Homemade Gripe Water RecipeWhen my baby son was just 6 week old, a visitor came to our house. This visitor was intrusive, uninvited, and irritated my son beyond belief. Nothing we did would make this visitor leave. I’m talking about the dreaded colic.

Colic was a condition I didn’t deal with when my daughter was a baby. But, boy did colic turn my otherwise sweet baby boy turns into the devil spawn…for no reason. He grunts, farts, contorts himself into strange positions, and cries the loudest cry I’ve ever heard come out of a little person!

According to experts, colic often increases during a specific period of the day-for me it is usually when I am ready for a cocktail hour. Symptoms usually deteriorate soon after feeding, and when the little whooper snapper can’t rip out a good burp or fart.

Colic often appears suddenly and without warning within the first month of life and usually past the time you can give them back to the hospital because the “fuel system” has a leak. But, the good news is, it usually disappears suddenly and by the time all of your hair has turned gray. The “experts” say this is by the time the baby is three to four months old, but can last up to 12 months-long-excruciating-hair graying months.

The even BETTER news is, there is such thing as Gripe Water. Now, you can buy the fancy commercial brand but when you are in a pinch or you are trying to pinch your pennies, try this homemade baby gripe water for instant relief.

Gripe Water Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of water
  • 2 teaspoons of chamomile (appr. 2 tea bags)
  • 1 teaspoon of crushed fennel or dill seeds
  • 2 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of agave nectar

Directions

  1. Crush Fennel/dill seeds, chamomile, and ginger with a mortar andpestal (or a ziplock bag and a rolling pin). Make sure seeds are completely broke up to release the active part of the seed.
  2. Put all your ingredients (except agave) in a tea ball and add to the 3 cups of boiling water.
  3. Allow to boil for a couple of minutes and then, turning off the heat & allow it to steep for 20 minutes or so with the lid on your pot.
  4. Strain and add agave.
  5. Store in a sealed container (a glass jar works well) in the fridge for a couple of days.
  6. Give 5-10ml as needed (I would not exceed more then 6 times a day) before feedings or as needed.