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With one in four babies experiencing colic, or excessive crying for no apparent reason, it’s no wonder many parents are willing to try just about anything—including gripe water—to soothe their little ones[1]. But what is gripe water exactly, and does it even work?
Read on for a fact-based approach to gripe water, with insights from pediatricians and research on its safety and efficacy.
What Is Gripe Water?
Gripe water is an over-the-counter herbal supplement available in liquid form and sold everywhere from drugstores to health food stores. Many brands market it to new parents as a remedy to ease infant gas and colic, among other baby ailments like teething and hiccups.
Originally developed to treat fevers caused by malaria in the 1800s, gripe water’s usage has evolved over time. In fact, it was actually nannies and mothers in England in the 1850s who started using the original version—which, notably, included alcohol—as a remedy for babies with colic.
What Ingredients Are in Gripe Water?
“These days, you just don’t know what is in it,” says John Vann, M.D., a pediatrician at Omaha Children’s Clinic in Omaha, Nebraska, referencing the over-the-counter gripe water marketed for babies. “These products aren’t regulated by the FDA, so I never recommend them.”
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Nevertheless, Dr. Vann says many patients ask him about it. In fact, a study in Pediatrics found about 9% of babies are given herbal products in the first year of life, with gripe water being the most popular of options[2].
While the older versions of commercially-sold gripe water included alcohol, brands sold in the U.S. today typically contain various forms of dill and bicarbonate. When combined, the dill is thought to have a “carminative” effect that soothes a baby’s gas pain. Recent studies have noted, however, that perceived benefit might actually come from gripe water’s sweet taste[3].
For comparison, here are the ingredient lists for a few popular gripe water brands:
- Little Remedies Gripe Water: Zingiber officinale (ginger) root extract, foeniculum vulgare (fennel) seed extract, purified water, agave vegetable glycerin, glycerin, natural ginger flavor, potassium sorbate, citric acid and xanthan gum.
- Wellements Organic Nighttime Gripe Water: Water, organic ginger root extract, organic fennel seed extract, organic chamomile flower extract, organic lemon balm leaf extract, organic passionflower flower extract, organic agave syrup, organic lemon juice concentrate, organic glycerin, organic lemon juice powder and sodium bicarbonate.
- Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water: Deionized water, vegetable glycerin, sodium bicarbonate, citrus bioflavonoid extract, citric acid, potassium sorbate, organic zingiber officinale (ginger root) extract, organic foeniculum vulgare (fennel seed) extract and natural fennel flavor.
“One cannot assume all of these herbal preparations are safe for babies and free [of] side effects,” states research in the Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics. 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]. Not all formulas contain the ingredient, as shown in the Little Remedies example above.
Beware of Gripe Water Marketing Claims
Gripe water is considered a dietary supplement, meaning it doesn’t need Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to be sold in the U.S. Companies can send their gripe water product to market and it can be put on store shelves without any safety or quality testing—such as clinical trials to prove their products’ alleged health benefits, safety and effectiveness. 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. It’s a bit of a play on words. For example, brands can’t say their gripe water will cure colic, but they can say it may help babies with colic.
“Supplement makers are very good at advertising along the fine line of not actually claiming their product is a medical treatment,” says San Diego, California-based pediatrician Jennifer Chen, M.D. She encourages parents to use caution any time they see something like “pediatrician recommended” on a label, as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not endorse or comment on the effectiveness of specific products or equipment.
Is Gripe Water Effective?
“Usually, when families ask me about gripe water, they’ve tried it already,” says Dr. Chen. “When I ask them if it helped, some of them say, ‘maybe.’”
Despite plenty of anecdotal evidence, the research showing that gripe water settles upset little tummies and dries tiny tears is pretty lacking.
One study in Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research interviewed 335 mothers in India and found 64% were giving their babies gripe water (the majority at the insistence of their elders). 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].
“Giving your baby gripe water probably won’t hurt,” says Dr. Chen, “but it likely won’t help much, either.”
Alternatives to Gripe Water
Because gripe water is a supplement and not regulated by the FDA, Dr. Vann suggests chamomile and ginger tea as an alternative. “I recommend 1 milliliter every hour as needed for fussiness,” he says. “It may or may not help, but it won’t hurt.”
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].
Weighing the Risks and Benefits
If you’re curious and want to give gripe water a try, Dr. Vann says it’s important to weigh the risks and benefits and talk with your pediatrician about your baby’s symptoms. “If you have a one-month-old who’s crying so much you’re up all night, then he needs to be seen by a doctor,” says Dr. Vann. “This is one of the reasons why gripe water is not recommended for newborns.”
You May Also Be Interested In Bestselling Gripe Water Available On Amazon
| # | Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Little Remedies Gripe Water-No Alcohol, Sodium… | $8.59 | Buy on Amazon | |
| 2 |
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Wellements Organic Gripe Water, 4 Fl Oz, Eases… |
4,727 Reviews |
$8.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Mommy’s Bliss Organic Gripe Water Gel for… |
949 Reviews |
$9.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Mommy’s Bliss – Gripe Water Night Time – 4 FL OZ… |
9,758 Reviews |
$11.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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WaterWipes Biodegradable Original Baby… |
63,414 Reviews |
$28.36 | Buy on Amazon |
What to Know If You Choose to Give Your Baby Gripe Water
Other pediatricians note that while gripe water is generally considered safe to try, it’s best to opt for alcohol-and-sugar-free formulations. Also, be sure to:
- Check the packaging for specific dosage instructions and confirm them with your doctor.
- Place the medicine dropper straight into your baby’s mouth and slowly press the dropper against the inside of their cheek.
So, there you have it: Trying gripe water or an alternative isn’t a bad thing, and many parents (and grandparents) swear by it. 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.
