How will I know that my baby needs to burp?

Burping helps to get rid of some of the air that babies tend to swallow during feeding. In some babies, not being burped frequently and too much swallowed air can lead to spitting up, crankiness, and gassiness. As newborns gulp down formula or breast milk, most will swallow a lot of air too. When air sits in the esophagus especially for babies under 2 months old, who spend lots of time lying down, it will result in accumulating gas. The more air a baby swallows, the higher the chance that she'll spit up. You can help your baby expel gas by burping her in the middle and at the end of every feeding. If you're bottle-feeding, this means burping her after she's finished 2 to 3 ounces, or about half the formula, and again when she's done eating. If you're nursing, burp your baby when you switch breasts and again at the end. If after a few weeks you find that your baby isn't spitting up a lot, or if she cries when you interrupt her feeding to burp her, it's okay to wait until she's done, If the baby cries, she'll swallow more air, which will make her more uncomfortable.