Ask Little Reminders
Ask Little Reminders

Little Remedies Recommends These Questions

  • Jennifer M. - I have a 2 month old little boy. He has had issues with reflux and spitting since he was born. The spit up has turned into throwing up a lot after every feeding. How do you know if they need to switch formula or have an intolerance to something in this one. He's so squirmy and unsettled after he eats.

    Little Remedies writes:

    Some babies do seem to have an intolerance to lactose in the formula or in breast milk. Everyone can tolerate a little bit different amounts. First I would try if you're a breast feeding mom taking the dairy out of your diet and see if that makes any difference. Secondly, if you're bottle feeding, there are low lactose formulas that you could try.

    If you continue to have problems or your baby seems to be getting worse instead of better and it's everyday (it's very important when we're talking about these symptoms that it's every single day and not randomly) give your pediatrician a call and go in and talk to them about that. Again, the most important thing about a baby is that they're growing well and gaining weight.

  • Michaela P.- How do you tell the difference between early teething and 4 month sleep regression? 4 month breastfed baby.

    Little Remedies writes:

    Teething causes a great deal of concern for parents. Your baby will start to drool (around 3 months), and soon thereafter they put their hands in their mouths and “gum their toys” and parents are convinced that this is a sign of teething. Actually, this is developmental and probably has little to do with teething. The average age for cutting a first tooth is about 6 months and for most children there are very few issues or noticeable changes…and then suddenly you notice a tooth (usually bottom). Sleep issues are also common in the first year of life as well.

    Between 4-6 months your baby really does begin to associate their crying with how you react. By now your baby may awaken at night…usually around the same time and cry for you to pick them up. This is not teething, but again developmental. At this age it is very important that your baby self soothes to sleep (rather than being rocked to sleep) so that when they arouse during the night, they begin to fall back to sleep on their own. Remember, a baby cuts teeth during their first 2 years of life…only to have them all fall out. When your child is getting their permanent teeth you will not even consider “teething” as an issue…unless you forget the tooth fairy!

  • Leanna N. - My son will be 3 next month. He just had surgery yesterday on his Achilles tendon! I need tips or tricks on how to get him to take his medicine! ANYTHING. He won't eat, so nothing with eating involved. Thank you!!!

    Little Remedies writes:

    It is sometimes difficult to get a child of that age to take medicine, but you can try teaching a 3 year old how to swallow a pill by using tiny candy like a “tic-tac” or “mini M&M”. Practice, practice and then if they succeed you no longer have the issue with taste and liquid medications. On the other hand if that doesn’t work they do make acetaminophen suppositories which you can use to treat pain as well as fever. Lastly, if you have to use a liquid ask your doctor to give you the most concentrated dosage as possible as it will be less volume and something you can dose once a day, especially as it relates to antibiotics.

  • Another question comes from Courtney, who wants to know what's best for babies that spit up constantly. 

    Little Remedies writes:

    There are some babies called happy spitters. They spit up all the time. They're always dripping on their mom and dad, and they're quite content spitting up. In fact, I had a grandchild like that. I don't think I've ever seen so much spit up in my life, but she outgrew it. Most children grow out of spitting up between the ages of six and 12 months. 

    If your child is irritable when they are spitting up, then you might try things like sitting them upright during a feeding or even giving them breast milk that has been thickened if you need to do that. That's a conversation you should have with your pediatrician. The main thing in a baby that spits up is that they are gaining weight and thriving. If they're spitting up excessively, they won't gain weight. If you go in to your pediatrician for their checkup and see your baby has gained two pounds over two months, because we like to see an infant gain at least a pound a month , then you can feel reassured that the spitting up is not causing any problems.

  • Destiny - My sons doctor said I can start adding baby cereal into my son's diet at 4 months. Which is the best kind to start with and how should I begin?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "Destiny, personally, we don't recommend putting cereal into formula. We prefer to teach the baby how to eat from a spoon and we think it's a really important milestone.

    The recommendation is to start at about six months. You can start a little earlier, but it's best to start when the child is a little older because they have more head control and can sit up in a high chair and also, if you've noticed your baby at four months is really still has that tongue thrust, where they mm, mm all the time, and the moms want to know why they're sticking out their tongues. As they mature, you lose that tongue thrust.

