How Gripe Water Works? Is it Safe for my Baby?

Gripe water has been around for way over a century, and it is here to stay for the reasons I am going to talk about in this post. It is an over-the-counter liquid used to relieve gastrointestinal symptoms in babies, safely. A huge number of companies that make and sell it don’t use the exact same formula but it is pretty much based on the original formulation that was invented by William Woodward, an English pharmacist. The main ingredients of gripe water are sodium bicarbonate and dill seed oil.

Let’s have a look at both and see whether they are safe for infant consumption.

Sodium Bicarbonate: Also known as baking soda, sodium bicarbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid in the stomach to produce water, salt and carbon dioxide. Hence it treats indigestion and heartburn by acting as an anti-acid. Apart from that it also decreases acidity in blood (acidity causes calcium loss through urine) hence strengthening bones.

Dill Seed Oil: It is an essential oil extracted from the seeds of the Dill (Anethum graveolens) plant which belongs to the celery family. The oil smells like grass and is pale yellow in color. The chemical components of the oil are limonene, α-pinene, γ-Terpinene, decanal, terpinene-4-ol, β-elemene, cis-Dihydrocarvone and caryophyllene, trans-hydrocarbon, carvone and dillapiole. Here carvone is the main component that gives dill seed oil the ability to aid digestion by stimulating and releasing gastric juices, and prevents gas formation in the intestines. Carvone also provides a calming and soothing effect, hence promotes good sleep. Dillapiole has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. The rest of the components are powerful antioxidants that protect against a wide range of diseases.

Have you tried gripe water? Do you find it effective? Please share your experience and view below, would love to hear!


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