Is Gripe Water for Babies Safe? When to Give it to Newborns?

Gripe water is a popular product for babies with gas and colic due to its easy availability and affordability.

But, what does baby gripe water do? Is Gripe Water safe for babies? What are the side effects of gripe water?

Gripe water is a liquid medicine that can help relieve your baby’s gas, fussiness, and crying. It also helps to stop hiccups in babies. 

There are many types of gripe water available on the market today, but how do you know which one is best for your newborn?

This blog post will discuss when it’s safe to give gripe water to newborns, what ingredients are found in gripe water for babies and whether or not it’s safe to give gripe water with formula or breast milk.

This article will answer these questions and more in order to help parents decide whether or not they should use gripe water on their newborns.

1. What is gripe water and why do babies need it?

Gripe water is a mixture of herbs designed to soothe upset stomachs and aid in digestion. It works by removing excess gas from babies’ digestive tract, which helps reduce their discomfort caused due to colic or indigestion.

Babies tend to feed frequently during the first few months after birth as they are born with small stomachs. The frequent feedings combined with immature digestive systems often result in gas and colic, resulting in discomfort for the babies.

Gripe water works by releasing trapped gas from babies’ stomachs so that they can feel more relaxed after feeding. It also helps ease tummy pains due to indigestion or acidity.

2. Gripe Water for Gassy or a Colicky Baby?

Most babies develop gas as a result of their immature digestive systems. Their small stomachs are unable to digest the breast milk or formula they feed on, which leads to excess gas in their tummy.

One of the possible reasons could be stomach discomfort in children when unable to pass gas.

This may cause pain and discomfort for babies leading them to cry inconsolably. The crying can lead to anxiety in parents causing them to worry about whether what they perceive as ‘fussiness’ is due to gas or an unrelated cause.

However, there are several ways you can deal with a baby’s discomfort and one of those methods is gripe water. Gripe water for gassy babies has been used as a home remedy since the early 1900s when it was first formulated by Dr. William Woodward.

3. When should I give my baby gripe water for the first time?

You can give gripe water to your baby when they are around two weeks old. However, do not give gripe water to your baby if they are younger than two weeks.

The reason why is that it can cause gas in the tummy of young babies as their digestive system is still getting used to digesting milk or formula. While this might be effective for older babies, you should avoid giving gripe water at least until the age of two weeks.

If you have just given birth and your baby is less than a week old, then do not give gripe water for at least seven days after childbirth as the digestive system is still developing in newborns.

Make sure the packaging of the gripe water you buy is labeled for use on babies and toddlers, as some brands may contain alcohol that cannot be given to newborns.

4. What are the different types of Gripe Waters?

Gripe water is usually made up of some combination of the following ingredients:

– fennel seeds, ginger root powder, chamomile flowers

– dill seeds and leaves

– cinnamon bark oil

– lemon balm leaf extract. It may also include clove bud oil or nutmeg seed oil in addition to, or instead of the cinnamon bark oil.

While some gripe waters contain alcohol, others do not and they can be used by babies who are less than two months old.

5. How Should I give Gripe Water to My Baby?

When giving your baby gripe water, follow the instructions on the packaging carefully as there may be different dosage levels depending on how much your baby weighs.

Gripe water is generally given to babies every day for no more than seven days. You should consult your pediatrician before starting this treatment as they may recommend other medications if the gripe water does not work on your child.

You can give gripe water by mixing it with either breast milk or formula, but make sure you follow the dosage instructions given on the packaging.

If you do not mix gripe water with anything, then make sure to shake it well before using it as ingredients may settle at the bottom of the bottle otherwise.

You should give your baby gripe water no more than four times a day or if they seem particularly distressed for longer periods of time like after they wake up in the morning.

It is best to give gripe water between 30 minutes and two hours after your baby has had their feed so that it can be absorbed by the digestive system quickly.

The usual dosage for babies aged less than six months old is half a teaspoon, while older children should take one teaspoon once daily. Do not give more than the recommended dosage as it can be harmful to your child.

6. What are the Benefits of Gripe Water?

The benefits of gripe water include helping to settle an upset stomach, relieving gas and colic pain in babies, improving digestion by soothing contractions in the digestive tract, and reducing tummy bloat.

It also helps to prevent and treat nipple or bottle discomfort in breastfeeding mothers.

While gripe water is considered generally safe for babies, you should always check with your pediatrician before giving it to your child if they have any underlying health conditions because these may interfere with the medications used in this treatment.

7. Does gripe water have side effects?

Gripe water is usually considered safe for newborns and infants. However, it may sometimes result in some mild side effects such as:

– gas

– diarrhea

– allergic reactions such as rashes or hives, especially if your baby has allergies to any of the ingredients used in making gripe water.

If you notice any of these side effects, stop giving your baby gripe water and consult the doctor.

8. When should I avoid using Gripe Water?

– Not suitable for babies under two weeks old

– Do not give it to newborns or infants with known allergies to fennel seeds, ginger root powder, chamomile flowers dill leaves cinnamon bark oil lemon balm leaf extract or clove bud oil. Nutmeg seed oil may also cause allergic reactions in some children.

