How to Give Woodward's Gripe Water

Trying to decipher the reason behind your fussy baby can be a challenge. It may be down to trapped wind and gripping pains in your baby's stomach. Woodward's Gripe Water was originally formulated by William Woodward in 1851 to help ease the problem. Although the original formula contained 3.6 percent alcohol, as of 1992 Woodward's gripe water is alcohol-, color- and sugar-free in many countries, according to the "Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine." Check with a doctor or health care professional before giving your child gripe water.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic oral syringe
  • Plastic medicine cup

Instructions

    • 1

      Shake the bottle of Woodward's Gripe Water well. Give the gripe water either before or during a feeding.

    • 2

      Read the instructions on the packaging to determine the correct dosage. For babies from 1 month to 6 months the dose is 1 tsp. or 5 ml; for infants 6 months to 2 years it's 2 tsp. or 10 ml. For children 2 years and above it's 2 to 3 tsp. or 10 to 15 ml.

    • 3

      Pour some Woodward's Gripe Water into a small, clean medicine cup.

    • 4

      Press the plunger on the oral syringe as far as far down as it will go to expel the air, then place the tip of the oral syringe into the medicine cup. Pull the plunger back gently; draw the gripe water into the syringe. Stop when you reach the desired measurement marking.

    • 5

      Position your baby in the crook of your arm. Place the oral syringe between the inside of your baby's cheek and tongue. Gently press the plunger down to dispense the gripe water. Give the gripe water in small squirts and wait until your baby has swallowed the gripe water before dispensing more.

    • 6

      Return unused gripe water from the medicine cup back into the bottle, then wash the oral syringe and medicine cup.

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