  • Lisa H - My daughter is almost 9 months old and constantly tugs at her ears or puts her hands to her ears. She has done this since she was 3 months. Sometimes she does it with sounds or for no reason at all. I asked my pediatrician if I should be concerned. She stated she doesn't have an ear infection and could have just sensitive hearing. Any advice on what you think it is or how I can get her to stop it?

    Little Remedies writes:

    Babies will often tug on their ears…and parents often think they have an ear infection or are teething. Other babies may play with their ears or even cover up their ears at times for no reason. While all of these behaviors may seem to bother parents, they rarely are cause for concern.

    Babies do many things out of habit and may find their ears (just like their hands) when they are 4-6 months old. If your baby seems otherwise well, without cough or cold symptoms, no fever, and are happy and sleeping well I would not be too concerned. While some babies do seem to be more sensitive to loud noises (the same way that some babies tend to squint in bright light), most babies will outgrow the ear pulling and covering… only to be replaced by another new habit... like hair twirling or thumb sucking. Of course, if you are concerned that there is something more going on or are generally concerned, we encourage you to consult with your pediatrician. No parent ever regretted being overly cautious when it came to their baby.

  • Victoria asks "when starting solid foods, what should be avoided?" 

    Little Remedies writes:

    Victoria, that's a great question, because there's a lot of new data about this. Actually, we want to start foods earlier, and not wait as was recommended several years ago. So now you want to begin giving your baby solid foods somewhere between four and six months of age, depending on your pediatrician's recommendations. The recommendation is to start with infant cereal, because it's a good texture. And then after viewing cereal, the recommendation now is to start peanut butter products, or peanut butter, around that six month age. Start mixing peanut butter in with infant cereal once they've been giving cereal for a while. 

    Remember, when you start baby food, it's just your child learning to eat. Every baby's different. Some babies immediately open their mouths, are so anxious to eat, and others spit that baby food or cereal right back at you. So this is about learning to do this dance, and they're leading our dance. So don't make it a time of day that is emotional for you or start something new when your baby's cranky. And just play around with foods. 

    We like to do vegetables first, and then fruits, and then meats. But you might talk to your own pediatrician and see if they have a preference. The most important thing is that the newest data is to start food sooner. So, peanut butter, eggs, fish and things, we generally want to do at younger ages than recommended in the past.

  • Jodie S. - My son is 3. He's very big for his age. He weighs 50+ lbs., he's about 39 inches tall, he's healthy, but I worry about him being so big. He's chunky but not really fat. He is very active, and he is in the 99% of all his age. Is he just gonna be a big kid, or am I gonna have to put him on some kind of diet?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "You know, Jodi, it sounds like he's just a big kid. He's very tall, but he's also in the upper percentiles for weight. This is the age when a toddler should be really active and so they're not gaining weight as rapidly as when they were newborns and young babies. Make sure he's not getting any more than three to seven pounds a year. They do seem to grow on air.

    Also make sure you're offering him really healthy foods. Toddlers are notoriously picky. Sometimes you find yourself as a parent falling into feeding them the same foods repetitively. I like to call it my dinner party. I fix a dinner and the children decide whether they're going to eat it or not. You don't have to be upset about it, you just don't let him have replacements.

    He should be growing about two inches a year, so by the time he's four, he's going to be about 41 inches tall. We don't talk about putting children on diets. We talk about changing eating habits and doing lots more exercise. Remember, model that exercise and play with him."

  • Brittany M. - My daughter is almost 5 months old and for the past month or so she's really been giving us trouble feeding. She suddenly won't eat more than a few ounces at a time so I wind up feeding her almost the entire day long unless she's napping cause she wants to eat in such short spurts. What gives?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "This could be something called gastroesophageal reflux that we see in this age child. So if your baby seems to be suddenly not wanting her feedings, arching her back when she feeds, eating voraciously for the first couple ounces and then pushes it away.

    Call your pediatrician and maybe go in and have a visit. Make sure that the baby is gaining weight well, but also talk about GE reflux. This is a common problem and not all babies are bothered by it. We have babies that are much more bothered when they reflux than others and we have babies who spit all the time, which are called happy spitters."

