It’s just after four o’clock and you’re having a cup of tea in your kitchen, having just finished feeding your baby.

Although at first, she seemed content and relaxed, after a few minutes, you start to notice that she doesn’t look too happy after all. She appears uncomfortable and starts to writhe around in her chair. Concerned, you go over to her and place a comforting hand on her back.

But to your dismay, this doesn’t help in the slightest, and she starts to break into a loud cry. Distressed, you wonder what you can do to make her feel better. Picking her up out of her chair, you pace around the room, gently rubbing and patting her back in an attempt to comfort her.

To your surprise, you suddenly hear a tiny burp emerge, and realise the problem was just trapped wind all along.

When you have a baby, it’s natural to automatically assume there’s something terribly wrong when they cry or seem in distress. But sometimes, the issue is down to something as normal and simple to rectify as trapped wind.

Burping a baby and releasing any trapped air they may have is one of the most routine parts of parenting and one of the number-one problems when it comes to newborns.

It’s important that you learn how to burp your baby properly so that they can feel settled and also get enough milk at every feed. And when it comes to windy babies, there are many tips you can follow in order to wind them and help them feel comfortable again.

However, before learning this, it’s useful to first understand how to minimise wind in your baby in the first place.

How do I minimise wind in my baby in the first place?

Depending on whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, there are different methods you can utilise in order to minimise wind.

If you are breastfeeding:

Get help with your latch-on technique. This is said to be one of the primary causes of windy babies.
Some people claim that If a mother eats certain foods that cause wind, the baby may also react to these foods through the mother's breast milk. These foods can include cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, and also beans and cabbage.
This being said, UNICEF experts have a different argument concerning the connection between breast milk and a baby’s wind. They say that tastes are transmitted through breast milk, but not gas. They claim that if a baby is windy, it may be more closely related to the way they are latching onto the breast.

If you are bottle feeding:

When you are tilting the bottle, make sure to check that the teat and neck are filled with milk, preventing your baby from ingesting more air than milk.
Try to sit your baby in a more upright position when you are feeding them.
Try to switch to an anti-colic bottle.

What are some ways in which I can burp my baby?

Lay your baby against your shoulder.
Straighten their body and legs out by firmly stroking down the back and legs. Remember, you want the baby’s belly to be flat against you.
Next, gently pat or rub their back in a rhythmic way. Eventually, you should hear a burp come out.
Another way to wind your baby is to sit them on your lap, and support their head and chest with one hand while rubbing or patting their back with your other. Keep their back straight during this process.
If you still don’t hear a burp come out within around thirty seconds, then they may have no wind to release at this current time.

Throughout the process of burping your baby, you may come across another problem – vomiting. Please note that almost all babies will bring up a small amount of milk after feeding. It is called ‘posseting’ and it is normal.

Vomiting, on the other hand, describes larger quantities of bring up. Although vomiting is a common occurrence that you are likely to see when you have a little baby, it’s important to know how you can minimise the chances of them being sick, and that you know how to deal with it if they are.

What are some sick-minimising techniques I can try?

Burp your baby halfway through their feed. Also, avoid bouncing them around too much afterwards.
If you are bottle-feeding your baby, then ensure that the teat of the bottle is suitable for their age. Teats can actually come in different ‘flow’ sizes. If you find that the flow is too fast, then this may be the cause of your baby throwing up.
If you are breastfeeding your baby, then always check to make sure they are latched on well.

Although it may initially seem like vomiting, there is also the potential issue of gastro-oesophageal reflux, which many parents will find their baby experiences at some point. Gastro-oesophageal reflux is caused by stomach acid and milk that flows back up the throat during and after a feed. If your baby is experiencing gastro-oesophageal reflux, you may find that they are in pain, yelling, or might start showing distress in some other way. If this is the case, contact your doctor for advice.

How do I burp my baby?

On Unii’s Baby Health Journey, we look at how and when you need to burp your baby, if at all.