Drool Bibs – What are the best bibs for a drooling baby?

At around 3 months your baby will start drooling more than usual and this is when you will need a drool bib. In this article, we will discuss the best bibs for a drooling baby and much more.

Why do babies drool?

Before starting on the details of the bibs, it’s helpful to understand why babies drool.

Babies tend to drool when their teeth start to come through. The increase in saliva helps soothe their gums and plays a huge part in a baby’s life. It helps them swallow, protects their teeth and keeps their mouth moist. And they drool because their muscles that control swallowing haven’t yet developed. So the saliva has nowhere to go except out of their mouth.

Why is a drooling baby a problem? 

If a baby’s skin stays wet from saliva for a long time this can cause a “drool rash”. This can occur in many areas including the chest, face, and neck. This article from WebMD explains drool rash in more detail.

Ways to prevent drool rash

There are two main ways to prevent drool rash. The first is to clean excess saliva off the baby’s face. A soft and organic washcloth or spit-up cloth is perfect for this. And will keep your baby dry and comfortable. The second way is for your baby to wear a good-fitting, quality bandana bib. 

What to look for in a bib?

One of the most effective ways of preventing drool rash is by using a good quality bib. With so many types of bibs available it’s hard to decide the best for a drooling baby so we have outlined below what you should look for.

• Multiple Layers – The most important feature of a bib is that has many layers. The first layer provides the initial protection. While the second absorbs any drool that has seeped through.

• Absorbent – The materials from which it is made must be absorbent. This way the saliva isn’t passing straight through the bib. Materials like cotton and bamboo are absorbent fabrics.

• Adjustable – The bib must be adjustable to fit snuggly around the baby’s neck so saliva doesn’t seep between the bib and neck. An adjustable bib can be increased and decreased in size to fit properly. You should be able to put a finger between their neck and the bib without causing them discomfort. Also, it shouldn’t be too loose so that dribble passes underneath the bib.

• Pleats – Pleats on a bib help catch the saliva like a dam. Preventing it from falling onto the baby’s skin. They also leave space between the front and back. This stops the layers from sitting directly on top of each other.

• High Quality – Look at the stitching and the overall quality of the bib. Do research and reviews on the brand to see what others are saying. Do they provide resources where you can learn about the product? These are all good indicators of a quality bib.

How many should you buy?

You should buy between 3 and 6 high-quality bibs. If your baby is a heavy drooler or you plan to do the washing less frequently, you may need more.

Cleaning and Maintaining 

It’s important to keep your bibs in good condition. This way they will last longer and maintain their absorbent property. Ours can be washed in a normal washing machine at a gentle wash at 40 degrees. They should be washed with similar colours. They can be placed in a tumble dryer to dry. But this increases wear and tear. See this article on how to maintain our bibs for more information.

We hope you have found this article on the best bibs for a drooling baby helpful. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

This article was written by Luisa Figueroa. She is the owner, designer and maker of the My Little Love Heart range of baby products.