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Infant feeding

Anyone used gripe water?

28 replies

spongebrainbigpants · 12/07/2008 19:06

My DS (4 weeks old) gets really bad wind - he's as good as gold and doesn't scream the place down he just wriggles and squirms and grunts and groans. He looks in so much discomfort and as much as dh and me try and try to help him get it out we're often not successful.

We've tried infacol with limited success but have been recommended gripe water.

Has anyone else used it? Does it work? How long can we use it for?

Any advice gratefully received cos it breaks my heart seeing my little man so uncomfortable.

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katpotat · 12/07/2008 19:10

Gave it to our wee one around this age....she hated it DH was in tears after her gave her it too! Went back to infacol, after health visitor said she was too wee for gripe water. Kept her upright for around twenty mins after feed, this seemed to help. Hope things improve for your wee man

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babyOcho · 12/07/2008 21:07

infacol does take a few days before it starts to work as it needs to build up. for dd, infacol was more effective in the early days. however, we did find that gripe water was better in the later days as it worked more as a distraction.
good luck.

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whatdayisit · 12/07/2008 21:11

Gripe water was like a miracle cure for DS1, he'd take one spoonful,smile and settle, Didn't seem to have any effect at all on DS2.

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jammi · 13/07/2008 20:04

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OldieButGoldie · 13/07/2008 21:25

Another thumbs up here, also used half dose administered with a syringe, and DS would settle within a couple of minutes. He didn't seem to mind the taste either, just seemed a little surprised by it.

When he got a bit older he could bring wind up much easier and we didn't need the gripe water anymore.

Good luck!!

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Essie3 · 13/07/2008 21:32

Trying it now. Watch this space!

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OatcakeCravings · 13/07/2008 21:38

Hi,

I would really like to hear how you get on with the gripe water. Am thinking about buying it for my son - he is 6 weeks old, is that too young?

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BigBadMousey · 13/07/2008 21:43

You can take it from one month old.

I have a squirmy 6 week old here - he really dislikes infacol and screams so much when he gets it he takes in more air than when he doesn't have it. It's gripe water for us next if necessary.

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pedilia · 13/07/2008 21:45

How strange I have just given DD4 gripe water, she hates Infacol but loves gripe water, she has now settled.

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Brownhare · 13/07/2008 22:32

Used both infacol and gripe water with our dd who's now 17weeks but used up until about 3 weeks ago as she had quite bad wind. You need to wait until the bubs are a month old before using though. Would highly recommend it as it saw us through some pretty rough moments and dd seemed to love the taste. Almost like she knew it would help her out.

Good luck - it's tough but it does pass.

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nelliesmum · 13/07/2008 22:41

Its no good since they took the alcohol out...

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spongebrainbigpants · 14/07/2008 19:13

thanks guys, we had a really bad night with LO last night so planning to use gripe water tonight - let's hope it's a miracle cure for him too!

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BigBadMousey · 14/07/2008 22:52

Fingers crossed it works for you all!

This stage doesn't last long - honestly.

Just had a nose at your profile - I bet you are really chuffed to have him. Like your chatname lots btw .

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springerspaniel · 15/07/2008 11:29

Gripe water didn't help us but we got him to take it in a bottle with a little boiled water. (Was bfing but bottle wasn't a problem.)

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spongebrainbigpants · 15/07/2008 17:33

Well the gripe water doesn't appear to have made any difference - are we being too impatient? Have used it since last night and kind of got the impression it would work pretty much straight away, maybe that was my misconception.

BBM, thanks for your comments - yes, we are truly amazingly chuffed to have him. He is absolutely gorgeous and really well behaved most of the time. Just feel like a bit of a clueless idiot with alot of this baby stuff but I suppose that's true of most new mums! Very of your family - I always wanted 3 or 4 kids, not sure how realistic that is now though .

Oh and thanks for the comment on the chatname - really sums me up at the mo unfortunately!

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tiktok · 15/07/2008 17:40

Sponge - this might sound odd, but are you sure he is in distress? Squirming and grunting and groaning is what a lot of babies do...doesn't necessarily mean they are really uncomfortable, especially as you say he doesn;t cry.

Is the squirming interfering with his feeding - I mean, does it make him come off the breast (or bottle - not sure how you are feeding) and make feeds a struggle?

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spongebrainbigpants · 15/07/2008 18:17

tiktok, no not sure he's in distress at all! Is this normal baby behaviour then?! I'm a clueless new mum so maybe completely over-reacting to something that all babies do .

I'm ff him and it doesn't interfer with his feeds usually. Although he can get v wriggly when being winded and then sometimes doesn't want to take the rest of his bottle - but then he might not be that hungry!

Should I just leave him to make all these noises then? He looks really uncomfortable .

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elmoandella · 15/07/2008 18:20

infacol should also be taken half an hour before a feed for maximum results.

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spongebrainbigpants · 15/07/2008 18:25

how do I know what's half an hour before a feed when I'm demand feeding?!

told you I'm clueless mum!

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elmoandella · 15/07/2008 18:33

i had this proplem with ds. so had to give him it when he was girning for a feed. and then see how long we could hold off till it was a full force scream. usually never half an hour.

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elmoandella · 15/07/2008 18:33

i had this proplem with ds. so had to give him it when he was girning for a feed. and then see how long we could hold off till it was a full force scream. usually never half an hour.

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tiktok · 15/07/2008 21:27

sponge - aha! I think it is what (some) babies do, then. 4 week old babies are not 'brave' or 'stoical' - if they are uncomfortable or in distress they cry.

What does your HV say? She can at least see him and if she is any use at all she will know what is 'normal'.

To be honest, it sounds normal to me

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spongebrainbigpants · 15/07/2008 22:36

Lol! I wasn't claiming he was brave or stoical! Just figured some babies showed their discomfort by crying, others by wriggling and groaning - believe me, I'm not trying to say he's such a brave boy cos he doesn't cry!

My HV recommended gripe water and the Easy Digest Aptamil which we are trying. I'm going to clinic on Thursday so shall ask again.

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tiktok · 15/07/2008 23:43

sponge, I know you were making no 'lionhearted' claims for your ds

Your feelings about what he is expressing should be taken seriously, don't get me wrong, but there's 'groaning' and 'groaning'....so someone else's eyes and ears would be useful.

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spongebrainbigpants · 16/07/2008 10:21

thanks tiktok, will check with HV - although knowing the little scamp he'll be good as gold when we get to the clinic!

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