Belching in newborns after feeding and everything about it

Young parents are very often frightened by belching in their newborn child.

This should not be done, because belching in a baby is a natural process that indicates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Due to the fact that air enters the baby’s body along with food, it can be converted into gases and returned to the intestines. In addition, this same gas often comes out through the mouth.

In healthy infants, this phenomenon occurs within a few minutes after eating. With age, belching occurs less and less often.

The child learns to eat without air entering the stomach. Therefore, six-month-old babies are practically not bothered by belching.

Very often, regurgitation is added to the phenomenon under consideration. In the case when little food comes out and the baby does not vomit, parents should not worry, because this is the norm.

If regurgitation occurs constantly, then the problem may lie in pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

Why does a baby burp after feeding?

Belching air is not a particularly pleasant, but natural symptom that manifests itself in both infants and adults.

As mentioned above, in infants this phenomenon is explained by air entering the stomach.

But there are other reasons that provoke belching. They are:

Eating too much food, which causes the baby's stomach to become distended. For full development and growth, a baby requires breast milk, but not every mother can breastfeed her baby. In connection with this, many infants are fed artificially - with mixtures. Due to the fact that parents may incorrectly calculate portions, overfeeding of the child occurs and, as a result, regurgitation of food. To prevent this phenomenon, you need to limit the amount of milk or special formula consumed by the baby.
Excessive swallowing of air. Oddly enough, completely healthy children also burp after eating. This is often observed due to swallowing air along with food. In this case, an accumulation of gases occurs in the stomach, which cannot exit through the anus due to the fact that the baby was incorrectly attached to the mother's breast. At first glance, there is nothing dangerous in this, but it is worth considering that a large accumulation of gases puts pressure on the stomach and intestines, so there is a risk of injury to the esophageal sphincter.
Flatulence, which occurs for the same reason, is a large accumulation of gases.
Quickly change the newborn's position from lying to standing. In order to prevent burping of air, just before feeding you should turn the baby over on his tummy and leave him in this position for a couple of minutes. Such actions will help his intestines release excess gases naturally. When the child eats, you cannot immediately lay him horizontally; it is better to carry him for a while in your arms in a vertical position.
A tightly tightened diaper and active movements after eating. Immediately after the newborn has been fed, it is not recommended to tug or shake him. You are allowed to hold it in your arms and gently massage your tummy.
In infants who are fed formula, belching may be a consequence of intolerance to a particular formula. To prevent this from happening, parents should consult their pediatrician about which formula is best and whether it is suitable for their baby. It is very important not to change the baby’s body position while eating, as this can cause severe belching.
Often mothers notice unusual and disturbing behavior in their babies, which can be caused by colic in the intestines. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that the nursing mother ate some prohibited product that causes increased gas formation. Gases that arise in the intestines of newborns cause them increased discomfort and pain. In addition, the baby experiences air belching, bloating, regurgitation and hiccups.
Intestinal obstruction is a life-threatening pathology and is quite rare. If it occurs, the baby should be immediately taken to a specialist. The main symptom of an obstruction is the brown or green color of regurgitated food. In this case, parents should immediately call an ambulance.
Infectious pathologies accompanied by regurgitation of undigested milk, pale skin and high body temperature. In addition, the baby does not want to eat and is constantly naughty. Here, it is also necessary to consult with a specialist and carry out a number of diagnostic measures. Based on the results of the analysis, the doctor will either prescribe treatment at home or hospitalize the baby in the infectious diseases department of the hospital.
Problems with the nervous system, when manifested, the baby must be shown to a qualified neurologist.
Weak valve muscles. The fact is that in the stomach of an adult there is a special sphincter that separates the stomach from the esophagus. It is able to close and open while eating food.

In newborn babies, such a sphincter is not yet formed, which is why regurgitation occurs. Typically, the sphincter muscles become stronger already at 3-4 months of the baby’s life. But in some children they are still weak even at six months.

Do not forget that only an experienced therapist can identify the true causes of belching in newborns.

Therefore, if a mother is worried about her baby’s regular regurgitation of milk or formula, it is recommended to show the child to a doctor who will carry out the necessary procedures, make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment, if required.

