Gripe water – A Gentle, Traditional Remedy for Colic

Baby grimacing, colic

Gripe water is a traditional remedy used to calm unsettled, colicky babies. It’s a blend of herbs known to have calming, antispasmodic effects on the digestive system and therefore is a useful formula that can be used for older children with unsettled bellies too.

Commercial blends often contain preservatives, alcohol, antacids and laxatives. It’s for this reason I suggest making your own, and it’s much easier than you might think. The following is my suggested recipe of gentle herbs to try.

You’ll need:
¼ cup Fennel seeds
¼ cup Dill seeds
2 tablespoons loose chamomile Tea
Mix into a small air tight jar.

To make:
Spoon 1 tsp of tea mix into a tea cup or mug. Gently press and crush with the back of a spoon to release the essential oils. Pour over ½ cup freshly boiled filtered water. Cover with a lid (to contain the essential oils as much as possible) and allow to steep for 20-30 minutes. Once cooled you can use it straight away or store in a clean glass jar for up to 3 days in the fridge.

To dose:
Newborns: ½ teaspoon
Infants – 6months: 1 teaspoon
Toddlers – 2 years: 1 tablespoon for toddlers to 2 years
Children under 5: ½ cup (honey may be added to sweeten to taste. Serve warm)
Ages 5 and over: 1 cup (honey may be added to sweeten to taste. Serve warm) In infants: give baby ½ to 1 tsp (2.5-5ml) of gripe water as required or with a feed, up to 3 times daily unless prescribed otherwise. It can be administered via a syringe into the side of baby’s cheek (not straight down the back of the throat) or mixed with a little expressed breast milk.