Infacol - you'll be shocked!

MommaSarah

My 3 week old girl started getting colic. I googled on how to help her and everywhere they recommended Infacol, so I got it. The first time I didn't notice, but the second time I was giving it to my daughter I realised that there is a smell of oranges..... I was a bit pi**d off, I breastfeed my baby and wasn't aware that I was giving her some orange-flavoured drug. Like, couldn't they make it neutral-flavoured? It made me google the ingredients. On Infacol's website you can read: sugar, alcohol and colourant free... I checked the label- it says:
Active Ingredient: Simeticone 40mg/ml,
Also contains: Purified Water, Hypromellose, Orange Flavour, Saccharin Sodium, Methyl Hydroxybenzoate (E218) and Propyl Hydroxybenzoate (E216).

I was like: what is this E218 and E216? And I discovered..... that it's an alternative name for methyl and propyl paraben.... would you believe???? Like this paraben-free advertising has gotten massive in the recent years. So it made us try to avoid it like hell. Yet we are giving it to our newborns in the first months of their lives!!! I am so disappoinetd! We weaken our childrens immune system by feeding them with chemicals from day one. Maybe this is why so many children have allergies these days.....

So now I'm looking for non-medical alternatives- any ideas?

fleet

Unless you have a degree in chemistry then don't make the mistake of mixing up the similar names of ingredients, or thinking all E numbers are bad.

Vitamin C has an E number (E300).

Even the cause of Thalidomide babies was from a molecule that has the same atoms, but had the structure in a mirror image of a perfectly safe drug.

Dihydrogen monoxide is water.
It's made up of one flammable chemical and one accelerant, which when mixed are an explosive... but when in a single molecule are something you drink 2 litres of a day.

I'm not saying not to be cautious, but ask a professional before being or causing alarm.

mloc123

MommaSarah wrote: »

So now I'm looking for non-medical alternatives- any ideas?

There is no fix for colic, babies just grow out of it.

MommaSarah

fleet wrote: »

Unless you have a degree in chemistry then don't make the mistake of mixing up the similar names of ingredients, or thinking all E numbers are bad.

Vitamin C has an E number (E300).

Even the cause of Thalidomide was from a molecule that has the same atoms, but had the structure in a mirror image of a perfectly safe drug.

Dihydrogen monoxide is water.
It's made up of one flammable chemical and one accelerant, which when mixed are an explosive... but when in a single molecule are something you drink 2 litres of a day.

I'm not saying not to be cautious, but ask a professional before being or causing alarm.

I don't think you need to have a degree in chemistry for this one. Just google methyl hydroxybenzoate....

MommaSarah

fleet wrote: »

Unless you have a degree in chemistry then don't make the mistake of mixing up the similar names of ingredients, or thinking all E numbers are bad.

Vitamin C has an E number (E300).

Even the cause of Thalidomide was from a molecule that has the same atoms, but had the structure in a mirror image of a perfectly safe drug.

Dihydrogen monoxide is water.
It's made up of one flammable chemical and one accelerant, which when mixed are an explosive... but when in a single molecule are something you drink 2 litres of a day.

I'm not saying not to be cautious, but ask a professional before being or causing alarm.

I don't think you need to have a degree in chemistry for this one. Just google methyl hydroxybenzoate....

covey09

Its used as a preservative in the product. LD50 of >8000mg per KG. Salt has an LD50 of >3000mg per KG. We used it when our little one was in so much pain and it gave her ease. Don't see a problem here.

MommaSarah

mloc123 wrote: »

There is no fix for colic, babies just grow out of it.

It is so hard though, looking at your baby crying in pain and not being able to help them. I suppose I just wanted to think that at least I've done SOMETHING

MommaSarah

covey09 wrote: »

Its used as a preservative in the product. LD50 of >8000mg per KG. Salt has an LD50 of >3000mg per KG. We used it when our little one was in so much pain and it gave her ease. Don't see a problem here.

Well, one doesn't need a degree in history either to know that salt has been used as a preservative itself, since ancient times, to protect food against bacteria, mold, and spoiling.

