Gassy Baby - Does Gassiness Make a Colic Situation Worse?

If your baby has colic that is worsened due to gassiness, bloating, and digestive discomfort, there are many options available for treatment. Treatments for infant gas generally fall in to one of three categories: infant gas drops (simethicone), gripe water, and probiotics.

Which of these to choose first is usually a matter of preference - however, they do work in different ways, and the differences between these types of treatments may help you to decide which too choose for your baby's colic.

If you're having trouble deciding where to begin, here's an overview:

Infant Gas Drops - Simethicone

Infant gas drops do not actually reduce the amount of gas that your baby has, overall.

Instead, simethicone works by breaking down the surface tension of air bubbles in your baby's tummy. This allows the gas to be more easily eliminated, either through burping or passage through the intestinal tract.

While there are no known side-effects with regards to the use of infant gas drops, you will still want to consult with your baby's pediatrician - long term use of baby gas drops is usually not recommended.

Gripe Water - Homeopathic Remedies

By contrast, gripe water uses herbal remedies to help soothe gassiness and aid digestion. Among the ingredients you may find in gripe water are:

- Chamomile
- Fennel
- Peppermint
- Ginger
- Aloe

While these ingredients are typically not harmful to your baby, you should still get the advice of your baby's pediatrician. Some herbs, like St. John's Wort, should never be given to babies, and can cause harm.

So while commercial gripe water preparations may be effective, it is generally not recommended that you attempt to make your own gripe water at home.

If your baby is on any type of medication, you should be certain that there are no potential interactions between the herbs in gripe water and your baby's medicine.

Probiotics - "Good" Bacteria

Baby's are born with a clean slate, digestively-speaking. They do not have all of the bacteria that adults have to aid in digestion. For premature babies, and other infants with an immature digestive tract, this lack of good bacteria can mean significant cramps, bloating, and gassiness as their bodies learn do digest breast milk and/or formula.

The supervised use of probiotics to treat this digestive tract immaturity can be an effective means to introduce the bacteria necessary to eliminate the worst of your baby's digestive troubles.

No one solution is the perfect cure for colic. However, if your baby has digestive troubles, these options are a good place to start.

Remember to always keep your baby's pediatrician informed of the methods you use to treat colic, and be on the look out for any signs of an adverse reaction that could be caused by such treatments.