What if my baby falls asleep before burping?

It is fine to let a sleeping baby skip the burp. You can hold them upright against your shoulder for a few minutes, then lay them down on their back. Remember safe sleep: alone, on the back, on a firm flat bare crib, room-sharing but not bed-sharing. No inclined sleepers, car seats, swings, or loungers for routine sleep, and avoid overheating or overbundling.

Do breastfed babies need to be burped?

Breastfed babies often swallow less air, so they may burp less or not at all. Offer a quick try, and if nothing comes after a couple of minutes, it is okay to stop.

Could trapped gas be why my baby is crying?

Sometimes. Try holding upright, gently bicycling the legs, or awake, supervised tummy time. If you swaddle to settle baby, stop swaddling as soon as baby shows any sign of trying to roll (often around 2 months), and always place baby on the back, never the side or stomach. If your baby seems in pain often, cries a lot, or you are worried, call your pediatrician.

Feeding · Newborn

How to Burp a Newborn: 3 Positions + What If No Burp

Why won't my baby burp, and is that a problem?

If no burp comes after a few minutes, that is okay. Some feeds bring up air, some do not. Here are three positions to try and what to do next.

3 min read Feeding Updated June 2026

3 positions to try

Position 1: Over the shoulderHold baby upright against your chest, chin resting on your shoulder. Support the head and neck with one hand. Pat or rub the back gently. Keep a cloth on your shoulder for spit-up.
Position 2: Sitting on your lapSit baby upright on your thigh. Use one hand to support the chest and chin (cradle the jaw, not the throat). Lean baby slightly forward and pat the back with your other hand.
Position 3: Face-down across your lapLay baby tummy-down across your knees with the head turned to the side and slightly raised. Support the head so it stays above the chest. Rub or pat the back.

How long and how to do it

Try one position for 1-2 minutes. If no burp, switch positions and try again.
Pat gently with a cupped hand, or rub upward in slow circles. Never shake or jiggle a baby to bring up a burp, and always keep the head and neck supported.
Stop after about 5 minutes total. A burp is not required.
Burp midway through a feed if baby seems fussy or gulpy, then again at the end.
Bottle-fed and gassy babies often need a burp more than calm breastfed babies.

If no burp comes

Hold baby upright for 10-15 minutes so air can rise on its own.
Gently bicycle the legs, or do a little awake, supervised tummy time later, to move trapped air.
If baby is calm and comfortable, lay them down on their back in a bare flat crib, alone. No burp needed.
A small spit-up instead of a burp is normal.

Call 911 now if

Trouble breathing during or after feeds: a pause in breathing longer than 20 seconds, or any pause with blue or gray lips, face, or tongue, limpness, or no response.
Blue, gray, or dusky color, gasping, or choking that does not clear quickly.
Baby is not breathing or not responding: call 911 and begin infant CPR now. The 911 dispatcher will talk you through it, even if you have no training.
Forceful or projectile vomiting, green or yellow-green (bile) vomit, or vomit with blood or that looks like coffee grounds.
High-pitched cry with arching, stiffness, or limpness.

Call your pediatrician right away if

Rectal temperature of 100.4F (38C) or higher in a baby under 3 months: call your pediatrician right away - if you cannot reach them, go to the ER. Do not wait.
Low temperature: rectal under 97.7F (36.4C), or baby is cold, mottled, or hard to warm.
Grunting with each breath, nostril flaring, pulling in at the ribs or neck, or fast breathing.
Forceful or projectile vomiting after feeds, or vomit that is green or has blood (call 911 for bile-colored vomit or choking with a color change).
Baby refuses to feed, is hard to wake, or shows signs of dehydration: fewer than about 6 wet diapers in 24 hours (or no wet diaper in 6-8 hours), dark urine, no tears, dry mouth, or a sunken soft spot.
Yellow skin or eyes in the first 24 hours (always a same-day call), yellow spreading to the belly, arms, legs, palms, or soles, or yellow with sleepiness, poor feeding, or a high-pitched cry.
Arching or crying in pain with feeds.

Once you have ruled out the signs above, know that not every feed ends in a burp, and that is normal. You are doing fine.

Quick answers

What if my baby falls asleep before burping?: It is fine to let a sleeping baby skip the burp. You can hold them upright against your shoulder for a few minutes, then lay them down on their back. Remember safe sleep: alone, on the back, on a firm flat bare crib, room-sharing but not bed-sharing. No inclined sleepers, car seats, swings, or loungers for routine sleep, and avoid overheating or overbundling.
Do breastfed babies need to be burped?: Breastfed babies often swallow less air, so they may burp less or not at all. Offer a quick try, and if nothing comes after a couple of minutes, it is okay to stop.
Could trapped gas be why my baby is crying?: Sometimes. Try holding upright, gently bicycling the legs, or awake, supervised tummy time. If you swaddle to settle baby, stop swaddling as soon as baby shows any sign of trying to roll (often around 2 months), and always place baby on the back, never the side or stomach. If your baby seems in pain often, cries a lot, or you are worried, call your pediatrician.

Sources & further reading

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This guide reflects current AAP and CDC guidance and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. ParentFlow is a wellness companion — not a substitute for your pediatrician. For any medical concern, contact your healthcare provider.