There is no shortage of advice once the baby arrives! Everyone talks about home remedies, the best foods, and the best preparations. New parents are constantly fielding advice from many sources. Baby’s health matters to everyone. Some advice is good, but some is perplexing, and you want to find out more. As parents, it is necessary to take care that you provide the proper nutrition, but babies have many common ailments that come and go every day. How can you prepare formulas and waters properly? Let’s talk about the process of making homemade special waters, such as gripe water, rice water, and sugar water. Are these waters healthy and what is the best way to make them?
A note on water
Not everyone has perfectly reliable tap water, even after boiling. When you are making formula or special waters for your little one, use only purified, distilled water. There are no substitutes. Distilled water is the purest form of drinking water available, and recommended for use when making anything for babies, including when mixing cereals and formulas. There are no minerals, contaminants, or an excess of nutrients in purified distilled water, which makes it easy for parents to ensure that the balance of the baby’s food or formula is as it was meant to be.
What is homemade gripe water?
Gripe water is often recommended for babies suffering from colic, gas, and tummy aches. Gripe water is said to settle the stomach, move that gas around, and give baby some relief. Doctors recommend it and very simple to make your own, so that you can control the ingredients. In the past, gripe water contained alcohol and sugars. Some over-the-counter gripe waters may contain high fructose corn syrups, sedative herbs, and sodium bicarbonate, so it is good to make this from scratch instead.
Common ingredients in gripe water recipes that are easy to find are herbs such as fennel, bay leaves, dill weed, and ginger. These herbs are soothing, pain-relieving, and help relieve gas. Homemade gripe water also helps with digestion, and baby will sleep better without gas and nausea. Therefore, gripe water alone can be soothing, even without added herbs.
These ingredients may help with the gas and the pain of tummy cramps, but be careful when your little one is under six months of age. Newborns need a special mix of vitamins and minerals and nutrients in balance, and some of the ingredients in gripe water may throw off that balance. Always check with your doctor before giving any of these ingredients to your newborn.
Can I make rice water for babies?
Rice water is one of the oldest foods for babies. It is also easy to make. Simply boil a cup of water, add two tablespoons of rice and let it cook until the rice is dissolved. Strain and let cool. It is the starch that you want. Rice water has been recommended as part of traditional weaning practices, but it is not a complete nutrition on its own. It does contain vitamins B1 and B2, and niacin, sodium, and potassium but it lacks fiber and protein. Mixing rice water with formula (or breast milk) works as they supplement each other.
Is sugar water good for babies?
Sugar water is not recommended for babies on a regular basis. Sometimes clinics or pediatricians give sugar water to help ease pain after surgeries, toothache, or vaccination, but sugar and water can have serious side effects, including decreased appetite, and electrolyte imbalance. There is no evidence that sugar does anything at all for gas or colic. It only changes the taste of foods. Baby may develop a preference for sweet food, and there is no nutritional purpose to sugar water. A bit too much sugar might interfere with sleep too.
Are there benefits to raisin water?
Raisin water is also high in sugar. Raisin water is made by soaking raisins overnight and straining the liquid. Raisin water is the water left behind after soaking the raisins overnight. While raisins do have high sugar content, they also have some nutritional and medicinal uses. Raisin water tastes great and might help with constipation. Don’t give whole raisins to babies, even after soaking, but raisin water is rich in micronutrients, However, consider raisin water dessert and give it rarely.
What is homemade rose water good for?
Rosewater is water infused with rose petals. It smells amazing, it is soothing, and it is good for the skin. It is not for drinking, or for food preparation for babies. Some parents spray it over baby’s crib to help the little one sleep more calmly, or use it to help with eczema.
What about fennel water?
The vibrant taste of fennel makes it an attractive choice in cooking, but can it be used to make water for babies? Fennel water can be created by steeping the dried or fresh herb like a tea, then straining out all the solids. It is thought to help ease colic in babies. Note that the early research into this shows the effect on colic to be minimal. Crying can be reduced, but only by a small amount. However, fennel is also used in medicines as a flavor agent. If your child likes the taste of fennel, a little fennel water in moderation can be used to help with water intake (for babies over 6mos old), or to ease the process of taking a less-than-flavorsome medication. Compared to other waters on this list, the most benefit of fennel water comes from the taste itself.
Always use a top-quality purified distilled water
Purified, distilled water for babies is ready to drink and ready to use in any recipe. Just use the water, follow the recipe and strain the rice, raisins, herbs, or rose petals out afterward.
When any of the recipes are made, allow the water to come to a boil, put in the ingredients you wish to use, and let it simmer then cool. The water still should be boiled even if you are using purified and distilled water to blend the flavors and capture the benefits.
No matter what type of special water you choose to make, it should be made with the very best water, the finest of ingredients, and plenty of care and attention. Always check with your doctor before making homemade waters for baby.
Choose Bay-Bay Water, the purified distilled water just for babies that is easy to keep on hand, and easy to purchase. This water is convenient because it comes in the right size bottle, so you can take it with you anywhere.
Click here for more information about Bay Bay Water.
