A review of products for babies health

Boots Saline Spray is an isotonic buffered, aqueous saline solution containing Sodium chloride 0.75%, 0.01% EDTA, 0.0002% PHMB. Can be used from infancy onwards. Once opened use within 3 months. Store in original packaging below 25°C and do not use after expiry date.

Stérimar Baby is the only 100 % natural isotonic solution. Stérimar Baby is a low pressured natural seawater nasal spray and is completely safe to use from 0-3 years. Contains Sea water: 31.82ml and Purified water qsp: 100ml. Pressurised container with an inert gas (nitrogen). Do not expose to sunlight. Do not pierce or incinerate, even after use. Aseptically packed.

Calpol Soothe & Care Saline Nasal Spray is a isotonic saline solution containing 0.9% sodium chloride. Suitable from birth upwards. Contains Sodium hydrogen carbonate anhydrous, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride hexahydrate and purified water. Discard 6 weeks after first opening.This is a medicine; Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have an underlying medical conditions or are taking other medicines.

All nasal sprays should be stored below 25C.

Boots saline drops

• The bottle comes with a small, thick plastic nozzle for easy spraying.
• It's small so can fit in your pocket
• Boots is a trusted brand.
• It's cheap at only £2.09 for 15ml.

The bad side

1. It's plastic and not easily recyclable.
2. The nozzle is thick and is not suitable for every babies nose
3. The spray doesn't last long..
4. The pump action is quite weak.
5. Can cause dryness in the nose.

Stérimar Baby

• It's 100% natural.
• Has a flexi-nozzle, making it easier to squirt into baby's nose.
• It's a big bottle.
• Lasts a long time.
• Bottle is metal and can be recycled (check local recycling place for safe disposal).
• It's cheap at only £4.29 for 50ml.

The bad side

1. The spray is quite strong and you can squirt too much up baby's nose by accident.

Calpol Soothe & Care Saline Nasal Spray

• Bottle is small and can fit in your pocket.
• Bottle gives off at least 100 sprays.
• Calpol is a well known trusted brand.
• The spray action is just right.

The bad side

1. It costs £2.79 for 15ml.
2. It's a plastic bottle and not easily recyclable.
3. The nozzle isn't flexible.
4. It can hurt baby's nose if baby struggles while you use it.

So what to choose? Well, personally I've tried them all and Stérimar wins hands down. The flexi nozzle is a god send, it's only sea water so if you accidentally get some in baby's eye, you don't need to panic.

William Woodward's Gripe water is used for the treatment of colic. It is a product that has natural ingredients in it like dill and chamomile. It also has alcohol in it. Gripe water comes in a glass bottle and is poured on to a spoon for baby. It has a bland taste with a slight metallic aftertaste to it.

Infacol is a suspension liquid that comes in a plastic bottle with dropper. The main ingredient of this medicine is simeticone which is an antiflatulent. It works as an antifoaming agent and joins small bubbles of gas in the stomach to form large bubbles. The trapped gas can then be easily expelled during burping or as wind. It normally is a pastywhite and has an artificial orange flavour.

So which is best? Lets look at the good and bad points of both products.

Gripe water

• Gripe water is a British product and a household name. It's been used since the early 50s by midwives and medical staff - it's a make you can trust.
• A clear liquid that doesn't have much of a taste - baby is less likely to mind taking it.
• Made with natural ingredients - less chance of allergy.
• Comes in a big bottle that lasts a long time - value for money.

The bad points are :

1. It has alcohol in it which your child may be sensitive to.
2. It has natural herbs in it that your child may be sensitive to.
3. The glass bottle can break easy.
4. The glass bottle means you have to store it properly and the liquid is more susceptible to changes in temperature.
5. The bottle comes with no dropper or spoon making it harder to judge how much to give your child.

Infacol

• Infacol is a proven source to relieve colic and is more updated than Gripe water - It's been through more testing.
• It comes in a plastic bottle - easier to store and won't break.
• Infacol has a dropper - makes it easy to give your child.
• It is cheaper than Gripe Water.

The bad points are :

1. It's a lot smaller than the gripe water bottle and less value for money.
2. Infacol has been known to cause constipation in babies.
3. The product doesn't last as long as the gripe water.
4. Infacol has an orange taste to it that some babies won't like.

I personally think Infacol is the best product to use but it's up to you and your child. Your baby might prefer one to the other.

In my personal experience, Infacol is more effective and acts faster than gripe water. The downside is though, Infacol can 'lose' it's effectiveness if used too much.

Bonjela Teething Gel. Effective, soothing relief from teething pain. Contains 0.33% Lidocaine Hydrochloride and 0.01% Cetalkonium Chloride. Not suitable for infants under two months. For infants and adults over two months of age. Repeat every three hours if necessary.Do not exceed stated dose.

Dentinox Teething Gel is sugar free, effective relief for teething pain from birth onwards. Contains Lidocaine Hydrochloride 0.33% w/w and cetylpyridinium chloride 0.10% w/w. This is a medicine; Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have an underlying medical condition, are taking any other medication or complementary therapy, or if symptoms persist.

Bonjela Teething Gel

• Is cheap.
• Easy to use.
• Effective.
• Long-lasting.
• Bonjela is a well known brand.
• Tube lasts a long time.
• Can be easily put in purse for travelling or when you are out & about.

The bad side

1. Tastes unpleasant.
2. Can numb your tongue as well as your teeth.
3. Not suitable from birth.

Deninox Teething Gel

• Easy to use.
• Dentinox is a wellknown brand.
• Small tube can easily be stored in purse when out & about.
• Can be used from birth.
• Tastes quite nice.

The bad side

1. More expensive than other well known brands.
2. Isn't very long lasting.

I personally use both. One of my children like the Dentinox while the other two like Bonjela. It's preference really.

That's a tough one to answer. Different babies will respond better to different products. For example, if you have two children, one might be alright with Calpol but the other might respond better with supermarket brand suspension medicine.

So it really is trial and error when it comes to finding out what works for your child and what you feel comfortable with.