Burp by placing the infant high over your shoulder or over your knee. You can also lean the infant forward in a sitting position supported by your hands. Pat or rub the infant’s back. This puts gentle pressure on the abdomen to push extra air from the stomach.11 Uneaten breastmilk or formula should be discarded after a feeding as bacteria from the infant’s mouth may have made it into the bottle.
When to Feed In the early months, infants will need to be fed “on demand”—this means that they are able to feed whenever they are hungry or show hunger cues. Hunger cues are unique to each infant. An infant might:
Have a specific hunger cry
Root or look around for food
Suck on their hand or fingers
Become irritable or restless
Repeat a unique behavior to demonstrate hunger When adults respond to an infant’s hunger cues, the infant can also tell how much food they want and when they are full. This feeding practice supports healthy eating habits, growth, and development later in life.