How Many Colic Drops For A Newborn? | Safe Dose Guide

New parents often hear about “colic drops,” yet the label on the bottle can feel like a puzzle.
Here’s the plain answer for the product most people mean by colic drops: infant simethicone gas drops.
These aren’t absorbed, they work inside the gut to break up gas bubbles, and the dose is measured in milliliters, not by counting droplets.
Below you’ll find clear dosing, timing, and safety notes, plus quick ways to soothe a gassy newborn without medicine.

How Many Colic Drops For Newborns — Safe Dose & Timing

The standard newborn dose for simethicone gas drops is 0.3 mL, which equals 20 mg per dose.
Give it after a feed and at bedtime if needed.
Product labels differ by country and brand.
Some U.S. labels allow repeating the 0.3 mL dose after each feed, up to 12 doses in 24 hours.
UK guidance often lists 20–40 mg up to 6 times daily.
Always follow the instructions that come with your bottle.

Two good references: the DailyMed label that places a hard cap at 12 doses per day,
and the NHS dosing page that lists 20–40 mg up to 6 times daily.

Simethicone Dosing At A Glance

Product/Guidance	Per-Dose Amount	Max Daily Frequency
U.S. OTC labels (e.g., store brand)	0.3 mL (20 mg)	Up to 12 doses
Mylicon brand chart	0.3 mL (20 mg)	Up to 12 doses
UK NHS guidance	20–40 mg	Up to 6 times

Use the syringe that comes with the bottle. Counting droplets can misfire because droppers deliver different volumes per drop.

Drop Vs Milliliter: Why The Syringe Wins

One parent’s “five drops” may not match another parent’s “five drops.”
Viscosity, dropper shape, and angle all change the volume.
That’s why manufacturers supply a syringe marked at 0.3 mL.
Draw to the line, aim inside the cheek, and press the plunger slowly.
If your brand lists 0.6 mL for older kids, newborns still take the 0.3 mL dose unless your clinician says otherwise.

What Colic Drops Can And Cannot Do

Simethicone targets gas.
It breaks surface tension so tiny bubbles join and pass.
Some families see less fussing; others see no change.
UK guidance even states that evidence for colic relief is limited, so a short trial makes sense and stopping makes sense if there’s no benefit.
Gripe water is different.
It’s usually an herbal blend and it isn’t regulated as medicine in the U.S., so quality and ingredients vary.

Practical Soothing That Often Helps

• Burp during and after each feed.
• Hold upright for 20–30 minutes after feeding.
• Pedal the legs while baby lies on the back.
• Offer brief tummy time when awake and watched.
• White noise, rocking, or a walk in the stroller.

These steps can be used with or without simethicone.

How To Give Colic Drops Safely

1. Shake the bottle well.
2. Pull the syringe to the 0.3 mL line.
3. Place the tip toward the inner cheek, not the throat.
4. Press slowly so baby can swallow without coughing.
5. Rinse the syringe with warm soapy water and let it air dry.

Most labels allow repeat doses after meals and at bedtime.
Space doses out through the day and don’t stack them back to back.

Timing With Feeds And Sleep

Give a dose right after a feed when you notice gassiness.
Night fussiness often peaks between 6 pm and midnight, so the bedtime dose can help comfort.
If your baby feeds every two to three hours, you may reach the daily limit fast.
Track each dose on your phone or a sticky note on the bottle.

Other Drops You May Hear About

Probiotic drops: some parents try a daily probiotic.
Results vary and brands differ.
If you try one, use the brand’s drop count and give it time to judge the effect.

Gripe water: some families like it, others avoid it.
Ingredients differ by brand and country.
Since it isn’t regulated as a drug in the U.S., many clinicians prefer simethicone first.

Sample Day Plan Using Simethicone

Feed Pattern	When Drops Are Given	Running Total
Every 3 hours	After 6 daytime feeds + bedtime	Up to 7 doses
Cluster evening feeds	After late-afternoon feeds + bedtime	3–5 doses
Overnight wakes	Skip unless clearly gassy	Helps stay under limit

Never pass your label’s daily cap.
U.S. bottles often cap at 12 doses in 24 hours; some UK guidance caps at 6.

