title: A randomized controlled trial of burping for the prevention of colic and regurgitation in healthy infants.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Nursing Education, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bharti
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Saini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003085:Colic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005248:Feeding Methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D057045:Laryngopharyngeal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: breastfeeding; burping; infant; infantile colic; regurgitation