Salt does't need a preservative..... like seriously? what are you talking about??? Go back to school.

spindex

MommaSarah wrote: »

Well, one doesn't need a degree in history either to know that salt has been used as a preservative itself, since ancient times, to protect food against bacteria, mold, and spoiling.

Salt does't need a preservative..... like seriously? what are you talking about??? Go back to school.

They are simply saying that it is not as dangerous as table salt, a substance found in every house in Ireland. No need for the back to school comment.

OU812

I’m gonna guess the OP is a first time parent.

Relax a little.

Don’t sweat the small stuff & make sure you take the same amount of photos of the other kids that come along as the first one.

covey09

MommaSarah wrote: »

Well, one doesn't need a degree in history either to know that salt has been used as a preservative itself, since ancient times, to protect food against bacteria, mold, and spoiling.

Salt does't need a preservative..... like seriously? what are you talking about??? Go back to school.

You either misread or misunderstood what i stated. I know what its like to have a child with colic, zero sleep and 100% stress, its a tough time. Whats your worry about what will happen to your child if you give it Infacol.

mloc123

MommaSarah wrote: »

It is so hard though, looking at your baby crying in pain and not being able to help them. I suppose I just wanted to think that at least I've done SOMETHING

I know, been there. For the most part the various colic solutions are placebos.

pwurple

Yeah, don’t bother with it. Infacol is a placebo, pretty much like everything else you are going to buy for colic, teething and all the other things that are normal behaviours for babies, but parents want to cure.

It does nothing.

As for the E numbers and parabens etc, meh. Children are pretty robust. Just avoid strangling them with clothes or beads, and try to keep them from being hit by a car for the first decade or so. Normal food.

Will be graaand.

iamwhoiam

In Germany they use fencheltee for babys with colic . It is fennel tea and fennel is very calming on the delicate bowel
Hipp and other companies do ready made up infant fencheltee so I would not know exactly how much or how strong to make it . But it definitely worked
About 30 mls or so of the weak tea would be normally used . I googled it and to make it up mothers use a fennel tea bag dipped in boiled water and let it colour the water a light golden colour

Also try warming a towel on the rad or hot press or in the dryer . Sooth the cramping bowel with a warm towel on the babys belly

shesty

I hate the word colic.It means nothing.And believe me I have had three screamy, windy babies (currently have a ten week old windy baby).Do they have colic?No.Something is obviously upsetting them, but they grow out of it.At three weeks their digestive system really kicks in, and honestly weeks 3-5 are a flipping nightmare for wind and screaming.But it passes.
To be honest OP, there is so much other crap in life especially as the baby grows, that a parabens in infacol are the absolute bottom of the list.I was absentmindedly reading the ingredients of calpol the other day (no clue why...repeat....ten week old third child..)...full of E numbers.I was mildly surprised but there's no way in hell I am going to stop using calpol.
You pick your battles.E numbers in Infacol isn't really one of them.
Also if you BF, drinking fennel tea yourself can help wind.You can buy a box of fennel tea bags in health shops.

Wesser

MommaSarah wrote: »

It is so hard though, looking at your baby crying in pain and not being able to help them. I suppose I just wanted to think that at least I've done SOMETHING

So are you giving it to make your baby feel.better or to maker yourself feel better?

Modern parents want a fast cure for everything .

shesty

Which is true, but when it's your first you don't have the experience to know that it will pass, and you do take advice like that....and everyone immediately recommends Infacol when they hear you have a child who is windy (ie, all children...)

MommaSarah

spindex wrote: »

They are simply saying that it is not as dangerous as table salt, a substance found in every house in Ireland. No need for the back to school comment.

Ok, I've misread something (tired from sleepless nights, I suppose), but anyway, why is Fleet talking about salt? If he/she thinks you need a degree in chemistry to have opinion on this (assuming he/she doesn't have it), then why is he/she producing these comments full of b**sht? To boost his/her ego? To steer away from the main subject? (like some companies hire people to guard their good publicity online) Are you defending him/her?



Salt (NaCl) is a chemical compound essential to the health of humans, it naturally occurs in our bodies. Methyl (and propyl) paraben CH3(C6H4(OH)COO), is a 'foreign' substance to our bodies. Yet we are exposing our bodies to it by applying cosmetics or ingesting.


