Most pediatric health organizations recommend against giving gripe water to a newborn. The World Health Organization advises that infants receive nothing other than breast milk or formula for the first six months of life, and gripe water falls squarely in the “nothing other” category. Despite its long-standing popularity, there is no scientific evidence that gripe water is safe or effective for babies, and recent safety concerns make it worth understanding what you’re actually giving your child.
Why the First Six Months Matter
A newborn’s digestive system is still developing, and introducing anything beyond breast milk or formula during the first six months can increase the risk of bacterial contamination, allergic reactions, and intestinal irritation. Gripe water given soon after birth can also interfere with breastfeeding by delaying its establishment and reducing milk supply.
Despite these guidelines, gripe water use remains widespread. A survey of 200 mothers in Sheffield found that 64% had given their baby gripe water within the first month of life. The gap between what parents do and what health authorities recommend is partly because gripe water has been marketed for generations as a gentle, natural remedy. But “natural” doesn’t mean risk-free, especially for a newborn.
What’s Actually in Gripe Water
Modern gripe water formulas typically contain some combination of chamomile, fennel, ginger, and peppermint, often in highly diluted homeopathic concentrations. Some brands also include sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), which is meant to neutralize stomach acid. Older formulations historically contained alcohol, sometimes as much as 9%, though most brands sold today are alcohol-free.
The ingredient list might sound harmless, but the lack of standardization is a real problem. Gripe water is not approved as a medication by the FDA. It’s sold as a dietary supplement, which means it doesn’t go through the same rigorous testing for safety and effectiveness that drugs do. Different brands can contain different ingredients in different concentrations, and quality control varies widely.
No Evidence It Works for Colic or Gas
The core promise of gripe water is that it soothes a fussy, gassy, or colicky baby. The evidence doesn’t support that claim. While ginger and fennel can help settle stomach discomfort in adults and older children, babies’ digestive systems work differently, and none of these ingredients have been proven effective in infants.
One study actually found the opposite of what parents hope for: infantile colic and constipation were significantly more common in infants who received gripe water compared to those who didn’t. Researchers believe the soothing effect parents sometimes observe likely comes from the sweet taste itself, which activates a pain-dampening response in infants, not from any medicinal action of the herbs.
Serious Safety Concerns
The risks go beyond “it probably doesn’t work.” In 2007, the FDA investigated the illness of a six-week-old infant in Minnesota who consumed a flavored gripe water product and confirmed the presence of cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes severe diarrheal illness. The agency advised consumers to discard the product.
More recently, in April 2025, the FDA issued a warning letter to the maker of Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water Original after the company received reports of infants choking, infants who stopped breathing, and infants admitted to the hospital after being given the product. The FDA found that the company had received reports of multiple serious adverse events between December 2019 and August 2024 without properly reporting them to the agency. One case involved a two-month-old who developed a 101.8-degree fever after two doses and was hospitalized for five days. Testing showed E. coli infection.
Sodium bicarbonate, found in many gripe water formulas, poses its own risks for newborns. In a baby’s tiny body, it can cause rapid shifts in blood pH and fluctuations in blood flow to the brain. In premature infants, sodium bicarbonate administration has been linked to a type of brain bleeding called intraventricular hemorrhage.
Signs of an Allergic Reaction
If a baby has been given gripe water and develops any of these symptoms, it could signal a serious allergic reaction:
- Skin changes: flushing, hives, or intense itching and scratching
- Digestive symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, or difficulty swallowing
- Breathing changes: drooling more than usual, coughing, wheezing, or leaning forward
- Behavioral changes: unusual drowsiness or irritability
Allergic reactions in infants are easy to miss because many of these signs, like spitting up, drooling, and sleepiness, overlap with normal baby behavior. The key is that these symptoms appear shortly after giving a new substance and seem out of proportion to what’s typical for your baby.
What Actually Helps With Gas
Infant gas is normal and almost always resolves on its own as a baby’s digestive system matures. In the meantime, several physical techniques can help move gas through without introducing anything into your baby’s body.
Laying your baby flat on their back and gently moving their legs in a bicycling motion works as a simple massage that helps trapped gas pass. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends supervised tummy time, which puts gentle pressure on the belly and encourages gas to move along. As a bonus, tummy time strengthens your baby’s upper body and helps prevent flat spots on the head.
Gentle belly massage, burping your baby more frequently during and after feeds, and checking the latch or bottle angle to reduce air swallowing are all approaches that carry zero risk. For formula-fed babies, switching to a different formula or trying a slower-flow nipple can sometimes reduce gas. Colic, for all the stress it causes parents, typically peaks around six weeks and resolves by three to four months without any treatment at all.