As a note of caution, you should never forget that your baby’s safety is your top priority. You should always ask your doctor if a substance is safe for your baby to take. Even the safest substances however are not always full proof solutions. They may either not work on your baby at all, work only minimally or your baby may spit out the substance in the course of crying.
Gripe Water
Some babies with colic calm down when given gripe water. There are many gripe water brands to choose from. Not every parent or expert though would agree to the advisability of using these products for babies. This is especially after some gripe water products have been recalled.
Some experts point out that some herbal extracts contained in some gripe water brands may not be safe for babies. Sodium bicarbonate which is contained in some gripe water brands is also suspected of being responsible for certain internal chemical side effects. Sodium bicarbonate may interfere with the stomach pH balance and the electrolytes of babies. If you want to consider using gripe water to keep your baby with colic calm, then you have to be careful with your product choice.
Homeopathic Gripe Water
Aside from synthetic and purely herbal medications, people with various conditions also have homeopathic medicines as an option for treatment. Homeopathic solutions are created by diluting original substances. The small amount of the substances in a solution is intended to promote the body’s own natural capacity to help heal itself.
One brand of homeopathic solution for colic in babies is Colic Calm. Parents have some reason to be excited over this product. It is completely natural but at the same time does not contain potent concentrations of natural herbs. It also does not contain sodium bicarbonate. Because it is homeopathic, its use will not promote side effects. The ingredients that have undergone the homeopathic procedure are fennel, vegetable carbon, ginger, chamomile, peppermint, caraway, aloe, lemon balm and blackthorn.
Asking Others
You may or may not be sold out to using Colic Calm or other brands of oral solutions for colic. If you are considering trying one or two of them, you should at least find out as much as you can about a product.
Aside from asking your doctor about the advisability of letting your baby take anything, you can also ask other parents. Message boards, forums and review sites are filled with valuable accounts of parent experiences with colic solution products.
At the same time, you should also make it a point to go over product sites. Find out about herbal solutions, homeopathy and the effects of both undiluted and diluted natural ingredients on the body. Over and above your desire to put a cap on colic should be your priority to keep your baby safe.
Colic Tip #1
Be Patient: Colic problems will lessen with age, so realize that things will get better in the future. In the mean time, try to stay calm, reassuring and loving. The best thing for your child is a well-rested parent.
Colic Tip #2
Feed Less But More Often: Whether breast feeding or bottle feeding, try feeding a baby with colic half as much as usual and twice as often. Little tummies can’t handle getting too much too fast and the breakdown of lactose can cause an increase in intestinal gas.
Colic Tip #3
Enlist Help: One if the best things you can do if you have a colicky baby is to give yourself a break and get away from it all. Get your spouse, parents, aunts, uncles or even a babysitter to lend a hand for a while so you can rest and recharge your batteries.