An inconsolable baby can break your heart and drain your patience. So, when ads for gripe water follow you around the internet, or your friends tell you what a difference it made with their colicky little one, it’s natural to be curious.
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What is this miracle brew, and how does it work?
We asked pediatrician Christina Vernace, DO, whether gripe water is good for colicky and fussy babies.
As it turns out, the answer’s complicated. Dr. Vernace explains what gripe water is and why it’s controversial.
What is gripe water?
Gripe water is an over-the-counter remedy that claims to relieve symptoms of colic, gas and fussiness in babies. It’s sold under several different brand names, each with its own combination of ingredients. The most common ingredients are:
- Fennel
- Ginger
- Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
- Various flavorings
Gripe water has been around since the 1800s. Back then, it was a combination of less-than-baby-friendly ingredients — namely sugar and alcohol. No surprise here: It worked wonders. Nothing like a nip of the hard stuff to make a cranky, 19th-century baby fall asleep quickly!
Does gripe water work?
While modern gripe water isn’t usually as dangerous as the gripe water of old, there’s little research to suggest it actually works. That’s in part because none of its usual ingredients have been proven to get to the root causes of a colicky or gassy baby.
“We know that ginger and fennel can relieve stomach discomfort in adults and kids, but babies’ bellies are different. And those ingredients haven’t been proven to work in babies,” Dr. Vernace explains. “If your baby has colic, stomach discomfort isn’t necessarily contributing to this complicated diagnosis. So, those ingredients don’t support the claim that gripe water relieves colic symptoms.”
As for sodium bicarbonate, let’s reach back to Chemistry 101 for a second. Baking soda is a base. That means it neutralizes acid.
But acid isn’t the source of most babies’ gassiness, Dr. Vernace says. So, using baking soda to remedy your baby’s upset tummy doesn’t really add up.
“The problem is there’s really no scientific evidence that confirms gripe water is safe or effective,” she notes. “It’s not something pediatricians tend to recommend because we can’t guarantee that it will work or be safe for your baby.”
Sure, you may be thinking, but so-and-so uses gripe water and it worked for their baby. Why not give it a try?
True, some remedies, like gripe water, may work — even if we don’t scientifically understand why. And if you want to try gripe water for your baby, that’s your choice.
“If I have a parent in my office who says they use gripe water and feel like it helps, I’m not going to tell them they have to stop,” Dr. Vernace says. “But I do think it’s important they understand that it’s not without risk.”
Is gripe water safe for newborns?
Because herbal remedies aren’t subject to the same level of government oversight as food or medicine, there’s no way to be sure that the gripe water you buy for your baby meets basic quality or safety standards. The ingredients and manufacturing process are at the discretion of the company making it.
That lack of regulation increases the potential for harm. Many brands of gripe water have been recalled over the years because they posed dangers to babies.
One gripe water recall came after a 6-week-old infant became infected with cryptosporidium, a parasite that comes from contaminated water and can cause severe watery diarrhea. There was another recall for a brand that contained an “undissolved ingredient” that could be a choking hazard. In another case, gripe water contaminated with the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa caused septic shock in a 9-month-old baby.
Alternatives to gripe water
If you’re feeling bummed about all this less-than-optimistic gripe water news, rest assured: There are other ways to soothe an uncomfortable kiddo that are both doctor and parent approved.
You can usually get relief for a gassy baby by:
- Burping them
- Bicycling their legs
- Changing up their formula brand
- Giving them gas drops made with the anti-flatulence medication simethicone
As for colic, Dr. Vernace explains that it’s a “diagnosis of elimination.” In other words, your baby’s healthcare provider has to rule out other possible causes — like silent reflux — before landing on colic.
Colic is usually managed with soothing techniques, like:
Research suggests the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri may also provide relief for colicky babies.
Final thoughts
When you’re concerned about your baby for any reason, the best resource you have isn’t in your medicine cabinet; it’s on the other end of your phone.
“If you’re concerned about gas, fussiness or colic symptoms in your baby, the best, safest first step is talking with your child’s healthcare provider about it,” Dr. Vernace advises. “They can help figure out what’s causing their symptoms and suggest appropriate remedies.”
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