Burping isn't something anyone really talked to me about before I had babies. Sure, I knew babies should be burped; I'd seen people doing this in person and in the media - simply put baby over shoulder and pat back. We didn't talk about burps in our prenatal group, and we did not talk about them in the hospital when I was working with a lactation consultant right after Camen & Lena were born. At that point I did not realize that burps would soon be the bane of my existence.
Some babies are easier to burp than others. I've even heard of babies (Adele!) who rarely ever burped at all. But I have a hard-to-burp baby and it can cause hours and hours of distress. It took me about a month to realize that it was burps that were bothering Lena. After I fed her, burped her (I didn't focus on the burping portion as much as I should have) and put her down, I couldn't figure out why she seemed so uncomfortable, wriggling around and crying. Sometimes she'd doze off for a minute or two, and so would I, then suddenly she'd be crying again. This went on and on. Finally I went to spend a few days at my moms house. We put the girls down and this happened and she said "maybe it's a burp". Those words changed my life. I realized over the course of the next few days and weeks that whenever they wouldn't settle down in their cribs It was ALWAYS a burp! Once that burp comes out, they pass out in relief.
Knowing that my girls won't settle down because they probably have a burp doesn't always help the problem though. Burps can be stubborn, stubborn things. It can take hours to get all Lena's burps out, which is NOT fun in the middle of the night. If you find yourself in the same burp boat as I was/am in, let me know and I'll share with you some techniques I've picked up over the course of the last five months.
I am SO looking forward to when they can sit up on their own and burp themselves. That will be a day Orlando and I celebrate.
8 comments:
Burps! You're right, no one tells you :)
Owen was a tough burper! I think I remember I had to sit him on my lap, support his chin, and gently bend him side to side. It takes a lot of trial and error to find the best burping position and every baby is so different!
Part of the reason I think Maksim is a "good" baby is that he is an easy burper. Sometimes I just hold him upright, about to put him on my shoulder and he burps himself! And he rarely gets gas pain so far...Its amazing :) I feel very lucky this time!
I LOVE this photo of Carmen and Lena!
Adele appreciates the mention for her burp-less-ness. I did spend some time wondering why she would never burp when I would be patting, rubbing, bouncing etc. Then, I realized that she just didn't have to burp. I appreciate how much easier it made my life.
The burpless days are coming soon... Adele sat on her own at 5 months, so your girls won't be long now!
I would never have guessed that burps/burping could be something that (a) was capable of causing a child a lot of discomfort for so long and (b) could be so tricky to actually do..
Laura, I'm so glad Maksim is an easy burper. Makes it so much easier to get them down. You deserve it!
Nicole, I help them practice sitting every day! They can sit momentarily unsupported, then topple :)
Yeah Joel, burps are a major problem! Since Health Canada recommends putting babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of SIDS, the babies can't burp like that. So you have to help them by picking them up and patting/moving them around while upright. It's ridiculous.
Burping babies is one of my absolute favourite baby-related thing to do! We had numerous positions my mom taught us (when my younger siblings were born). My fav, and the one that seemed to work the best a lot of the time, involved sitting baby facing out to the side on one of your legs, with their feet dangling between your knees. Then you cup their widdle cheekies in one hand and use your hand and arm to support the sitting position (when their necks get stronger, you can just kind of prop them up), and pat the back with some circular rubbing.
Honestly, I never felt that over-the-shoulder burping was very effective for Laura and Dom. The lap-sit was always preferable for them. I also love to watch their confused faces when a burp would come out! It's almost as satisfying as having one of your own!
Also, lying face down across the lap, with patting works too.
Julia, that's my favourite position too! And the one that works best for the babes.
I can't believe you enjoy burping... please feel free to come over and burp anytime.
I had one twin who was breeze to burp, and the other would spit up EVERYTIME she burped and then want to eat again! So putting her to bed was often a multiple hour thing since she would feed, burp, spit up, feed, burp, spit up, feed, burp...fall asleep...and in her crib spit up. Sigh. I dont miss those days...and you're right, NO ONE talks about burping!
Post a Comment