9. Will gripe water help baby poop?

Gripe water is generally not meant to be used as a remedy for constipation.

If your baby struggles with constipation, consult your doctor who may recommend giving him prune juice or some other safe and effective natural product that will help ease his bowel movements.

10. Will gripe water cause gas?

Some babies experience temporary bouts of gas after drinking gripe water but the condition usually passes within a few minutes following consumption of the medicine.

Others do not have any side effects at all. However, if you notice additional symptoms like diarrhea rashes hives swelling nausea vomiting fever chills headache dizziness rapid heart rate persistent crying etc., stop using gripe water immediately and seek medical attention right away; it could be an allergic reaction.

Taking all of these things into account, parents should use gripe water only on the advice of their doctor.

While usually considered safe for babies older than two weeks, it may sometimes result in mild side effects like gas diarrhea allergic reactions, etc., especially if your baby has allergies to any ingredients used making gripe water.

If you notice any such symptoms after using gripe water; stop giving it and consult a doctor immediately as they could be an indication of some other underlying condition or allergy which needs immediate medical attention.

11. How often should I give my baby gripe water?

It is safe to give gripe water to babies after every meal, usually twice a day. However, it is recommended that you consult your baby’s pediatrician before giving them gripe water for the first time.

Gripe water does not contain any medication and therefore has no side effects if taken as per the instructions of usage on its packaging.

However, if you notice any reaction or discomfort after giving gripe water to your baby then stop using it immediately and talk with your baby’s doctor as soon as possible.

12. Why can’t I just use regular water to soothe a fussy newborn instead of giving them gripe water?

Gripe water has many benefits over regular water. It is designed to ease gas and colic in babies, which are caused due to poor digestion of the content consumed by them. Gripe water also soothes a fussy or colicky baby’s stomach when they feel hungry but cannot feed breast milk because of their discomfort or pain from gas buildup.

Regular water does not have these benefits. Moreover, it cannot be used to ease gas in babies or help them digest their food better as regular water has no other ingredients that can assist with this process.

Gripe water is available over the counter and does not require a doctor’s prescription for the usage which means you do not need to worry about running out of gripe water if you are on a trip or vacation.

Gripe water is also easy to carry around, making it ideal for baby care while traveling.

It is safe to use gripe water on your baby when they are over two weeks of age and can be used regularly after every meal until the time your pediatrician recommends otherwise.

Just make sure that you do not exceed the dosage recommended on the gripe water packaging.

It is safe to use gripe water on newborns as long as it does not contain any alcohol and is labeled for infant usage only.

Gripe water can help ease gas pains in your colicky baby, soothe their stomach after feeding and make them feel more relaxed.

It is safe to use gripe water on newborns in moderation, but it is best to consult with your pediatrician before using it the first time.

Check out Gripe Water or Roll ons for Colic Babies –> Here

13. How much does gripe water cost, and where can you buy it in stores or online?

Gripe water for babies in India is available in many stores and can also be bought online.

Gripe water offers your baby great value for money as it helps them feel better and more relaxed when they are fussy or colicky and have gas pains.

It is safe to use gripe water on newborns, but it should only be used after consulting your pediatrician for dosage instructions and safety guidelines.

Gripe water can help soothe baby’s stomach while feeding them or when they feel discomfort due to indigestion and gas buildup in their tummy.

14. What are some other ways to soothe a crying infant besides using this product?

There are many other ways to soothe a crying infant besides using gripe water.

Simple home treatments might assist with infant colic and possibly speed up the departure of gas bubbles.

Positioning the baby so that their head is above their stomach can help. 

Some of the most popular methods include swaddling your baby, gently rocking them in your arms, or putting them down for an afternoon nap if they aren’t hungry and fussy from tiredness instead of gas buildup.

Some meals you eat may irritate your baby’s tummy if you breastfeed, such as caffeine, dairy, soy, egg, and wheat. You may also take a breather during feedings to burp your baby more frequently.

Applying a little bit of pressure on the baby’s tummy by softly rubbing his belly might also assist in soothing him.

It’s possible that allowing a kid to crawl on their stomach helps relieve infant gas.

If you do not want to put your baby down for a nap, then it is advisable that you try and feed them again as gas pains can sometimes be mistaken for hunger.

If they are still crying even after feeding, putting them in their crib might help soothe them faster than holding or rocking them.

Some parents also use white noise machines during naptime to make their babies feel more comfortable and relaxed.

If your infant is still inconsolable even after trying these methods, then you should consult with a pediatrician for further assistance as every child may react differently to certain soothing techniques.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you should have a better understanding of gripe water and its benefits.

If your baby is experiencing infant gas or colic symptoms, it may be worth trying out gripe water to help alleviate their discomfort.

However, if the side effects are too much for them, there are other options that can work just as well.

Check with your pediatrician before giving any medication to an infant since they will know what type of pain relief would best suit your little one’s needs!