Today experts don’t fully understand how gripe water might help soothe tummy troubles, but it’s thought that ingredients like dill, fennel and ginger can help with gas relief and stomach discomfort. The original gripe water, first used by nannies and moms in England in the 1850s, contained alcohol - which people used to think relaxed babies (now we know that giving any alcohol to a baby can be toxic). But the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says they’re a safe option to try, and they’re unlikely to cause any potential side effects. Like gripe water, gas drops aren’t proven to be effective. These drops contain simethicone, an anti-foaming agent that breaks up bubbles in the digestive tract, which can help gas pass. It's worth noting that gripe water is different than over-the-counter baby gas drops. Some experts think gripe water might be effective at soothing fussy babies simply because it tastes sweet. Still, believers say some of the ingredients in gripe water formulas, including dill, fennel and ginger, can help relieve gas and stomach discomfort (and in turn may be beneficial for infants with colic, which is thought to be caused at least in part by gas in certain cases). Gripe water is an over-the-counter liquid supplement of sodium bicarbonate and herbs (like fennel, ginger, chamomile, dill, lemon balm or peppermint, depending on the formula).Īlong with claims that it eases gas pains and other stomach problems, gripe water is also marketed as a remedy for teething pain, hiccups and sometimes even colic, among other common baby issues.īut while plenty of parents swear by the stuff, there’s not much hard evidence that gripe water actually does soothe troubled little tummies.

Grape water