Infacol vs Gripe Water
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As a parent, one of the most difficult things to cope with is colic. Especially when you cannot seem to discover the cause, all you want is to bring relief to your infant. That’s why, over the years, people have developed many remedies for colic that you can use at home, including Infacol and Gripe Water.
Infacol and Gripe Water are liquid supplements designed to relieve your baby from persistent colic symptoms. Infacol is an anti-flatulent made from simeticone, which is designed to reduce gas symptoms. Gripe Water has the same use but is an herbal supplement.
In this post, I’ll compare the effectiveness and popularity between Infacol and Gripe Water. I’ll also share the advantages and disadvantages of both to help you determine which is the better choice for you.
What Is Infacol?
Infacol is an infant antiflatulent medication made with the active ingredient simethicone. The purpose of this ingredient is to bring together the tiny gas bubbles in the stomach and intestines, so they form larger bubbles that are more expelled.
Infacol has been around for years and is a popular solution for babies suffering from colic. It’s designed to condense gas bubbles so they can be expelled. If the cause of your baby’s colic is gas, Infacol should work very well to reduce their symptoms.
Keep in mind, it doesn’t work to stop anything else or soothe the stomach, in general, so it won’t be as successful if colic is due to reflux or another condition.
What Is Gripe Water?
Gripe Water is an herbal supplement meant to help babies find relief from colic. It typically contains herbs such as fennel, chamomile, and lemon balm, amongst others. The idea behind Gripe Water is the herbs help to soothe the digestive tract and prevent colic in the first place.
For parents who are against giving their children medication and would like to stick to more natural options, Gripe Water can be a good supplement to try. Just be sure to read the ingredients first, as it can contain ingredients that are harmful to infants. For example, some may contain honey or alcohol, neither of which are safe for infant consumption.
What Age Can Infacol Be Used Until?
Infacol can be used at any age, from birth until adulthood. The active ingredient, simeticone, can be used for treating gas throughout life, not just in babies. However, if you want to use it as an adult, you may be better off using something with a stronger concentration.
What Age Can Gripe Water Be Used Until?
Gripe Water can be used effectively until adulthood, and even throughout life. These herbs work best for babies, but they’re still useful to help soothe an upset stomach for adults. However, adults should seek out a stronger concentration of herbs in their Gripe Water.
What Is the Difference Between Infacol and Gripe Water?
The main difference between Infacol and Gripe Water is in the formulation. Infacol uses medication in its formula, whereas Gripe Water relies on herbal supplements. Notably, Infacol has been studied and shown to be effective, while the effects of Gripe Water are still debated.
Infacol is formulated using a commercial antiflatulent medication called simeticone. This drug has been studied and approved by government organizations as safe for use in infants. The effects have also been well studied, and it has been proven effective at reducing gas pains in most babies by bringing the gas bubbles together for easier expulsion. Once the babies can expel the painful gas, they should be much calmer and settle.
On the other hand, Gripe Water has not been heavily studied, and its effects are only anecdotal. Some people swear by it, while others think that it never had much of an effect on their baby’s colic. The idea behind Gripe Water is the herbs, typically lemongrass and fennel, will soothe the digestive tract and prevent colic from happening in the first place.
What Are the Advantages of Infacol?
The advantages of Infacol are that it’s a well-studied product with proven results. Its active ingredient, simeticone, is proven to help people of all ages to pass gas more efficiently. So when you’re buying this product, you know that you’re getting something that actually works.
What Are the Disadvantages of Infacol?
There are two main disadvantages of Infacol: Firstly, it’s technically a formal medication, so it may not be an appropriate option for some. Secondly, it only works if the cause of your baby’s colic is gas. Furthermore, if your baby is suffering from reflux, Infacol won’t help.
Some people are very against using medications on babies, and it’s understandable. After all, you don’t want to introduce anything to their bodies that they could have an adverse reaction to. In these cases, Infacol would not be a good choice. Infacol will also be a poor choice if your baby suffers from colic for reasons other than gas. The medication is only meant to help your baby pass gas more easily, not correct any other issues.
What Are the Advantages of Gripe Water?
The primary advantages of Gripe Water are that it’s an all-natural product, and it treats the digestive system as a whole, not just for gas. If you’re looking to avoid unnatural chemicals or think your baby is suffering from something other than gas, Gripe Water could be for you.
Lots of parents would rather avoid added chemicals when it comes to their baby products. That’s where Gripe Water could come in handy. Gripe water is simply an herbal supplement made to help soothe the entire digestive tract—nothing too crazy and nothing that should cause any additional harm to your infant.
The second advantage of Gripe Water is that it treats the entire digestive tract. So if you’re not sure what your baby’s pain is coming from, or you think it could have multiple sources, Gripe Water can be a great all-around soothing supplement for your baby.
What Are the Disadvantages of Gripe Water?
The disadvantage of Gripe Water is it’s lack of research proving its effectiveness. Still, Gripe Water is often considered ‘safer’ because of its all-natural ingredients. While some swear by it, plenty of others think that it did their baby no good.
Some think that since little research has been done proving its effectiveness, that it means Gripe Water has only yet to be proven to be harmful. However, when it comes to herbal effectiveness, the critical point largely ignored is that natural remedies don’t work the same for everyone. Quite simply, we aren’t all genetic clones, and we all have different needs, specific to every individual.
Furthermore, if the root cause of the issue hasn’t been properly diagnosed, then the treatment won’t be as effective, if at all. But in reality, there’s very little risk in attempting Gripe Water–or any natural remedy–as a solution. Indeed, many feel medication should be used as a last resort.
Keep in mind, however, that some Gripe Water brands contain alcohol or other substances that are harmful to babies. So, if you’re going to try it out, be sure to read the ingredients first to find one that’s safe.
Infacol vs Gripe Water – Which Is Better?
Infacol is better than Gripe Water for infants suffering from colic since it’s proven to be effective at reducing gas pains. It’s also considered safe for infant consumption. Gripe Water simply isn’t as effective for everyone. However, the best choice for you is one that ultimately works.