You are so worried because your baby keeps crying for long hours. You try to soothe or settle him, but it’s ineffective. His tummy rumbles, and he’s windy. Those might be the symptoms of colic.
Colic often peaks when a baby is about 6 weeks old. It will decline when the infant gets older (after 3,4 months). During this period, colic will add significant stress and frustration for parents caring for the newborn.
There is no conclusion about the causes of colic. It may result from various contributing factors such as food allergies or intolerances, lack of healthy bacteria and an un-fully developed digestive system, overfeeding,...
Gripe water is a remedy for comforting the baby’s colic symptoms. Many parents also consider using medical treatments (such as gas drops), changing baby formulas, or adding more probiotics to the digestive system to cure the factors.
Can you use gas drops and gripe water together? The manufacturers never tell you that but we will. Let's find out together.
Can you use gas drops and gripe water together: Why do the manufacturers tell you no?
Gripe water is a liquid herbal supplement that includes water and different herbs, which vary based on the manufacturers. You can find this alternative medicine in pharmacies or grocery stores.
It has long been an old home remedy to cure babies' colic, intestinal discomfort, and teething pain. Herbs in Gripe water are supposed to soothe a baby’s tummy, making them feel more comfortable and not cry inconsolably.
Sometimes, parents mix gripe water with baby formula so they can drink more easily. However, manufacturers do not recommend we use gripe water with anything else.
The first reason is that chemical reactions between ingredients can make babies sick or allergic. In addition, gripe water is a mild mixture already; the mixing can weaken the result. You should let the baby use gripe water by itself and check the ingredients carefully if you want to mix it with something else.
Possible chemical reactions between gas drops and gripe water:
Gas drops are a medical treatment containing simethicone - a safe medication for babies. This ingredient helps to gently break down gas bubbles in the baby’s tummy, which is helpful for colic and gassiness. You can easily find gas drop products such as Little Remedies Gas Relief Drops.
Do you need to dilute gripe water?
You do not need to dilute gripe water. Gripe water is a gentle alternative medicine for babies. They can consume it themselves. Any dilution may weaken the solution, so it may not perform well if not giving the sufficient dosage.
If the baby does not like the taste of gripe water and keeps ejecting it, use a baby medicine dropper or mix it with water or baby formula and feed them in a bottle.
Make sure to store the gripe water properly in a cool and dry location, such as your dresser drawer or a kitchen cabinet, to avoid damaging bacteria and fungi. Don't forget to check the expiration date and not to use out-of-date products that are dangerous for your baby.
Can you use gas drops and gripe water together?
Dill seed oils and sodium bicarbonate are two key components of gripe water, while gas drops contain simethicone.
There is no proof of the potential chemical reactions between these ingredients yet. Depending on the baby's symptoms, you can use both gas drop and gripe water to treat colic separately or together.
However, you should consult your healthcare professional doctor or pharmacist for a suitable dosage of each medicine to achieve maximum effectiveness.
Can you use colief and gripe water together?
Your baby’s tummy’s discomfort sometimes happens because they cannot fully digest the milk. The undigested lactose produces lactic acid, which causes bloating, wind, and griping pain.
Lactase - a safe and natural enzyme in Colief, will be helpful for babies who have temporary lactose intolerance. This enzyme helps to break down the lactose in baby formula, breast milk, or other dairy products.
While Colief helps the baby digest food better, gripe water is supposed to soothe a baby’s tummy and make them feel better. You can use Colief and gripe water together because there is no proof of chemical interaction between them.
Can you use simethicone and gripe water?
Simethicone is an anti-flatulent medicine with two active ingredients: silica gel and dimethicone. Simethicone will be useful if your baby’s colic come from the gas from food or swallowing of air. It breaks down small gas bubbles in a baby's stomach into larger ones, which can be passed more easily.
Simethicone and gripe water are both helpful in relieving a baby’s tummy pain. The active ingredients of products are similar, but there will be some differences in inactive ones, depending on the manufacturers. Use simethicone and gripe water separately to avoid any side effects for the infants.
