As we enter into the colder months, we unfortunately get closer and closer to the common seasonal threats, like sniffles and congestion. As such, it is more important than ever to prepare and support our bodies so that we can keep ourselves and our families as healthy as possible. For our littlest loved ones, though, there is a unique challenge: what are some baby and infant-safe ways to prevent dreaded seasonal ailments? For many parents, it is a struggle to find a good balance between wanting to help your kiddo feel their best while also being a bit hesitant to jump to conventional over-the-counter options. One of the most common questions we get is, “Can I give your Elderberry Syrup to my baby?” While our best-selling Elderberry Syrup is only safe for children 12 months and older, keep reading to learn about how you can make your own baby-safe health aid at home!
First, why is our Elderberry Syrup only recommended for children 12 months and older? One of our FAVORITE ingredients in our syrup is our raw, local honey. Raw honey, like elderberries themselves, has a host of benefits. According to Mayo Clinic, honey is not only high in antioxidants, but is also anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. While it is most commonly used in naturopathy to treat coughs, the benefits of honey don’t stop there: honey also reduces risk of heart disease, gastrointestinal disease, and neurological disease. However, honey is not safe for children younger than 12 months because of a rare but serious risk for infant botulism. Adults are not at risk from honey-related botulism, however infants’ immune systems are not as mature. So, it is safest to avoid honey entirely for infants.
That being said, it is still easily doable for your little one to get the immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory benefits of elderberries without the honey! Our owner, Jenny Watson, even experienced this with her youngest:
“At just 3 weeks, our sweet little babe was congested! I had never had such a small baby have congestion, and I was frantic to help strengthen his immune system. Now, babies under 12 months old cannot take our Elderberry Syrup because it contains raw honey; however, we have two great ways to make infant-safe Elderberry Syrup. The first way is with our Elderberry Syrup Kits. This is all of the dry ingredients of our syrup in a ready-to-boil muslin pouch so that you can make a batch on your own stovetop. Simply omit the honey at the end of the recipe or substitute with an alternative sweetener like maple syrup. The second way of making an infant-safe Elderberry Syrup is with our Dried Elderberries. For me, I didn’t want to introduce more than one food to my newborn (our kits contain berries and a spice blend). So I chose to boil about 2/3c dried elderberries in a pot of water and give about .25ml to my newborn for a few days after noticing his congestion. Within a week he was cleared up and breathing/sleeping easy again! (Note: Please consult your care provider before using elderberries).”
Infant-Safe Elderberry Recipe:
- ⅔ cup Dried Elderberries
- 4 cups water
- Pour dried elderberries and water into a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover.
- Let simmer for 45 minutes, until reduced by about half.
- Strain berries out from concentrate liquid.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 30 days. Administer ¼ teaspoon to your child per day as needed.
- If desired, sweeten with maple syrup.