Belching - the mechanism of the process

Belching in a baby activates the process of digesting food.

Belching is a physiological process in which excess air is expelled from the stomach through the oral cavity. This requires a reflex contraction of the gastric muscles and an open cardiac sphincter. A person becomes familiar with this phenomenon in infancy.

During feeding, the baby swallows some air. It needs to be removed from their little tummy. But a small amount of air is necessary for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. This helps regulate internal pressure in the body. Additional functions of burping:

Improving gastric motility
Activates the process of food digestion
Reduced pressure in the stomach
A safe mechanism that prevents stretching of the walls of the stomach and intestines

During normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the process of removing air goes unnoticed. But in pathological processes, additional symptoms are added to belching. In this case, additional examination and treatment of the underlying disease is required.

How to tell if your baby is burping or vomiting

If the child regurgitates, but no pathologies are found, then there is no need to worry, because this is a natural process. But if a newborn is vomiting, then the alarm should be sounded.

Vomiting in infants is a complex reflex act, during which the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus and into the oral cavity. You can distinguish vomiting from regurgitation or burping by the following symptoms:

The baby regurgitates only after eating, and vomiting occurs regularly, regardless of food.
When a baby vomits, the color of the regurgitated material changes – it becomes yellowish. This phenomenon is explained by the content of bile in gastric juice.
Vomiting is characterized by a large amount of vomit.

In addition to these signs, the mother should pay attention to the behavior of the newborn: if everything is fine with him, then the baby simply burped and did not vomit.

The occurrence of vomiting is a serious pathology that requires urgent consultation with a pediatrician.

Recommendations of Dr. Komarovsky

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky (a well-known pediatrician in the CIS countries) about the presence of belching after feeding suggests that the phenomenon is within normal limits. If the volume of milk exceeds 40–50 ml, then in this case there is a risk of stomach distension.

If your child belches after feeding, but is gaining weight normally, sleeps on schedule and naturally develops, then there is no need to worry. A sharp increase in temperature, upset stool, or change in the color of regurgitated milk is an urgent reason to go to the hospital.

According to the doctor, in most cases, belching has physiological causes that do not pose a danger to the newborn baby. It is important to monitor the baby’s general condition and, if nonspecific symptoms appear, immediately contact your pediatrician.

When should your baby be shown to a doctor?

There are certain reasons why young mothers should understand that the baby needs to be examined. These include weight loss, severe irritability, tearfulness, problems with sleep and eating, and excessive regurgitation.

In the case when the belching after eating becomes yellow and has an unpleasant aroma, one can suspect the presence of some pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract in newborns.

For example, these:

Pyloric stenosis is a congenital pathology characterized by a narrowed area of the stomach. This can lead to the baby spitting up a lot, hiccupping and not gaining weight.
Hiatal hernia.
Dysfunction of the central nervous system, manifested due to difficult childbirth, difficult pregnancy or congenital defects. The baby cries a lot and sweats a lot. He has colic in the intestines, belching and bloating.
Infectious pathologies. For example, meningitis, characterized by an inflammatory process in the brain, or hepatitis.
Heredity.
Kidney pathologies are common causes of belching and digestive disorders.
Food poisoning also causes belching with an unpleasant odor and a yellow color. In addition, there may be blood inclusions in the mass.

In any case, parents should not self-medicate, because belching after eating may indicate serious health problems for the baby. It’s better to play it safe several times and consult a doctor.

When to see a doctor

Many young parents are interested in the question of when exactly they need to see a doctor if their newborn baby is constantly burping. A visit to the hospital is necessary if characteristic symptoms appear:

Constant refusal of the child to feed during the day;
A noticeable increase in the amount of regurgitated milk with a change in its color and the appearance of an unpleasant odor;
Poor weight gain.

After examination, a qualified pediatrician will identify the cause of the discomfort and prescribe appropriate therapy. Most often, the problem can be easily eliminated by improving the functioning of the digestive system. To do this, use means to restore the digestive process (Motilium, Coordinax).

If there is a large amount of breast milk, the baby may choke on it during feeding, so a reclining position is recommended for the procedure. If a problem arises, then you need to carry out certain manipulations:

Turn the baby away from you in an upright position;
Place your hand on the baby's tummy;
Tilt the baby forward and make several patting movements to remove swallowed milk.