  • Valerie J. - What is the most frequent question you get from new parents and could you share the answer?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "The most frequent question we get is, how do I raise a healthy child, and how do I get my child to behave? And you know what? It's really about us. We are modeling the behavior that we expect from our children. And it's a hard job that you have to do every single day, but we promise you, if you feed your child, have a good routine at home, set up limits and boundaries, and love your child unconditionally, they will turn out really well. But it's a journey. It's not a sprint."

  • Kassidi H. - I want to know if babies as early as 4 months, shes 7 months now, can have nightmares? My baby has woken up in the middle of the night at least 4 times in the past couple of months crying like she is scared to death. I don't know what to do about it.

    Little Remedies writes:

    "You know, we do think that babies probably dream, but this is also a time in your babies life that they are having more mature sleep patterns and they have arousal. When we talk about a baby sleeping through the night, we don't sleep through the night, right? We all roll over, punch our pillow, look at the digital clock.

    Your baby has to learn the same thing. When she awakens, she cries for you because she's been taught to do that. As an infant, we go to them. Now is the time to walk into your babies room, make sure she's okay, reassure her with voice only, you don't pick her up, which I know is so hard, and leave the room. She needs to learn how to self-soothe. It's like riding a bike. Some babies learn on the first day and other babies take two to three weeks and sometimes months, but be assured that she is not, as you said, "scared to death". This too shall pass."

  • Jennifer C. - Hi Dr. Sue. Tablets and smart phones are laying all over our house. They have peaked my 2 years old’s interest but I am hesitant to let her play with them. What age do you recommend children be allowed to pay with tablets and smart phones and how much screen time should we allow?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "I don't think you should let your child play with a tablet or a SmartPhone at all as long as you can go. Certainly under the age of two the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that children don't use media. As your child gets older it's everywhere and I think it's difficult to keep them away but you need to remember to limit it. It should not be something done every day and I really admire my patients who don't have any media during the week with their children who are in pre-school or school and save it for the weekend.

  • A mom asks: "What's the best thing to use for a teething baby?" 

    Little Remedies writes:

    Well, we've talked about using an acetaminophen product like Little Remedies Infant Fever + Pain Reliever. It's also perfectly appropriate to give them teething rings. Try putting cold things in the baby's mouth and let them chew on it. You can put something in the refrigerator and switch it out again later on. But remember those teeth are coming for a long time. 

    I think it's important for you all to know that the FDA has recently recommended that benzocaine teething products no longer be given to any children. If you have any products, look on the label, make sure they do not have benzocaine.

  • Megan wanted to know “How can I break my five-month-old's habit of wanting to be held constantly.” 

    Little Remedies writes:

    In the very first few months of life, you really want to hold that baby all the time, because you don't like to let a newborn cry. 

    Once they start to get a little older (four to six months) they are thinking, those frontal lobes start to work. So, you have to start slowly, slowly putting your baby down and letting them fuss for a few minutes, picking them up, re-consoling them, and putting them back down. 

    You might think  “That takes forever. It's easier just to hold them.” But we tell you, it just gets worse if you don't start working on it. Little baby steps will be helpful. Calm your baby, lay them down, and walk out of the room. If they cry again, go back, re-calm them, and repeat the process. 

    It does get better with time. Some babies come out and are easy to put down, and for others it takes a while to teach them to calm down.

  • Taylor asks me, "Can babies start teething at three months?" 

    Little Remedies writes:

    At about three months of age, you start to notice that your baby is drooling, and they're also putting their hands in their mouths. I'm not sure that's always related to teething as much as child development. Somewhere between four months and twelve months is the most common age to cut your first tooth. And some parents can tell that their baby seems to be fussy a day or two before the tooth arrives. During this time it may be appropriate to use a pain reliever, like acetaminophen. But you don't want to get in the habit of giving it every time your baby is fussy. You may actually find out that over time you don't even realize when that next tooth comes in.

  • Elizabeth W. - My 6 month-old is grinding his teeth. Is that normal or should I be alarmed?

    Little Remedies writes:

    Similar to ear tugging and thumb sucking some babies will start to grind their teeth soon after their top and bottom teeth have erupted. The average age for a baby to get a first tooth is around 6 months and these are usually the lower two front teeth. Several weeks to months later, the upper 2 teeth erupt and then your baby realizes that they may make a sound if they “grind” their teeth together. This is a type of “self -stimulating “ behavior and is nothing to be concerned about. This will not have any long terms effects on their teeth. But, it is hard to listen to…like fingernails on a chalk board. This too shall pass!