Why talk about lethal doses? Would you be able to eat 100 spoons of salt??


The parabens are deemed to be harmful: "Studies have shown that some parabens can mimic the activity of the hormone estrogen in the body's cells, and while estrogenic activity is associated with certain forms of breast cancer, parabens have been found present in breast tumors".


http://www.spkx.net.cn/EN/Y2009/V30/I1/252



Go educate yourselves.

MommaSarah

Wesser wrote: »

So are you giving it to make your baby feel.better or to maker yourself feel better?

Modern parents want a fast cure for everything .

No, it's the pressure from family, particularly from my mother-in-law.... she comes into my bedroom when the baby is crying and keeps suggesting: maybe she's hungry? maybe give her this or that.... maybe is I was left alone to do it my way I wouldn't have gone for some solutions......

dense

MommaSarah wrote: »

It is so hard though, looking at your baby crying in pain and not being able to help them. I suppose I just wanted to think that at least I've done SOMETHING

Don't bother with colic medicine, it's a waste of time and money.



It IS a horrendous and draining thing though for everyone. . I kmow. But it will pass.

Sometimes baby massage therapy can help, make sure they're not just quacks though.

tuxy

Too right, I also recommend no inoculations which introduces all kinds of foreign chemicals and viruses to the body.
*Mod note* please do not make medical recommendations on this forum especially when it is against best practice .

MommaSarah

OU812 wrote: »

I’m gonna guess the OP is a first time parent.

Relax a little.

Don’t sweat the small stuff & make sure you take the same amount of photos of the other kids that come along as the first one.

Nope. Second time. I suppose I was free from pressure the first time (I was just writing about my mother-in-law) or the first one wasn't as windy.

OU812

tuxy wrote: »

Too right, I also recommend no inoculations which introduces all kinds of foreign chemicals and viruses to the body.
*Mod note* please do not make medical recommendations on this forum especially when it is against best practice .

You put more than *your* child at risk when you refuse to vaccinate.

tuxy

OU812 wrote: »

You put more than *your* child at risk when you refuse to vaccinate.

Good thing we have herd immunity

Del2005

tuxy wrote: »

Good thing we have herd immunity

Not anymore, thanks to the antivaxers!!

M5

Chemicals are not scary just because you don't understand chemistry...

c.p.w.g.w

For colic, fennel tea is supposed to be good, it what my sister used. If your brest feeding you drinking a few cups a day. If bottle feeding, just make a cup of tea and put 3 TSP into the bottle once the tea has cooled down

B-D-P--

Good title, You should work for "the sun".

OU812

tuxy wrote: »

Good thing we have herd immunity

Congratulations. You're the first person I've EVER added to my ignore list.

MommaSarah

M5 wrote: »

Chemicals are not scary just because you don't understand chemistry...

Some people here have a real inferiority complex..... why are you posting the chemical composition of an egg??? The whole Universe is made up of chemical elements and compounds, didn't you notice?!

Stop wasting my time and ridiculing yourself by showing off what you know, as it only exposes your lack of understanding of the knowledge you have

MommaSarah

M5 wrote: »

Chemicals are not scary just because you don't understand chemistry...

Oh, and by the way... and if chemicals are not scary, touch radium or polonium..... natural selection should work here.

brokensoul

MommaSarah wrote: »

Oh, and by the way... and if chemicals are not scary, touch radium or polonium..... natural selection should work here.

Some chemicals are scary. That does not mean that all chemicals are scary...

GalwayGrrrrrl

I presume you are breastfeeding OP (as you want natural route for your baby) so have a look at your diet. Some things you eat can cause wind in the baby.
I found baby massage excellent, they teach you a clockwise tummy massage which clears trapped wind. You might be able to find a tutorial online. VHI (and probably others) cover the cost of baby massage course.

MommaSarah

xfactorfan23 wrote: »

I presume you are breastfeeding OP (as you want natural route for your baby) so have a look at your diet. Some things you eat can cause wind in the baby.
I found baby massage excellent, they teach you a clockwise tummy massage which clears trapped wind. You might be able to find a tutorial online. VHI (and probably others) cover the cost of baby massage course.

