How to Make Cough Syrup for a Baby Under One Year

Every cold and flu season, we hear more warnings about the medicine we give to our kids. The reality is that you can make cough syrup at home that is more effective and that doesn't contain the potentially dangerous drugs you find in commercial syrups. Not to mention, it can save you money.
The trouble with making cough syrup for babies is that honey--the main ingredient in most cough syrup recipes--shouldn't be fed to kids under the age of 2 because it can contain a microorganism that can make your baby sick. However, there's an easy solution: substitute brown rice syrup or organic fruit syrup, available at your local natural foods store, in the same amount as the recipe calls for honey. While you won't get all of the healing effects of honey, you can still make a soothing cough syrup for your child under the age of two.
There are countless recipes all over the Internet for homemade cough syrup, but most of them have the same basic ingredients. This article presents a few recipes that you can easily create at home.

Instructions

Basic Lemon Cough Syrup for Babies

1

Warm 1 pt. brown rice syrup or organic fruit syrup on low heat (see if you can find lemon or lemon-herb fruit syrup for this recipe). Be careful not to bring it to boil.

2

In a different pot, boil 1 whole lemon for a few minutes, which will kill any bacteria and soften the lemon. Let the lemon cool, then cut into slices.

3

Add the lemon slices to the syrup and heat on low for 1 hour. Don't allow the mixture to boil.

4

Using a strainer, remove the lemons and their seeds from the syrup.

5

Pour in a clean, tightly closed jar and let cool. Keeps for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Cherry Cough Syrup for Babies

6

Put 2 cups cherries in a pot and add just enough water to cover them.

7

Add 2 cups brown rice syrup or organic fruit syrup (see if you can find lemon or cherry fruit syrup for this recipe).

8

Slice one whole lemon, and add at least half of the slices to the mixture on the stove.

9

Simmer the mixture carefully until the cherries are soft.

10

Strain the cherries, lemons, pits and seeds from the mixture.

11

Pour in a clean, tightly closed jar and let cool. Keep in the fridge.