In order to prevent choking during artificial feeding, the bottle with the mixture must be held at an angle and not in a vertical position.

What should new parents do?

While burping is normal in newborns after eating, there are a few key points that inexperienced parents should consider. They are:

If your child’s belching occurs regularly, then you need to pay attention to how the child takes the mother’s breast or a bottle with formula while eating.
If whims appear or cry while eating, the baby should be given time to calm down. Feeding should be interrupted, because in an excited state the child may gasp for air and provoke vomiting.
In case of severe overeating, the baby needs to reduce the dose, but increase the number of feedings. This problem is especially relevant for women who produce excess milk.
In order for the baby not to feel discomfort after eating, you need to try to provoke him to regurgitate. Interrupting feeding periodically will help reduce the amount of air entering the stomach. When the child has eaten about 100 milliliters of the mixture, you can stop, provoke regurgitation and continue the process. If the baby is fed breast milk, then breaks can be taken when the mother changes breasts. But here it is very important to remember that many babies do not like it when feeding is interrupted without significant reasons.
Often babies simply do not need to burp, because they are not prone to this phenomenon. In this case, the mother should not worry and force the baby to spit up.
Experts recommend always massaging the tummy of newborns after eating, but not in a lying position, selecting a suitable formula for them, and holding them correctly during feeding and after eating.

The massage should be carried out with clean hands and through a clean diaper. The movements are performed clockwise, in circles, lightly pressing on the baby’s tummy.

In addition, the mother should periodically press the baby’s legs to her tummy.

The massage should last no more than 10 minutes. Such actions direct gases into the rectum. Relieves pain and discomfort.

Hiccups and belching

Hiccups are a failure of external respiration associated with involuntary contraction of the diaphragm and simultaneous closure of the epiglottis. In most cases it occurs suddenly. Hiccups appear in a child when:

emotional stress;
hypothermia;
overeating.

It is rarely considered a symptom of pathologies. Belching, on the contrary, never occurs suddenly. Its appearance is associated with food intake, and is provoked by various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Hiccups, accompanied by belching, are most often a symptom of some disease associated with poor nutrition and nervous shock. And hiccups and belching in a 3-year-old child are often signs of overeating or eating dry food.

Such symptoms are typical after overeating and eating excessively “dry” foods. Symptoms can also appear against the background of incipient diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or gallbladder. Heart and vascular problems can also cause similar symptoms

Hiccups are caused by spasms of the diaphragm. An involuntary breath is accompanied by a sound and appears in children with hypothermia, fears, or worries. Regurgitation is a signal of a digestive system disorder and most often occurs due to oversaturation.

Two symptoms that, on the one hand, are harmless, but on the other, can signal an unpleasant complication. Did hiccups appear in the background of belching? Your baby has eaten too much or hasn't drunk enough water. There are cases when the symptoms described above are signs of airbrushing. Frequent repetitions of two symptoms require constant monitoring, contact with a specialist and, possibly, treatment.

How to intentionally burp

In order for the baby to burp, he must be placed in a position that allows air to escape from the intestines.

In this case, we are talking about placing the baby on his stomach immediately before eating. Such actions make it possible to release air before eating.

When the baby has eaten, he is lifted vertically, placed on his shoulder and his back is massaged. In this position, the burp comes out quickly, so regurgitation of milk or formula will not occur.

Experts strongly recommend carrying the baby in your arms a little, which will allow you to massage the tummy and train the vestibular apparatus.

But it also happens that parents cannot cause a burp, no matter how hard they try. This is explained by the fact that not every baby swallows air and burps after feeding.

If the baby is applied to the breast correctly, belching will not appear. The most important thing is to observe the child’s behavior and immediately respond to any deviations.

In the case when newborns have no appetite, colic and yellowish belching are observed, then the problem may be in pathologies of the gallbladder or gastrointestinal tract. You can’t do without a visit to a specialist.