I'll try massaging the baby, thanks

frogstar

MommaSarah wrote: »

Some people here have a real inferiority complex..... why are you posting the chemical composition of an egg??? The whole Universe is made up of chemical elements and compounds, didn't you notice?!

Stop wasting my time and ridiculing yourself by showing off what you know, as it only exposes your lack of understanding of the knowledge you have

Jesus why are you so rude? I've a newborn here and could forgive some crankiness from you but you are so rude to posters trying to put your mind at ease.

Personally I found infacolic made my baby more cranky than when I don't use it so it didn't work for us

Orion

tuxy wrote: »

Good thing we have herd immunity

Except when people like you tell people not to get vaccinations. No more soapboxing in this forum. Vaccines work and save lives. Medical advice - especially bad medical advice will result in action.

Neyite

OP, we found nothing much worked for colic. It went at three months but it was tough going. We tried infacol, colief, and some sort of indigestion powder
Some lessened the symptoms a bit but not much. We just did lots of baby-wearing and tummy massage.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Our eldest suffered from 'colic', which is basically when doctors / public health nurses don't really know whats causing the non stop crying. We were Naive new parents and took all advice at face value.

after about 3 months of utter hell - I don't say this lightly - we were getting maybe an hour or so of sleep a night, and she was crying constantly, without any hint of drama I can say it was the biggest test of our marriage in the the 15 or so years we've been together. we forced the issue and demanded further investigation and got more tests done.

Turns out she was suffering from acute acid reflux, and any feed would result in hours of pain after. She was put on different formulas of Milk, with the consistency of ready brek, along with gaviscon, zantac and losec. Things came right pretty quickly, but i nearly became a chemist when it came to measuring out bottles etc.

I'm not saying all colic is reflux, but a babys cry is by nature, designed to appeal to our primal instinct to help and look after them. I'll never forget the feelings of helplessness.

M5

MommaSarah wrote: »

Oh, and by the way... and if chemicals are not scary, touch radium or polonium..... natural selection should work here.

Try chlorine or sodium on their own, they'll kill you

You can't live without the compound though.

To borrow a phrase "go educate yourself"

You might want to read up on natural selection too, that's not quite how it works

MommaSarah

M5 wrote: »

Try chlorine or sodium on their own, they'll kill you

You can't live without the compound though.

To borrow a phrase "go educate yourself"

You might want to read up on natural selection too, that's not quite how it works

Oh yes? I checked wikipedia and I can confirm I used this term correctly according to the context:


Natural selection is a central concept of evolution. The English biologist Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, and is sometimes called the survival of the fittest.




(. . . ) The next generation comes from those that survive and reproduce. The elimination is caused by the relative fit between the individuals and the environment they live in. After many generations, the population has more helpful genetic differences, and fewer harmful ones.[2] Natural selection is really a process of elimination.

Flippyfloppy

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

Our eldest suffered from 'colic', which is basically when doctors / public health nurses don't really know whats causing the non stop crying. We were Naive new parents and took all advice at face value.

after about 3 months of utter hell - I don't say this lightly - we were getting maybe an hour or so of sleep a night, and she was crying constantly, without any hint of drama I can say it was the biggest test of our marriage in the the 15 or so years we've been together. we forced the issue and demanded further investigation and got more tests done.

Turns out she was suffering from acute acid reflux, and any feed would result in hours of pain after. She was put on different formulas of Milk, with the consistency of ready brek, along with gaviscon, zantac and losec. Things came right pretty quickly, but i nearly became a chemist when it came to measuring out bottles etc.

I'm not saying all colic is reflux, but a babys cry is by nature, designed to appeal to our primal instinct to help and look after them. I'll never forget the feelings of helplessness.

To add to this, reflux can be caused by food intolerances too, if bottle fed that would be lactose or milk protein, or if Breast feeding there’s soya, gluten, eggs etc.

Dubdude

I understand you probably want to continue with the breastfeeding but why not change onto a formula. My 2 boys got colic and we swapped both on Aptamil Comfort and it sorted them both out. Colic is hard on both parent and baby and honestly it can last for 3 months and is something I know myself I could not cope with.

Moonbeam

Closing thread until I am at a computer