  • Another mother writes “How do I transition from nursing?” 

    Little Remedies writes:

    It depends what your goal is with nursing. If you're going back to work, some people can pump where it's easy to get up from their job and go to a nursing room, and other times it's not as easy. 

    Your breasts are smart, they will actually do what you want them to do. If you want to stop nursing during the day because you have a job and cannot pump, then your breast can learn to do morning and night time feedings. 

    What you need to do is make sure whatever you're going to want to do, do it before you go back to work. So you don't want to do it the day before you leave. You need to plan ahead. If you need to drop a feeding, you drop a feeding, you wait two to three days till you feel more comfortable through that feeding and then you drop another feeding. 

    Just remember you cannot stop breastfeeding cold turkey or you'll be terribly uncomfortable. 

    Most babies will also take a bottle fairly readily from a nursing mother. But if you plan on nursing for the first year of life exclusively, I think it's important to start an occasional bottle within four to six weeks after the baby has been nursing well. 

    Not every feeding, not at the same time every day, but just to make sure that your baby will take a bottle. The hardest thing for a new mom is to have a baby who refuses a bottle because we haven't tried one for the first four months and now she's going to back to work.

  • Julie - My baby is 5 weeks old and has baby acne all over here face. What do I treat it with, and how long will it take to get better?

    Little Remedies writes:

    Julie, this is not a good time to take pictures of your baby's face. This is a common time for them to have an acne breakout, which is really from your hormones. The baby's most like an adolescent. That baby acne will go away by itself. Wash her face with soap and water. You don't need to use any over-the-counter acne products, which some of my patients have wanted to use, and no picking. Usually that baby acne is gone by three weeks and you can start taking those cute pictures all over again. Plus you all have Photoshop, so they don't have baby acne anymore.

  • Laurie W. - Hi Dr. Sue, My 1 month old is not sleeping through the night ever since we brought her home from the hospital. I know it’s common for babies to wake during the night but when should I start being concerned?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "Laurie, not yet. Your baby's still little, and remember: Your baby just got here, and probably hardly realizes she's on earth yet, so she doesn't have circadian rhythm. In fact, circadian rhythm is learned from daylight and nighttime as well as your brain maturing and the hormones in the brain, which are called melatonin and cortisol that give us that day and night awakening.

    You get this to happen one, by age, so your baby does this on her own as she matures, but two, by patterning. So during the day, I'm awakening her every two to three hours, even when you're tempted not to. And at night I'm turning down the lights low, I'm being quieter, and I'm trying to spend some time singing to her, calming her and then laying her down to bed awake.

    I know people think that's crazy, but that's how you start teaching your baby to fall asleep on their own. It's gonna take you a good nother four to six, eight weeks before your baby's sleeping what we would call ""through the night"", which is about six to eight hours - not 12 hours yet.

    But you should not be concerned. If any of your friends are telling you the baby slept at four weeks, I think they've forgotten."

  • Nancy G. - When can my baby start eating foods like puree?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting pureed foods around six months. So your baby is showing some interest, I would put them in the high chair if they can sit up now, and you start playing a little game which I called the yum-yum game. This is really not about calories and I promise you it doesn't make your child sleep through the night. It's about learning to put textures into your baby's mouth.

    So start with cereal or a vegetable, or many of my patients like to start with avocado, and you put the baby in the high chair during the happy time of the day and you try to spoon feed them. Again, go by your baby's cues. Some babies think it's fabulous in the beginning and eat tablespoonfuls, and others push that spoon away and you try again tomorrow.

    It's a learning process so don't get frustrated. Once you've been starting foods, you can start a new food every several days."

  • Shelby wanted to know, "Is a daily vitamin necessary for young children?"

    Little Remedies writes:

    Actually, the answer is, "No, it is not." Unless you are nursing, where we do recommend supplemental vitamin D, it is not necessary to give your child a vitamin, unless your doctor recommends this. Sometimes as a parent, you feel good if you give them a vitamin because they aren't good eaters, which is fine.  Remember, if your doctor has recommended your child take a vitamin because they are anemic or breast feeding babies who need extra Vitamin D, make sure you get the product that they recommend.

