Having visited moms of many different cultures and countries, I have to
admit that I'm often faced with a grandmother that INSISTS the baby be
burped - and, if you pound and wait long enough - a burp WILL come -

However, similar to the air escaping from the OTHER end of the intestinal
tract - which I gently "remind" people we ALL have - I believe this is an
explanation developed when "crying for no reason" is observed.

At times I think there is no way to stop people from believing that babies
MUST be burped - but I try to at least encourage a gentler, more humane
holding - with their back to my chest and my hand on their tummies often air
from BOTH ends comes out while baby is sleeping - and NO back-pounding
(their back is against my front and my warm hand on their tummies). What I
have observed in subsequent visits is that the concentration on
back-pounding is diminished (at least when I am there...<grin>), and
eventually they realize babies will burp on their own when needed.

Of course if babies were on their mother's or grandmother's body in carriers
instead of needing to get them "to bed", the issue would probably be moot...

Jeanette Panchula
California, USA

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