Gas can cause a baby discomfort and the level of this discomfort will vary from one baby to another but there is one thing for certain; a baby that doesn’t have a problem with getting rid of gas will be a more contented child.
The best way to get rid of gas, if your baby can’t do so itself, is to burp it.
Burping your baby and getting rid of gas can also help reduce colic problems.
One of the most common techniques to burp your baby is to simply put your baby up on your shoulder and pat it in the middle of the back around about the same area where the stomach is.
This will help the gas to come up as your baby’s head rests on your shoulder. It might pay to drape a cloth over your shoulder as the burp is often followed by the regurgitation of food.
Another technique that works equally well is to lay your baby across your knees, face down, and once again pat relatively firmly in the middle of the back.
This technique is excellent for babies who are unable to be burped well enough across the shoulder in the upright position.
You can also burp your baby in a seated position by using one hand to support if from the stomach while patting in the middle of the back but this technique should only be used once your baby can hold its head up on its own.
As with the seated position the next technique requires that the baby can hold its head up on its own and this technique involves bouncing the baby up and down on your knee while assisting it with an upward patting motion on the back.
Try using all of these techniques until you find the one that is most suitable and gives the best results for your child.