  • Alicia B. - How do I get my 19 month old son to eat more, he refuses most of the time. There's lots of unhealthy habits he has, while it prevents him from getting good nutrition and practicing developmental qualities, associated with cup drinking/feeding himself? Our pediatrician said, too much of anything is not good. My son only eats a very limited variety of certain foods, and I have to blend food and spoon-feed him to ensure he's getting enough food to sustain.

    Little Remedies writes:

    "So Alicia, this gets back to that same thing. You are providing nutrition for your children. They have to choose whether or not they're going to eat it. Children are really smart. They don't starve themselves. Most toddlers only eat one good meal a day and they throw away two, so if you don't have a dog, you're picking a lot of stuff off the floor. If you make chicken, green beans, and carrots for dinner, that's dinner. They choose to eat it, or they don't.

    It's really, really hard to do that, though, and don't get emotional about their eating. Be matter of fact and just say, "It's fine. We'll have another meal tomorrow morning." We promise you he won't starve, and you're setting him up for lifelong good eating habits. So it's so important to begin this at a young age."

  • Janie wanted to know if it was okay to give infants under six months of age cough medicine.

    Little Remedies writes:

    No, it is not. We really don't want to give young children cough suppressors or cough medication and so I would prefer that you use a saline spray to clear the mucus from their airway, which will help them not cough as much and use also a cool mist humidifier in their bedroom.  But do not use cough medication for that young of an age.

  • Carla S. - Can toddlers take lozenges for hoarse voices/sore throats etc.? Special size?

    Little Remedies writes:

    It is parainfluenza season, which is the name of a virus that causes hoarseness, laryngitis, and croup. We don't recommend any lozenges for children and toddlers because they can choke on them. They're a choking hazard. If your child is over the age of one, you can use a product containing honey and you can also try giving them tea with honey or putting them in a steamy bathroom in the evening, but no lozenges because again, we're worried about choking.

  • Cathy wanted to know, “How can you tell between a cold, a cough, or allergies?”

    Little Remedies writes:

    Sometimes it's even hard for a doctor to decide in the beginning Cathy, but most children under the age of two years do not develop seasonal allergies. So they are not allergic to oak or elm or grasses at that time. Most of the time that you see a cough and cold in that age-group it is related to upper respiratory infections and unfortunately there's hundreds of viruses that can cause many of the same symptoms. You may also notice seasonal Allergy symptoms as a parent. You think John does this every March when the oak trees are blooming. Or Sarah has a problem in the fall. Then after the age of two or three you might consider that these are symptoms of seasonal allergies.

  • Britney wanted to know, "How can I help my gassy baby, even after they have had gas drops?" 

    Little Remedies writes:

    You know Britney, there's lots of things we can do in those first three months of life, because that's the most common time to have a gassy baby. They've called it the fourth trimester, which I think is actually true. That's when your baby is developing their neurological system, their intestines and everything area is also maturing, so those first three months are the most common time to hear about gas and fussy babies. I like to recommend things like swaddling your baby. I'm a huge fan of a pacifier for non-nutritive sucking. And then you might try bicycling their legs, sometimes that helps them expel gas. I also like to try a warm bath, I was convinced that warm baths helped my children when they were gassy.

  • Jessie wants to know, "Can I use gripe water on my older children?"

    Little Remedies writes:

    The answer is yes. Sometimes we all get stomach discomfort.  You could use gripe water or Simethicone drops in older kids and it's easy to put that into a sippy cup for your baby to use.

  • Nikki M. - We have a newborn. 4 days old. She's seriously an angel...until it comes time to pass gas. Poor thing screams and shakes until she passes gas that sounds of a grown man. Any tricks to help relieve her?

    Little Remedies writes:

    Flatulence, which is the word for gas, is very explosive in newborns, so don't be alarmed if you hear a big ... of gas. Try laying your baby on their back and exercise their legs like a bicycle. They also like massage at this time, and I would go and I would get my Little Remedies Gas Drops, which remember, and try using those to break down the gas bubbles. We love to give the baby a massage on their tummy, but never will your baby sleep on their tummy. So if they relax, and they fall asleep, you must turn them over.

  • Amanda - Can gripe water be added to formula that is warmed?

    Little Remedies writes:

    The answer to that is yes, Amanda, you can add Gripe Water to warmed up formula. Remember, Gripe Water is a combination of fennel and ginger, so it's an herbal remedy.

