Some parents have even reported that gripe water can be useful in calming babies so that they start sleeping through the night. If you are considering using gripe water, you should check with your child's pediatrician before administering the medication.
No study has proven that gripe water works for any of its intended purposes. In fact, all of the studies that have been done have shown that gripe water does not seem to be effective at all. For instance, a study done in India showed that there was no difference in the amount of crying between two groups of babies.
The group of babies that received gripe water cried just as much and for just as long as the babies who did not. The study also found that mothers and caregivers reported more vomiting and constipation in the infants who received the gripe water. When it comes to giving your baby gripe water, you should always check with your baby's pediatrician before using gripe water.
There are a number of factors that make gripe water a somewhat risky choice. Here is an overview of the top concerns. Because the ingredients in gripe water can vary, it's hard to issue a blanket statement against all gripe waters.
But overall, no one study has proven that gripe water is directly harmful to babies. However, there are ingredients in gripe water that can be a concern. For instance, gripe water is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration since it is a supplement and not a medication.
Therefore, it may contain ingredients that are unsafe for babies. In , one brand of gripe water was recalled because it contained a harmful ingredient. Additionally, most brands claim to be alcohol-free, but not all forms of gripe water are alcohol-free. One study found that gripe water sold in India, for example, contained alcohol.
In the most extreme example of just how dangerous gripe water can be, there have been at least two confirmed cases of babies becoming very sick as a direct result of gripe water. Other potential risks of gripe water include increased vomiting and constipation in babies. The Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics also notes that gripe water can put a baby at an increased risk for exposure to harmful things like bacteria and allergens.
For instance, some babies may experience an allergic reaction to gripe water including experiencing hives, itchiness, or vomiting. Gripe water may also lead to early-onset issues with developing teeth because it contains high amounts of sugar. 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.
By Cameron French December 5, Parents with a colicky baby are often willing to try just about anything to get their little one to calm down. Developed in Britain in from a formula that was used to treat malaria, gripe water originally contained a mixture of sugar, sodium bicarbonate and nearly four percent alcohol. Fortunately, gripe water has evolved, though slowly, partly due to alcoholic versions being banned in the United States in Depending on the manufacturer, it can also contain herbs like dill, ginger, fennel, licorice, chamomile and peppermint, and there are DIY recipes for people who want to make it themselves.
Well, who knows really? There seems to be anecdotal evidence that modern gripe water works, and it makes sense that sugar and certain herbs might help alleviate some discomfort. This is the big question. Nevertheless, Dr. Vann says many patients ask him about it. While the older versions of commercially-sold gripe water included alcohol, brands sold in the U.
Is gripe water baby-friendly? J Pharmacol Pharmacother. For instance, if given continuously and in large doses, gripe water containing sodium bicarbonate may cause milk-alkali syndrome—a condition marked by too much calcium in the blood that could lead to various degrees of kidney failure, according to research [4] Jain K, Gunasekaran D, Venkatesh C, Soundararajan P.
J Clin Diagn Res. Not all formulas contain the ingredient, as shown in the Little Remedies example above. In other words, dietary supplements are considered safe until proven unsafe—only after they cause harm. This is the opposite of how prescription and non-prescription drugs and vaccines are handled. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act says companies cannot claim a supplement will cure an illness, but they can say a supplement may be helpful for certain conditions.
Despite plenty of anecdotal evidence, the research showing that gripe water settles upset little tummies and dries tiny tears is pretty lacking. Researchers also found most infants who received gripe water continued to cry excessively suggestive of colic compared to those who did not receive it [4] Jain K, Gunasekaran D, Venkatesh C, Soundararajan P.
Because gripe water is a supplement and not regulated by the FDA, Dr. Vann suggests chamomile and ginger tea as an alternative. In one clinical study, herbal tea containing chamomile proved useful in treating colic. However, the authors of the study found the risks of repeated and frequent administration of chamomile tea—which carries the risk of microcytic anemia —outweighed the benefits and recommended parents wait the colic out and let problems resolve themselves naturally, which usually occurs by six months of age [5] Crotteau CA, Wright ST, Eglash A.
Clinical inquiries. What is the best treatment for infants with colic? J Fam Pract. Also, be sure to:. Be sure to consider all the facts and speak with your pediatrician to make an informed decision when deciding whether to give supplements like gripe water to your baby.
Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans.
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