Benefits Of Gripe Water
Gripe Water for infants was first used in 1851 England. The basic ingredients are fennel, ginger, and chamomile. When made with natural ingredients free of alcohol or sugar it is basically a simple gestational herbal tea. You can safely give to an infant daily if needed for gas and tummy troubles in babies.
Both of my children have had stomach issues. My oldest was colicky for 8 weeks. It was terrible. But once I discovered gripe water it was by far the best colic remedy I could find. More often than not the crying would subside, and finally, sleep was had! My new baby is not colicky, thank goodness! But the doctor has suspected a mild acid reflux issue. I give her a little of this gripe water about once a week or when I can tell the baby is suffering from gas pains.
Gripe Water is such a simple and natural way to soothe their tummies and induce much-needed sleep most of the time. The FDA allows Gripe Water to be sold over the counter. The medical community as a whole has not agreed on the effectiveness of Gripe Water. If you have ever had an upset stomach and been soothed by drinking a tincture of herbals, then you can only imagine the effect the same would have on a sweet baby.
Never use honey in a gripe recipe if you intend to use it for a baby younger than one-year-old. Honey creates botulism in infants’ stomachs and has been linked to SIDS. If you must have a sweetener adding agave is an excellent alternative. For babies under 1 year, the dose should only be about 5 ml per day.
You can add it to bottle, or you can even drink ½ a cup yourself to make your breast milk easier to digest. Do not keep the brewed mix for more than 4 days as the infusion will be become bitter. If you need something a little stronger after dealing with a colicky baby for hours on end, maybe you should brew up some homemade adult beverages too. See our Plum Wine, Apple Wine, or Moonshine Mash.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water, boiling hot
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, sliced
- 1 drop peppermint essential oil
- 2 tablespoons crushed fennel seed
- 2 teaspoons light agave nectar
- 2 bags or 2 tablespoons chamomile tea
- 1 cup purified water, cold
Instructions
- Add the ginger, fennel, chamomile, and agave to the hot water
- Cover the mixture and steep for 40 minutes.
- Strain all the items out of the golden liquid.
- Add the peppermint oil and cold water.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.