So your little bundle arrives and they are gorgeous, everything you wanted but boy do they scream!

You breastfeed them as this is supposed to be best but each time you do they spend the next 1,2 maybe 3 hours in pain…sometimes screaming, sometimes crying and sometimes just squirming and uncomfortable. Oh add in a bit of sick too . Before you know it, its time for another feed, so the cycle begins again.

You mention it to the Health Visitor and GP, they don’t seem too bothered. After all babies digestive systems take a good 3-4 months to develop.

So what do you do?

Well little Daisy is 10 weeks now and for her they haven’t been the easiest 10 weeks. She has suffered terribly. I have tried all the usual medicines and even tried Colief but nothing seemed to make her comfortable. In between her being in pain you could see glimpses of a happy, smiley baby girl it broke my heart.

After each feed she would scream and squirm and was in obvious discomfort. It was always worse just before she did a pooh and when she finally did one she would be so relived she would just pass out.

I had discussed it with the Doctor and we had ruled out colic but queried  reflux. She thought it might just be her stomach taking a while to develop though.

So I continued with the patting and rubbing her back and bottom, found positions that she preferred like being over your knees or shoulder, watching what I ate and increasing my liquid intake. Nothing worked though.

Then whilst browsing the internet I came across a recipe for home made gripe water.

There were actually several recipes – some more complicated then others but I decided to start with the simple one. I am so glad I did as its amazing. The wind has poured out of my baby girl and last night she was so comfortable she slept from 6.30pm to 5.50am ….almost 12 hours, yippeee!

After 24 hours on the stuff I have a totally different baby. She actually smiles and gurgles after feeding, I can lie her flat on the floor after a few burps and she has no problems with poohing.

I couldn’t wait to share the recipe with you:

Add 1 tsp of fennel seeds to 1 pint of water and bring to the boil

Leave uncovered and let bubble away for ten minutes

Cool and then serve between feeds

Keep covered and at room temperature for 24 hours then pour away

I’ve tasted this myself and its pretty good. A very light aniseed taste is all it has. Daisy seems to like it. She doesn’t take much… just a few sips at a time but it does the trick for her.

If you have a colicky baby this has got to be worth a try, fingers crossed it works for you too.

Karen x