  • Jillie - How often should my baby have bowel movements?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "Who knew we would talk so much about poop. Babies are very different, just like all people. Some babies poop five times a day, and other babies poop once every three to four days. It's really more important if your baby is comfortable.

    So, if they seem fine and they're gaining weight, don't worry about counting the stools. If they're gassy, sometimes I try giving them some gas drops and see if that relieves their gas. Again, remember that Simethicone. Then, if they're really having problems ... And I always say, ""Is it snakes or balls? It should be mushy."" Some kid taught me that.

    You wanna have mushy stools. If they're not mushy, you can try using some over-the-counter products that your doctor may recommend. But again, if she's comfortable, it doesn't matter if you stool every day. You just wanna make sure that she's having stools and growing well."

  • Amanda D. - Hi Dr. Sue, I have used Little Remedies products and love them. But I often wonder if I'm using the right thing. How do you know when to use gas drops, gripe water, or colic relief? I currently use the gas drops at night time feedings, and gripe water in the day. Thanks!

    Little Remedies writes:

    Little Remedies® makes several great products that may be used for a fussy or gassy baby. Most babies have gas as their intestinal tract is still “developing” just like your infant during the first months of their lives. If they seem to have a lot of gas and are uncomfortable try the Little Remedies® Gas Relief Drops that contain Simethicone, which helps to break up gas.

    At times your baby may have the hiccups, which are more common in the first few months of your baby’s life. At other times your baby may seem to have “tummy discomfort” which may be associated with your baby drawing up their legs or arching their back. Little Remedies® Gripe Water is an herbal supplement containing ginger and fennel seed extract both of which may help calm your baby’s tummy as well as helping relieve hiccups.

    We recommend trying Little Remedies® Gas Relief Drops if your baby is just gassy and see how they respond. You may add Little Remedies® Gripe Water to the mix as well if they have hiccups and/or seem to be irritable at times. Every baby responds differently to different medications and you will soon see what works best for your own infant. Just make sure to follow the directions for each product you are using.

  • Amanda D. - Hi Dr. Sue, I have used Little Remedies products and love them. But, I often wonder if I'm using the right thing. How do you know when to use gas drops, gripe water, or colic relief? I currently use the gas drops at nighttime feedings, and gripe water in the day. Thanks!

    Little Remedies writes:

    The first thing you need to know is that babies are really gassy, especially the first two to three months of their life, because their GI track is just immature and they don't process the milk well, either breast or bottle, all the time.

    So when your baby's gassy, I try to do things like exercise their legs, give them a warm bath, give them some tummy time and rub their back, but I also like to use gas drops. The Little Remedies Gas Drops are perfect, which is simethicone and that's a medicine that helps break down the gas bubbles in your baby's tummy.

  • So, Autumn wanted to know, "How do the gas drops actually get rid of gas?" 

    Little Remedies writes:

    Well, Little Remedies Gas Relief Drops have been around for a long time, and it contains simethicone, which is proven to be safe in children and infants. Simethicone actually works by breaking the surface tension little gas bubbles and helping them combine into bigger ones. It's easier to expel larger gas bubbles. And remember, it's perfectly safe, and this product does not contain alcohol, artificial flavors, or artificial dyes.

  • Michelle M. -  My two month baby girl has become constipated is there anything natural I can give that does not have possible side effects?

    Little Remedies writes:

    During the first 4 - 6 weeks of an infant’s life babies may “poop” after ever feeding but as they get older they typically have less frequent stools. While parents often worry if their baby does not stool everyday, it may be normal for some babies to skip days here and there. The goal is that a baby has a soft stool (and it will look quite different if breast vs bottle) every 2 - 3 days. Babies will often grunt, turn bright red and seem uncomfortable when they pass a stool, but if their stool is soft this is normal and not a cause for concern.  If your baby is continuously having hard stools that look like small pellets you might want to discuss this with your pediatrician.

  • Corianna wanted to know, "Will taking gas drops too much make a baby dependent on them?"

    Little Remedies writes:

    Absolutely not. You can use these gas remedy products containing simethicone or gripe water with fennel and ginger for many years safely and there's no addiction to it. And, remember, they don't have alcohol. They don't have artificial dyes and so they're perfectly safe for infants and children. 

