Infantile colic is a most distressing problem that upsets the whole household. It is indeed terrible to watch your infant wail and cry for hours on end. A lot can be done for colic, but parents are ready to clutch at any straw that promises to relieve the colic.
Among the most frequently asked questions I get is whether I can give my infant some gripe water?

What is gripe water?

Gripe water is water that has been infused by the extracts of herbs like dill, chamomile, anise seeds or fennel, ginger, alcohol and sugar. This has been given traditionally since times immemorial. In the late nineteenth century,

Woodwards produced and successfully marketed their brand of gripe water that originally contained alcohol and sodium bicarbonate that acted by sedating the child.  Carbon dioxide that is liberated from the soda bicarb allowed the child to burp and dissipate the gases that are supposed to cause the colic.

If it has been used for centuries – where is the problem?

The problem is the harmful ingredients that have been introduced into packaged gripe water like alcohol, sugar and sodium bicarbonate.

So back to my question – Should I give gripe water to my baby?

Sure you can, provided the gripe water contains only natural substances like aloe vera, anise seeds, cardamom, chamomile, dill, fennel, ginger, lemon, and glycerin. All of these, help the baby to pass gas either by burping or as flatus. So make sure you have a look at the ingredients and don’t buy anything that contains alcohol, sugar or sodium bicarbonate.

Here it is pertinent to point out that in India, Woodwards gripe water is available in two brands. The first is by TTK Pharma and has some preservatives in it, that may be objectionable. The second is Woodwards non-alcoholic gripe water by Suprima Cosmo-Tech and that one does not contain any preservatives

When can I start using gripe water?

Any time after the age of one month, if your child has excessive crying (crying for more than 3 hours, for more than three days a week and for 3 weeks). You should try other measures to relieve colic first, before moving on to gripe water.

What is the dose of gripe water?

• The dose varies according to the age of the child:  1 ml to be given thrice a day in a month old. As the age increases, one can go up to 5 ml thrice a day in the six month old child.
• It should be administered just after a feed to be most effective.
• Try to give it by itself without mixing it with any formula feed for maximum effectiveness.

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