• Every new parent suffers from feelings of frustration when their baby cries and cries without stopping for hours at a time. It could be diaper rash, nightmares, illness or colic, but the general diagnosis is that if a baby cries for at least three hours each day, it is colic. Colic is most likely a condition that arises from digestive issues or gas. An old cure from Europe is called gripe water. This solution settles the stomach and can either be made at home or purchased from a store.
  
  

Herbs

• Gripe water is made up of natural ingredients with no artificial products or chemicals. It is usually made with purified water and various herbs. The herbs have been used in traditional folk medicines for hundreds or even thousands of years and are chosen because of their ability to sooth stomach aches and ease gas. The most common herbs are peppermint (well known for its treatment of stomach ailments), and chamomile (a flower of the Asteraceae family, related to the daisy, that has anti-inflammatory and digestive soothing properties). Asteraceae plants include ragweed, so if you or your baby are allergic to ragweed, chamomile could cause an allergic reaction. Ginger is often used to ease indigestion and nausea.
  
  

Fennel Seeds

• Gripe water also contains fennel seeds that are boiled and crushed. Once the seeds have steeped and the oil is boiled out, the seeds are strained out of the water and thrown away. Fennel has been used for thousands of years by the Romans, the Chinese and the Hindus as a treatment for various ailments. The oil is the active ingredient in fennel and will stop colic. It works by preventing the muscles of the stomach from cramping. The fennel oil will also get rid of gas and pain, and can reduce a fever as well. Fennel is a relative of parsley. An easy recipe for gripe water is: grind 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds and boil them in 1 1/4 cups of purified water for 20 minutes. Then strain the seeds from the water and throw them away. When giving to babies, it should be diluted with a ratio of one part gripe water to two parts of regular water.
  
  

Other Ingredients

• Some other ingredients used in gripe water include essential oils, sugar, dill and sodium bicarbonate or baking soda. Baking soda is slightly alkaline, which is why it is used to counteract stomach acid. Dill can replace the fennel in the traditional gripe water recipe. Sugar can be added to homemade or store bought gripe water if the baby refuses to drink it, and then only a small bit added to make the water more palatable.