Babies are adorable little gas machines. They eat, they sleep, they poop, they fart. And that’s about the extent of the activities they do the first weeks of life. If you have an especially gassy baby, they can get super fussy, real fast, so burping them is very important. Here are 3 of the most popular burping methods:

The Sit Up Burp Method:

Hold the baby’s chin (not neck!) with your thumb by one ear and the index finger by the other ear and hold them upright while you tap on their back to burp. This is the most commonly used form of burping method in hospitals and the nicu. It works really quickly, but it can feel and look uncomfortable for both mom and baby, but once you get used to it, you’ll see why it’s such a popular method. 

Arms Over Shoulder: 

Hold your baby from their underarms and carry them up and over your shoulder (their arms should be resting on top of your shoulder). Make sure their face and nose is not up against your shoulder, but rather facing out. Now tap on their back to burp. 

Belly Down Method: 

Hold your baby with one hand (best way to do this is to have the baby arm in between your thumb and index finger) and rest their belly on your leg. Make sure that their face and nose is unobstructed and they’re able to breath and start tapping on their back.