Gripe water helps to relieve gas that causes many different issues with your newborn. With the blend of herbal ingredients, gripe water is mild enough to be safe for newborns and infants, and gentle enough to address the many problems babies face in the first six months of life. By settling the stomach of gas buildup in infants, gripe water addresses the symptoms associated with all the above issues—the buildup of gas in the abdomen. Gripe water is a mixture of natural herbal ingredients.
While many traditional gripe water recipes have existed over the years, many variations use ginger as a main ingredient. Gripe water helps to settle the stomach by relieving gas buildup. Gripe water contains fennel, ginger, which are historically known to ease the nausea and discomfort caused by stomach gas.
Most babies will need gripe water after feedings, when they get gassy from eating too fast or from gulping in air while feeding. It is a good idea to wait 30 minutes after a feeding to administer Gripe Water, as this allows time for food to digest. Gripe water serving size is important to consider. The serving you use per application is based on the age of your baby. This gel is gentle for baby to consume and helps ease gas and stomach discomfort often associated with colic and fussiness.
To administer, simply apply a small, pea-sized amount 0. Because gripe water is made with gentle herbal ingredients, there are likely to be no side effects when using this product. Still, believers say some of the ingredients in gripe water formulas, including dill, fennel and ginger, can help relieve gas and stomach discomfort and in turn may be beneficial for infants with colic, which is thought to be caused at least in part by gas in certain cases.
Some experts think gripe water might be effective at soothing fussy babies simply because it tastes sweet.
It's worth noting that gripe water is different than over-the-counter baby gas drops. These drops contain simethicone, an anti-foaming agent that breaks up bubbles in the digestive tract, which can help gas pass. The original gripe water, first used by nannies and moms in England in the s, contained alcohol — which people used to think relaxed babies now we know that giving any alcohol to a baby can be toxic.
Check the packaging for specific dosing instructions and get your pediatrician's approval first about how much and how often to give it to your baby. The general limit is four doses a day, but only under the care of your practitioner. If your doctor says gripe water is fine for your baby and it seems to work, you should stop using it by the time your little one is 4 to 6 months old, when gassiness typically becomes less of an issue.
Some parents notice that their babies seem drowsier after a dose of gripe water. But does gripe water actually make babies sleepy? Probably not. Call your doctor if you see any of these signs in your baby. More serious allergy symptoms like swelling of the lips or tongue and trouble swallowing or breathing can be life-threatening and warrant a call to right away. It depends on the specific brand and ingredients.
You should always ask your doctor for a recommendation for gripe water and any other remedy you're thinking of giving your baby. Gripe water made with alcohol definitely isn't safe, and other formulas, including those labeled "natural" or "homeopathic" depending on where they're made and what's in them , contain a variety of other ingredients that may be unsafe or untested. Gripe water made with sucrose, while not dangerous, might not be the best choice either.
So always check with your doctor first about a specific brand and kind of gripe water. And remember, even if you do try gripe water as a remedy for digestive troubles with your pediatrician's approval, it should never be given in large quantities to a baby or used as a dietary substitute. Infants this age should be fed breast milk or formula or a combination of the two only. Just so you know, What to Expect may earn commissions from the shopping links included on this page.
One of the biggest issues with gripe water is not necessarily what gripe water does to babies, but what it takes away from them. More specifically, if you are giving your baby a lot of gripe water throughout the day or night, they might be getting full just from gripe water. If babies drink too much gripe water, they may not be hungry for breast milk or formula. Gripe water does not have any nutritional value, so babies miss out on the key nutrition and ingredients that they need to grow and develop.
If this happens consistently, your baby may develop problems such as delayed or slowed growth or inadequate weight gain. It may also interfere with the microbes in the digestive system that may play a role in digestion and overall health. Good bacteria are helpful for our bodies, especially in babies, whose immune systems are still developing. Although it may not be as big of an issue in well-nourished infants, consistent use of gripe water in low-income families is a big concern.
One study found that gripe water is often used in developing countries, such as India, where mothers may not be well-enough nourished themselves to produce adequate levels of breast milk or mothers may not be able to afford enough formula for their infants. Gripe water is used as a non-nutritive supplement to feeding, so in those cases, gripe water can be dangerous because it's being used to replace necessary feedings for babies.
And lastly, if a mother begins giving her baby gripe water right away, it could interfere with the baby's ability to breastfeed and decrease her own breast milk supply. If you have a baby who is unusually fussy, has problems with digestion, or you suspect has colic, it is best to work with a pediatrician or doctor to try to find a solution. There may be an underlying medical condition, such as acid reflux or food sensitivity, that can be treated.
If your doctor has ruled out these medical issues and your baby is still extremely fussy or colicky, there are some other remedies you can try before resorting to the use of gripe water.
Here are a few things that may help calm your baby:. Having a colicky baby can feel overwhelming and exhausting at times, but with time, most babies outgrow their colicky tendencies. If your baby is fussy a great deal of the time, it's normal to look for solutions to ease their discomfort, especially if your doctor has ruled out larger issues like food allergies and acid reflux. If you're considering giving your baby gripe water, talk to your doctor about how to best use it and watch your baby for any potential side effects.
Also, be careful not to use gripe water in place of a feeding. Doing so could cause your baby to miss out on important nutrients they need to grow and develop. In the meantime, make sure you give yourself adequate breaks and that you engage in self care.
Having a fussy baby is hard but rest assured with time your baby will outgrow this stage and soon will be giggling instead of fussing.
Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Gripe water administration in infants months of age: a cross-sectional study. J Clin Diagn Res. Sung V. Infantile colic. Aust Prescr. Food and Drug Administration. Pseudomonas aeruginosa septic shock secondary to "gripe water" ingestion.
Pediatr Infect Dis J. Adhisivam, B. Is gripe water baby-friendly? Lucassen, P. Colic in infants. BMJ Clinical Evidence , , Your Privacy Rights.
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