Colic Drops Or Gripe Water What’S The Difference?
As I think back over the time when the kids were young, I wish I knew then what I know now. When the oldest first started the non-stop crying and jerking his legs, I didn’t know what to think. His father was out-of-town on the job, and I was going out of my mind, until an older woman next door told me she thought it was the colic.
Once I got the baby to the doctor, she confirmed it. The excessive crying; the bloating and rumbling of his little tummy, the clenched fists and flushed face, were all signs of colic. She asked if the symptoms went away or got better when the baby went number two or passed gas. YES, so it was colic! She assured me it was benign problem and would go away on its own in a few weeks.
I can’t tell you just how relieved I was. I went straight to the store and got some colic infant products and within a few days, the colic symptoms were greatly reduced. Then both the kid and I could finally get some much needed sleep.
If you have ever been in a situation like this then you need to read this article and learn the ins and outs of the many colic infant products like colic drops and gripe water.
Colic Infant Products: It’s a Jungle Out there
You only have to step into any drugstore or pharmacy and you will see what I am talking about. The baby section is practically overflowing with a ton of different things for colic, infant products and colic drops. You could spend all day, walking the aisles and just reading the labels.
First off, understand that colic is not something you need to feel guilty about. You didn’t do anything wrong! Studies have shown that it doesn’t matter whether you breastfeed or use a formula, or if you are a stay-at-home mom or have to work outside the house, almost 1/3 to 1/2 of all babies end up with the colic.
In fact, a lot of modern medical professionals believe that colic may be the result of baby’s digestive system learning to adjust to life outside the womb. So learning to choose the best colic drop is important when you have a newborn.
What are Colic Infant Products and Colic Drops?
The majority of infant colic products fail under to main categories: gripe water or colic drops. Gripe water was first commercially developed in England in 1851, oddly enough by an American, named William Woodward. Woodward was working as a pharmacist.
Most modern gripe waters formulas contain the same ingredients of dill seed oil or anise seed oil and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as the first ones. The herbal oils settle baby’s stomach and the baking soda relieves any gas build-ups.
Colic drops on the other hand can be either made from a form of gripe water or a natural herbal tonic or from the drug simethicone. Simethicone colic drops and similar formulated colic infant products have anti-gas agents that break up gas bubbles before they can start hurting.
So which of these colic infant products: colic drops or gripe water should you use? What I have learned is that sometimes you may have to use both, depending on your baby. First you should try some colic drops made for infants from natural ingredients. If that doesn’t help ease baby’ pain, you can move up a products containing anti-gas agents like simethicone.
Just remember simethicone colic drops comparable colic infant products should only be used under the care of a doctor.