  • Megan wants to know with her new baby what is the best time to give the gas drops, before or after a feeding? 

    Little Remedies writes:

    You know, Megan, it really depends on your own baby. You can use gas drops immediately after a feeding if you feel like your baby has gotten gassy because they've eaten faster that time or swallowed more air. You can also safely put it in a bottle with your formula in excess breast milk if you would like to. And, in an older child you could put it into a sippy cup

  • Sam wanted to know, "How many times a day should you be using saline nasal spray?"

    Little Remedies writes:

    Little Remedies has several products that you can use. They have a saline spray + drop and they also have a mist, which ever your child prefers. You can use it as many times a day as necessary. You will also want to use an appropriate nasal aspirator. Newborns often have nasal congestion. Many young parents will say to me, "I think my baby already has a cold,” but what they actually have is mucus in the posterior pharynx of their nose, where some milk can build up. You can use saline to help wash this down. The nice thing about Little Remedies products, you can use it either with a baby upright or you can lay them down, it works both ways.

  • Erica B. - Can I use the saline spray on an 8 week old?

    Little Remedies writes:

    You can use saline spray from the day you get home from the hospital. It's easiest to do if you put a few drops in the baby's nostril, occlude one nostril, put the drops in, take the bulb suction, and then do the other side. The most important thing when you hear that a baby has a stuffy nose is that you're watching how they breathe. You need to look at your baby's chest and make sure that they're not having any respiratory distress. Often, when you clear the nose, you realize that the noises that you are hearing are really from the upper airway, and not that the baby is having any breathing problems. If your baby has any problems breathing, you need to call your pediatrician.

  • Tabetha K. - My 7 week old son has our family cold...congested but will sneeze out green snot, little cough, but no fever. He's eating, and going potty well. Just wondering what I can do to help his congestion. We've tried baby Vicks and snot sucker and both only work so well.

    Little Remedies writes:

    Babies with colds get runny noses and congestion just like adults, but they may demonstrate more discomfort. I use nasal saline spray in each nostril to loosen and thin the mucous and then use a bulb syringe to help clear their airway. I am also a fan of taking the baby into the bathroom while running a steamy shower or using a cool mist humidifier in their room to help with the congestion.  Most importantly, it’s imperative to ensure that the baby is eating and staying hydrated, while not demonstrating any respiratory distress. Once the baby reaches 7 weeks of age, make sure they do not have a temperature above 100.4 degrees and be sure to reach out to your pediatrician if you are concerned.

  • Alexis wanted to know, "What is the safest way to treat congestion in a toddler?" 

    Little Remedies writes:

    Well the safest way to treat it is to use a nasal saline spray or saline mist. It helps to break up the mucus and loosen it, making it easier to suck it out with an aspirator or maybe teach your child how to blow their nose.

  • Amanda F. - I'm not a fan of using a lot of traditional medicine, I prefer natural remedies when possible. Aside from the nasal spray, what's best for congestion that that cold and flu season is now upon us?

    Little Remedies writes:

    "The best thing really, you're right, Amanda, is using a nasal spray for a stuffy now. You want to use a saline drop to help clear that baby's airway.

    Other things you can do is put a cool mist humidifier in your baby's room. As the weather gets colder and the heat's on, the air is drying. That helps dry the mucus membranes, and then, before bedtime, give them a little warm bath or put them in the bathroom with the shower running to let the bath get steamy, but no products for children should be used with any honey under the age of one year, so make sure that you're reading labels."

  • Sharon P. - Why does my son have a lot of nasal drainage? I do not know what to do to help him.

    Little Remedies writes:

    "Sharon wants to know, why does my son have a lot of nasal drainage, and I don't know what to do to help him. Sharon, it depends on the age of your child, because newborns have newborn nasal congestion. They sound stuffy all the time, because they have mucus in their nasal passages, and milk in their posterior pharynx.

    The best thing to do for that is one of the over the counter Little Remedy products, which is a nasal saline, which is great because you can buy the mist or the drops, whichever one you prefer. And then we like to put it in there and then suck it back out and get that mucus out, which is the best way to open your baby's airways when they seem stuffy.

