A randomized controlled trial of burping for the prevention of colic and regurgitation in healthy infants

Background Efficacy of burping in lowering colic and regurgitation episodes in healthy term babies lacks evidence in literature. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare efficacy of burping versus no‐burping in 71 mother–baby dyads in community setting. Primary outcome was reduction in event rates of colic and regurgitation episodes over 3 months. Results Baseline characteristics were similar in two groups. Difference in incidence rates of colic between the control and burping group was 1.57 episodes/infant/100 weeks [95% confidence interval ( CI ): −0.63 to 3.76]. There was statistically no significant reduction in colic episodes between burping and non‐burping study subjects during 3 months of follow‐up (adjusted relative risk 0.64; 95% CI : 0.22–1.86, P ‐value 0.41). Incidence rate difference of regurgitation episodes/infant/week between burping and control group was 4.36 (95% CI : 4.04 to 4.69) and there was statistically significant increase in burping group (adjusted relative risk 2.05; 95% CI : 1.92–2.18, P ‐value < 0.0001). Conclusions Although burping is a rite of passage, our study showed that burping did not significantly lower colic events and there was significant increase in regurgitation episodes in healthy term infants up to 3 months of follow‐up.