Should You Give Gripe Water To Your Fussy Baby?

Health Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society don’t take a position on gripe water, but many doctors view it with suspicion. “I have never recommended it, nor would I,” says Ponti. “There are no medical benefits to using gripe water. In fact, I recommend against its use.”

You should definitely stay away from versions with any alcohol, says Ponti. And, though most gripe water formulas may be little more than sugar water, she worries that using it may cause parents to overlook other reasons for their baby’s discomfort. “If you have a cranky, irritable, colicky baby, are they in pain for some reason other than colic?” she says.

“Colic is a diagnosis of exclusion, so you don’t want to use gripe water and have a false sense of security that you’re helping your child.”

Administering water to babies (gripe water or otherwise) also goes against the thinking that infants should only be given breastmilk or formula until they’re six months old—a position taken by the World Health Organization.

Read on for some alternatives you can try if you're dealing with a gassy or fussy baby.