Safety Checks And Red Flags

Gas drops are over the counter and well tolerated.
Loose stools can happen.
Call your pediatrician promptly if any of the following show up:

• Fever, lethargy, or breathing trouble.
• Green or yellow vomits, blood in stool, or a swollen belly.
• Poor feeding, few wet diapers, or low weight gain.
• Hard crying that doesn’t settle in spite of usual calming.

Those signs point away from routine colic and need medical care.

Quick Tips For Fewer Gassy Feeds

• Check the latch. A shallow latch pulls in air.
• Pace the bottle. Tilt enough to keep the nipple full.
• Try a slower flow nipple if feeds are fast and noisy.
• Keep baby upright during the first 15 minutes after a feed.
• Swaddle for naps if it calms flailing arms and legs.

Simple Takeaway

For a newborn, the usual simethicone dose is 0.3 mL (20 mg) after feeds and at bedtime.
Use the syringe, log the doses, and stay within the daily limit shown on your bottle.
If the drops don’t help after a short trial, lean on soothing moves and ask your baby’s clinician about next steps. Save the bottle insert and keep the syringe with it so dosing stays simple for every caregiver. daily.

Label Differences: Why Counts Vary

Two bottles can carry the same 20 mg per 0.3 mL dose and still give different daily limits.
That’s because manufacturers write dosing to match local guidance and packaging rules.
In the U.S., many labels allow a dose at every feed, with a ceiling of 12 in 24 hours.
In the UK, dosing is often written as a fixed number of times per day.
Both are safe when you stick to the bottle you own.
Switching brands midweek can change the wording, so read the chart each time you open a new box.

Another reason for confusion is the way some sites talk about “drops.”
Older bottles used a bulb dropper and people counted droplets.
Modern products ship with a syringe and a clear 0.3 mL line.
That shift improves accuracy and keeps dosing consistent from one caregiver to the next.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Counting droplets: use the syringe volume, not a drop count.
• Stacking doses: wait until after a feed or at bedtime.
• Sharing bottles: different households may have different labels.
• Guessing the line: pull the plunger slowly to the mark, no shortcuts.
• Skipping burps: gas returns fast if air stays in the stomach.

When Drops Don’t Seem To Help

Give a short trial and watch your log.
If there’s no change, press pause for a day and lean on soothing moves.
Many parents find that burping during the feed and again at the end makes the biggest difference.
Some also change one thing at a time in the feeding setup, like nipple flow or bottle vent design.
Small tweaks can cut swallowed air and reduce the need for medicine.

If fussing is constant, scan for red flags listed below.
Pain with arching, poor feeding, or a swollen belly needs a call to your baby’s clinic for advice for your child.

Breastfeeding Notes

Work on a deep latch.
Listen for clicks and watch for dimpled cheeks; both suggest air entry.
Try side-lying nursing for a calmer let-down if feeds start fast.
If you think a food in your diet is a trigger, pick a single item to remove for two weeks and keep a diary.
Avoid wide eliminations unless your clinician asks for that plan.

Bottle Feeding Checks

Hold the bottle so the nipple stays full.
Use paced bottle feeding: tip horizontally, let baby pause, then resume.
If the flow looks too fast, step down a size.
If the nipple collapses or baby sucks hard with little milk transfer, step up a size.
Vented bottles can help some babies.
Pick one style and stick with it for a week before trying another, so you can judge results.

Measuring, Mixing, And Storage

Simethicone can be given straight into the cheek, or mixed with a small amount of breast milk, formula, or water.
If you mix, use just an ounce so the full dose goes down.
Keep the bottle at room temperature and replace the cap tightly.
Rinse the syringe after each use and let it dry fully.
Check the box for the expiration date and don’t keep an opened bottle past that date.

How Long To Try Simethicone

Many families see benefits within a day or two.
If feeds are calmer, you can keep using the same dose pattern.
If there’s no clear change after a few days, you can stop without a taper.
It’s safe to start again later if gas becomes a problem again.

Missed Dose, Overdose, And Safe Storage

Missed a dose?
No catch-up is needed.
Just give the next dose at the usual time after a feed.
Accidental extra doses are unlikely to cause harm, yet you should still call your clinic or Poison Control for guidance if a large amount is swallowed.
Store out of reach and sight of siblings and visiting children.