Can gripe water be mixed with breastmilk?
Gripe water is not always tasty for all babies. Many of them don't like the taste and refuse to swallow it. In this case, mixing gripe water with breastmilk in the bottle and then feeding them may be the better solution.
However, if the baby can swallow the gripe water, you should give it to them directly after feeding to achieve the highest effectiveness.
Can you use gripe water with anti-reflux milk?
Anti-reflux milk is a common solution for babies with reflux and regurgitation problems. Containing carob bean gum, Anti-reflux milk is a thickened formula so the milk can lay down in your little one’s tummy.
Many anti-reflux kinds of milk, such as Enfamil, should not be combined with antacids or other thickeners. Gripe water contains Sodium Bicarbonate as an antacid, so we should not use it as a combination with anti-reflux milk.
Can you use gripe water with comfort milk?
Comfort milk is a nutritionally complete formula that is thickened and reduces lactose. They designed this product for the diet of babies with colic and constipation.
You should not use gripe water with comfort milk because it’s not recommended to be used with other food thickeners or antacids. You should check again with the pediatrician before using the comfort milk or mixing it with any different medical supplements.
Can you use gripe water with Dentinox together?
When the infant’s stomach is uncomfortable, Dentinox can help to release trapped wind. Its active ingredient is simethicone, which helps relieve a baby's tummy pain and indigestion.
You can use Dentinox and gripe water together because there is no chemical interaction between the key ingredients. The taste of Dentinox is a little spicy, so many babies don't like it. So you should mix Dentinox with baby formula or breastmilk and feed the baby, then use gripe water separately after feeding.
Can you use gripe water with probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that bring health benefits to your body. They boost the immune system and reduce inflammation and allergies. Probiotics are useful for preventing and treating some cases of diarrhea.
Probiotics supplements come in many forms, from powder to liquid drops, which can be put directly into the baby's mouth. You should mix the probiotics powder in the bottle with the room-temperature formula, breastmilk, or water.
Diluting gripe water is not recommended by manufacturers, so you should not add it together with a mixture of milk/water and probiotics. However, gripe water and probiotics can support each other in curing colic, so we suggest you choose probiotic gripe water such as Wellements Probiotic Gripe Water.
Can you use gripe water with Pepcid?
We use Pepcid for the stomach or intestinal ulcers to prevent and treat heartburn. In addition, it helps cure a sour stomach caused by too much acid after eating or drinking milk.
The active ingredient of Pepcid is famotidine, which reduces the amount of acid in the stomach. There is no potential drug interaction between the main ingredients of Gripe water and Pepcid, so that you can use them together. However, to avoid any side effects from the interaction of inactive ingredients, you should check the manufacturer's instructions or ask for a doctor’s consultation.
Can you use gripe water with Nutramigen?
If your infant has a severe cow’s milk allergy, you will need to use Nutramigen. It is an extensively hydrolyzed, hypoallergenic formula for infants from birth to 6 months old.
There is no warning about using gripe water with Nutramigen. Babies can consume the Nutramigen formula and use gripe water drops to smooth their tummy. You can use them separately or consult the doctor’s advice before mixing them.
Can you use gripe water with Carobel?
If your baby is in the condition of rumination or chronic and recurrent vomiting, the doctor may prescribe you use Carobel. It helps to thicken baby formula to avoid vomit. You should notice that it will take 3 - 4 minutes for the formula to become thicker.
You should follow the instructions for the preparation carefully. If you want to use gripe water with Carobel, please ask for advice from the doctor.
Closing
Many parents struggle to care for colicky babies, so you are not alone. Always be patient with your baby, observe their symptoms to find potential causes, and use the correct treatment.
We hope that this kind of information is helpful for you in answering the question, “Can you use gas drops and gripe water together?”. Gripe water can help cure your baby’s colic. The manufacturer does not recommend you mix it with other treatments or liquids, so you should consider using them separately. Please notice that all products’ ingredients vary based on the manufacturers, so consulting a doctor’s necessary to feel assured and have a high effectiveness result.