Quit Your Griping!

Tanner and Abigail (mostly Abigail) had some fussy moments the first month or so we had them home from the hospital. It tended to happen after eating and/or at bedtime. Matt researched various techniques and remedies to soothe fussy babies and he came across something called Gripe Water.
Gripe Water has been used by mothers for over a century to provide relief from the discomforts of colic, stomach cramps, hiccups, gas and teething. It is a homeopathic remedy that contains fennel and ginger, both of which have long been shown to be beneficial for easing nausea and pain due to baby stomach gas and other symptoms of colic. It is usually given just before or just after feeding, but can be given any time a baby shows signs of distress or discomfort.
I was skeptical but since I was running out of options, I bought a bottle at our local Rite Aid. The bottle was in the house for a few days before we actually cracked it open. Each night we would put Tanner and Abigail to bed and despite our best efforts Abby would become more and more fussy. Matt would ask, "Do you want to try the Gripe Water?" I was very hesitant and usually responded by saying something like, "Let's try more vibrations." or "I will rock her for a little while." Eventually things came to a head, the bottle was opened, and 5 mL of Gripe Water was given. We didn't hear from her for the rest of the night...she (almost instantly) fell asleep with her pacifier and the soothing vibrations of her bassinet! It was AMAZING...Matt had found a miracle elixir!
Since that night Abby was given Gripe Water almost every evening for about two months, sometimes Tanner got some too. The 5 mL (which is equal to 1 teaspoon) was just enough to calm them and take care of any gas they had in their little bellies at bedtime. We used it occasionally for hiccups and other fussy times during the day, but mostly at bedtime. I introduced Gripe Water to my sister and her daughter Emily (who is about eight weeks younger than the Twinkies) when we were visiting last summer. She was amazed at how fast it took effect and quickly went out and bought a bottle.
We haven't used Gripe Water for over six months now, in fact I gave away the unopened bottle I had to a friend who had twins in March. I would (and do) recommend Gripe Water to any mom who asks about remedies for colic, stomach cramps, hiccups, and gas. It would be a great addition to a baby shower gift basket. It is one of those things that is great to have on hand because when you need it you don't want to have to run to the store to buy it.