    If your child is older and they have a cold, they're gonna be really stuffy. And the best thing for that is to teach them how to blow out the saline drops, which you have to have an IQ to blow your nose over 150. So your child may be able to spell and use an iPad, which we'll talk about later, but they can't blow. Put the nasal saline in, occlude one nostril, and then help them learn how to blow out, and that will really help relieve the congestion.

    Again, lots of humidity in the house when the heat is on, so you want a cool mist humidifier. Never hot, because your child could get burned from that. And we're big fans of steamy showers, and put eucalyptus in there to make you feel better when you have a cold."

  • Tabetha K. - My 7 week old son has our family cold...congested but will sneeze out green snot, little cough, but no fever. He's eating, and going potty well. Just wondering what I can do to help his congestion. We've tried baby vicks and snot sucker and both only work so well.

    Little Remedies writes:

    "You know, if you're not the first child to run the fall already, you're probably going to have a baby with a stuffy nose.

    One of the best things to use for that is Little Remedies saline drops, and it also comes as a mist. Because babies can't rub their nose or even pick their nose, and all's they can do is have you help remove the mucus from their nose. So I'd put a little saline into their nose, one into each nostril. And then I use a bulb suction and suck out the mucus to help clear the airway.

    In a seven week old especially, you're always wanting to make sure that baby does not have a fever. So if your baby is fussy under the age of eight weeks and has a fever over 100.4, that is an immediate phone call to your pediatrician.

    But this is just the first of many stuffy noses as we get into fall and winter upper respiratory season."

  • Poet D - Other than baby wipes and wet baby wash cloths is there a way to keep my toddlers nose from being dry and crusty? Her poor nose is getting chapped!

    Little Remedies writes:

    It is unusual for children to develop allergies until they are over the age of two, but they can certainly have a constant runny nose as they catch one cold after another. I like to use saline nasal spray to help lubricate the nasal passages and this may also help to prevent a chapped nose. A bit of petroleum jelly on their nostrils will also help, but just be sure to not block off the nasal passages. I typically try to put some on their nose when they are sleeping and less likely to try and “rub it off”! 

  • Little Remedies writes:

    This is a really great question. What's the best way to teach a toddler, like a three year old, to blow his or her nose? It's almost like riding a bicycle, you just have to practice and practice. Make sure you show them how to close one nostril. Have them try to blow the tissue and make it move. Using a saline spray or mist will also help the mucus come out easier, so they'll feel more successful. But there's no big magic to this and it really is practice, practice, practice which as a parent you'll realize is a key to many skills.

  • Lupe wanted to know how much acetaminophen should be given to a one-month old.

    Little Remedies writes:

    Lupe, great question, but the answer to that is none. In pediatrics, we really want to see a baby that is under eight weeks of age and has a temperature of 100.4 or higher. If they do, that is an absolute call to your pediatrician, and we would prefer that you don't give them any acetaminophen prior to being seen.

  • The next question comes from Holly and she said, "Should I give my little one Acetaminophen after their shots?" 

    Little Remedies writes:

    That's a great question. If your baby is acting absolutely fine, which is a case for most children after immunizations, then don't give them anything. If they seem to be more irritable, because we did give them a few shots in their legs or if they run a fever over 100.4, use your dosing chart and give your child the appropriate dose for their weight. You can use that every four to six hours. Pediatricians really want to see a baby that is under eight weeks of age and has a temperature of 100.4 or higher. If your baby is less than 8 weeks old and has a fever, call your pediatrician before giving them acetaminophen. If your child is going to have a fever or be irritable, it is going to be in the first 24 to 36 hours post vaccinations. Don't think that something that happened a week later is related to those vaccines.

  • Isabella wanted to know, "When do I need to worry about a fever?"

    Little Remedies writes:

    You know Isabella, fevers really put fear into new parents and we understand that as parents, but fever is your friend. Remember that fever is an immune response and actually shows that your child is fighting probably a viral infection. So the number on the thermometer is not as important as how your child is acting. So 101 is really no different than 100.4, than a 104. That's when you want to use the acetaminophen product with a dosage appropriate for your child's age and you want to go by weight rather than age. It's really important in an infant because they absolutely are different, so make sure you look at your child's weight and ask your doctor for a dosage chart to keep it handy. Pediatricians really want to see a baby that is under eight weeks of age and has a temperature of 100.4 or higher. If your baby is less than 8 weeks old and has a fever, call your pediatrician before giving them acetaminophen.