry though when they stop eating to burp. You will find what works eventually.

3 moms found this helpful
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T.K.

answers from Detroit on

Patting the bottom upwards can work. Patting "upwards" (meaning the stroke makes contact with your baby's back while your hand is moving and/or angled slightly toward the ceiling)the stroke should be firm (not soft - don't worry, you won't hurt the baby unless you pull your hand WAY back there's not enough room to build a hurtful momentum). Some babys burp best if you sit them on your knee and bounce gently while you're patting their back. Sometimes I would carry particularly difficult burpers around on my hip facing outward and bounce gently while I got a few needed things done (one handed of course, but most moms become a pro at that early on!) Even gentle rocking can help get those bubbles moving if they seem stalled but baby seems uncomfortable.

If it's been a little bit since they ate, a slight pressure on the tummy (like when they are on your shoulder or laying on thier belly works best in the case that the child actually has gas (burps that "got through the system"). A soak in a warm bath can help here also (also if they're constipated).

Of course, every child is different, and burps differently and at different times (for example, some babies had to be burped every 2oz, some every 4 early on) so just go with your gut :)

Also, as far as spitting up goes, remember, part of what she is spitting up is saliva, so what looks like half an ounce is probably actually much less than that, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Good luck with your little girl! Let us know how it goes. :)

3 moms found this helpful
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J.W.

answers from Detroit on

Hi A.

My son wasn't a burper either!!! I usually tried for a minute then just called it good if he didn't. He NEVER burped after nursing, just a bottle.

Try differnt things though, different areas of his back, bouncing him gently and patting his bottom, or even just rubbing his back while he lays face down across your knees maybe.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.L.

answers from Detroit on

one of my three was nearly impossible. I would hold her and walk down the stairs. the bouncing usually made her burp. Then that way you dont feel like you are overly shaking them(lol i know that sounds silly). Or you may need to give more oz in between burping I found that helped as well. and I often think some times people arent really giving enough pressure while trying to burp the babies. They are tougher than we give them credit.

2 moms found this helpful
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F.W.

answers from Detroit on

Try gently bouncing her on your knee after eating. Not vigorous, just put her on your knee, hold her up and bounce your leg up and down. Maybe she doesn't like the feel of tapping on her back. I hope this helps!

2 moms found this helpful
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L.J.

answers from Detroit on

my daughter always burped when i patted her butt.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Detroit on

not all babies need to burp - my 12 month old NEVER burped. unless your baby is having issues I wouldnt even worry about it. just put them upright after a feeding for about 20 minutes just in case and you will be more than fine :)

2 moms found this helpful
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N.B.

answers from Detroit on

Ironically, I have a 2 month old son with the EXACT same problem. We switched him to the playtex drop-in system of bottles, which seemed to help A LOT. Also, he eats about 2 oz, then we try to get him to burp, and then he eats the rest of his bottle. With my son, we have also found that it helps to not lay him down for about 1 or 2 hours after he eats. He sits with us, sits in his bouncer or his swing.
Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.M.

answers from Detroit on

Try for a minute or two to burp her. If she doesn't burp then quit trying for a few minutes. She might not need to burp. Spitting up a bit later is totally normal. You also might want to try burping after every ounce or so. If milk is above the air bubble it might take longer to bring it up. And any milk that's above it will come up with it. Just a thought, S.

2 moms found this helpful

S.S.

answers from Detroit on

I worked in daycare with infants and what I found works well with the tiny ones is hold her over your shoulder, crunch her knees up into your chest, and pat firmly on bottom (when you pat, do it from bottom upward, pat the underside of the baby's bottom where the seat of a chair would be if she were sitting.)

Hope that makes sense and helps. I have had great success with it.

I could be too that she just doesn't need to burp. I wouldn't get too bothered by it unless you think she is uncomfortable. If she seems relaxed and not fussy, I wouldn't stress about it. After we eat we don't want someone patting us ... we just want to chill... same with babies. Allow her to relax

2 moms found this helpful
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C.M.

answers from Lansing on

Hi A.-- I think all the suggestions here already are what I would suggest-- I couldn't help but laugh, because once they turn 3, they LOVE to burp, and it is hard to stop them from doing so LOUDLY...mostly in public. LOL :) I'm sure one of these suggestions will work, though!

2 moms found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Detroit on

Breastfed babies don't take in a lot of air and some just never need to burp. No big deal.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.D.

answers from Detroit on

Hi A., when my son was born he would get really crampy due to not burping or passing gas. I took him to the dr. and he said to try the infant gas relief drops, so we did and I swore by them. I'm so glad that we tried it because we had a happy baby after that.. Now he burps just find among other things...LOL Good Luck Sweetie..

2 moms found this helpful
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A.A.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Hula Hoop technique....I know this sounds weird, but when our twins were in the NICU, they taught us this. They both had Acid Reflux quite bad, so we had to burp them frequently, like 2-4 times a feeding. You place the baby on your lap, sitting facing you. Put your hands around the baby, hands under their armpits. You swivel their waist in a circular motion while keeping them sitting. Sometimes you can speed up/slow down the swivel or even lift up a little just to help work out the bubble. It can be very frustrating, I know, but hang in there! Hope this or SOMEBODY's advice helps a little (or a lot)!!!

2 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Grand Rapids on

We found that holding our son on our laps with one hand on his chest and one on his back then rocking him forward and backward worked like a charm.

2 moms found this helpful
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