Causes of belching

Belching occurs due to the swallowing of air during feeding, which leaves the body in the form of gases. In this case, this phenomenon is influenced by the following provoking factors:

Overeating of the infant, as a result of which the stomach is stretched and excess air is formed;
The phenomenon of flatulence, which is characterized by excessive accumulation of gases in the intestines;
Rapid change in the position of the child’s body (from horizontal to vertical);
Tight swaddling and lack of rest after feeding, as excessive twitching can lead to belching;
Incorrect massage after feeding. Gentle clockwise stroking is recommended to improve the functioning of the digestive system.

A serious factor in the appearance of green or brown milk belching is the possible presence of intestinal obstruction. In this case, immediate treatment to the hospital is necessary.

The development of infectious diseases also causes belching. In addition, there is an increase in the baby’s body temperature, pale skin, and restlessness. Such phenomena can occur when the functioning of the nervous system is disrupted, therefore an examination by a pediatric neurologist is necessary.

What to do if a child chokes on a burp

It often happens that the mother produces a lot of milk right in the process of feeding the child, so the child burps and choke.

In order to avoid this phenomenon, experts advise the mother to take an almost supine position and place the baby on her chest. It is not advisable to tilt too much!

In the case when the baby choked, the mother should turn him with his back to her, put her hand on the baby’s tummy, tilt the child forward and gently pat him on the back.

Such actions help the baby spit out the milk and bring his breathing back to normal.

Consultations with a pediatrician should not be ignored when a child often hiccups and exhibits symptoms of improper digestion.

Belching that occurs constantly

Why does a 3 year old child burp? There are many reasons for this phenomenon, as noted earlier. But if it constantly torments the child, then this is most likely due to indigestion, when gases are produced in excess quantities during the digestion of food. This is possible in the following cases:

The child washes down food with plenty of water. As a result, he swallows a lot of air and chews it poorly.
Low or high stomach acidity. In the first case, the child is tormented by belching, which has a putrid sulfuric taste, and in the second, a sour or bitter taste. In addition, heartburn, nausea and stomach pain appear.
Gastritis occurs at any age and even in a child as young as 3 years old. Constant belching with a putrid, rotten smell is one of the symptoms of this disease. It is accompanied by aching or sharp pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and rapid satiety.

If persistent reflux with odors is detected in a child, an urgent consultation with a doctor is necessary; the diseases can be very serious.

Consequences of regurgitation and its prevention

Frequent regurgitation can cause irritation of the mucous membranes of the stomach, irritation of the respiratory tract, malnutrition and weight loss.

That is why parents should try to minimize the risk of complications and eliminate the causes of regurgitation of food by the baby.

Preventive measures should be aimed at reducing the amount of air swallowed by the baby during feeding.

To achieve this goal, the mother must follow the following rules:

Feeding should be done before the baby starts crying and asking to eat. The more it cries, the more air enters its stomach.
It is worth making sure that the baby’s head is higher than his stomach, which will allow air to remain at the top.
If the baby eats from a bottle, then it must be completely filled with liquid and held upside down.
After the baby has eaten, he needs to be placed on his tummy so that the gas is completely released.
It is very important to promptly clear the baby’s nasal passages, because if the nose is clogged, the child will breathe through the mouth and swallow air.
In the case when the child eats formula, you can try to change it to another brand.
Immediately before feeding and immediately after its completion, the baby is prohibited from playing active games.

If the baby is not very bothered by the accumulation of gases, and the gases themselves do not appear in any way, then parents should not try in every possible way to rid the child of belching.

If the baby cries because of a bloated tummy, then you need to turn him over on his back and massage his stomach. In addition, experts recommend doing the “bicycle” exercise with your legs more often.

Do not forget that the phenomenon in question may be a consequence of any pathological phenomena in the gastrointestinal tract.

This suggests that parents should carefully monitor the baby’s behavior and monitor its weight.

If various alarming symptoms appear, you should immediately go to the pediatrician, who will prescribe a full examination of the baby’s body, make a final diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

The most important thing is not to start the problem in order to avoid negative consequences.

Preventing belching

Prevention of belching immediately after feeding is to follow simple advice from pediatricians:

Early feeding of the baby before he wants to eat on his own and starts crying, since during this period a large volume of air is swallowed;
Feeding in a certain mode, if possible, and applying to the breast at the request of the baby.

