Should You Give Gripe Water To Your Fussy Baby?

If you haven’t heard of it before, you may be surprised to know that gripe water has a history that dates back to before Canadian Confederation. Developed in Britain in 1851 from a formula that was used to treat malaria, gripe water originally contained a mixture of sugar, sodium bicarbonate and nearly four percent alcohol.

Given that beer at this strength can have a calming effect on fully grown adults, it’s easy to see why the mixture produced results among babies.

Fortunately, gripe water has evolved, though slowly, partly due to alcoholic versions being banned in the United States in 1982. In some countries, like Canada, you can still find some brands of gripe water for babies containing tiny amounts of alcohol, though most modern formulas don’t, and they may feature sugar.

Depending on the manufacturer, it can also contain herbs like dill, ginger, fennel, licorice, chamomile and peppermint. There are also DIY recipes for people who want to make it themselves.