The main preventive measure is a special massage. To do this, the baby is placed on a hard surface and the tummy is massaged with gentle movements in a clockwise direction. You can apply a warm diaper to eliminate colic and press the legs to the body.

This technique significantly improves the digestion process and eliminates unpleasant symptoms in infants. The phenomenon of belching and colic gradually begins to subside by 3–6 months, so additional preventive measures will have to be carried out for some time.

In order to eliminate belching, it is necessary to set the correct position of the baby's body when feeding at a right angle, when the head is located higher than the stomach. This position provides clear advantages:

The liquid enters the stomach without swallowing a large amount of air;
Belching of air bubbles contained in milk occurs much easier and faster.

When artificially feeding, hold the bottle upside down and make sure that the milk flows continuously and the baby tightly grasps the nipple. These recommendations help reduce the number of burps and large swallowing of air during feeding.

If the child is bottle-fed, then the selection of formula plays an important role in preventing the occurrence of belching. The appropriate remedy is prescribed by a pediatrician, since a large assortment of baby food allows you to choose the most suitable one with a composition that ensures the presence of all the necessary and beneficial substances for a growing body.

Aerophagia. Causes and solutions to the problem

Swallowing air is common during feeding. The reasons for excess air ingress are as follows:

The baby is worried and sucks greedily. At the same time, he opens his mouth wide. The reason may be a lack of milk from the mother or its complete absence.
Mistakes during feeding. This happens with both breastfeeding and artificial feeding.
Muscle weakness in a toddler due to problems during childbirth.

Prevention of aerophagia:

Mothers check the amount of milk produced. To do this, control feeding should be carried out in the pediatrician’s office. The child is weighed before and after feeding and the appropriate conclusions are drawn. The second option is to express milk before feeding. And compare with the volumes recommended for the age of the toddler.
Monitor feeding technique. If the child is breastfed, then make sure that the baby grasps both the nipple and the alveolus.
The bottle should be completely filled with milk or formula during feeding. There is no air in the nipple.
Adjust the hole in the nipple according to the age of the little one. In the first few months, the best option is latex nipples with a minimal hole. For porridge, use special nipples, but also focus on your baby.

How to facilitate the process of passing gases during aerophagia:

Once fed, don’t put the little one in the crib. Keep it upright for a while.
No screaming during feeding! They calmed me down and then offered me something to eat!
Follow the rules of breastfeeding or artificial feeding.
Periodically place the little one on his stomach. This will help remove excess air from the stomach and intestines. Double benefit - you can cope with the belching and the gas will go away.
The toddler's head should be slightly elevated while eating.

Mom will only have to follow these rules for a few weeks. Then this habit will reach the level of automatism.

Is it normal or pathological to frequently regurgitate milk?

It is considered normal for children under 3-6 months of age if:

the volume of regurgitated milk does not exceed 1 tablespoon (to check, just pour the same amount of water onto the diaper and compare the volume of the resulting stain with the volume of regurgitated milk);
milk has a liquid or curd consistency and does not have an unpleasant odor;
belching occurs after feeding (no later than 5-10 minutes).

In all other cases, it is necessary to show the child to a pediatrician. An examination by a specialist is also necessary in cases where the child spits up profusely. This condition can be considered normal if it occurs no more than once a day, and the child feels well.

Important! If the released masses have a foul odor or are green/brown in color, it is necessary to call an ambulance - the child urgently needs the help of an infectious disease specialist in a hospital setting.

From this video you can find out when regurgitation is considered normal, and in what cases it can be a sign of pathology.

Measures to prevent drowning

Frequent belching in a baby may be accompanied by the release of milk and its re-swallowing. This phenomenon can be prevented if the mother takes a semi-recumbent position when feeding and the baby lies on her body. Due to this, you can avoid choking, but if a negative reaction occurs, then you need to take the following measures:

Turn the baby's back.
Place your hand on your stomach.
Bend your body forward and pat your stomach a little.

This method will allow excess milk to be released, breathing and general condition will improve. When bottle-feeding, it is necessary to hold the bottle at an angle.

Many parents worry when newborns burp after feeding. The anatomical features of the gastrointestinal tract in children are slightly different from those in adults.

The esophagus is short, the stomach is in a horizontal position. The air comes out through the top.