Top 10 Tips for Dribbly Babies

Your darling new baby has taught you a lot in a short time: you now dive manfully into a poo-filled nappy situation; baby wee is a doddle; baby spit up is pretty disgusting, it's true, but at least it's confined to mealtimes.

And then along comes baby dribble. As if you didn't have enough bodily fluids leaking from your baby to deal with! It's over everything, and it's constant.

Here at Skibz, we've seen plenty of dribbly babies. My own children dribbled so much it actually prompted me to design Skibz and start the company! They say necessity is the mother of invention and so it has proved for our dribble bibs.

Dribbling can start at just a few months old and normally tails off by the age of three, but if you have a dribbly baby, here's Skibz' Top 10 Tips to help you cope:

1. The most common cause of dribbling in babies is teething. Relieve the symptoms by giving your child something cold to chew on (a frozen banana is a popular choice), yoghurt or a teething toy. Your pharmacist can recommend a teething gel or remedy that can relieve the pain in your little one's gums.
2. Give your baby plenty of water or diluted juice to replenish fluids lost by excessive dribbling.
3. Protect your child's clothing from all that dribble by dressing them in an all-day, bandana-style bib. Skibz come in a range of funky designs to complement any outfit.
4. Over time, digestive enzymes in saliva can irritate your baby's delicate skin. Choose a bib that wicks moisture away and keeps baby's skin dry. Skibz are backed with two layers of super-absorbent fabric that keeps your baby comfortable.
5. Petroleum jelly can also help to relieve sore, chafed skin caused by dribbling. Keep a supply in baby's changing bag – it's handy outdoors too, when cold weather will chap that little wet chin even more.
6. Teething isn't the only reason babies dribble. Experts believe dribbling can be part of a baby's development as they prepare for digesting solid food, so take heart – your baby is learning to chew and swallow and you can look forward to less dribble as your baby is weaned.
7. Does your child have a cold? If the poor little mite can't breathe properly, they are probably dribbling more as they try to breathe through their mouths. Ask your pharmacist to recommend something to help your little one breathe easier.
8. Dribbling is almost certainly nothing to worry about in most cases and will trail off over time. Try telling a mother not to worry though! If a quick chat with your doctor or Health Visitor will put your mind at rest, you'll be reassured that there are no underlying problems causing your baby to dribble.
9. Your dribble bibs are in constant use, so make sure they're up to the job. Skibz can be washed at 60°C to remove tough stains and they're rigorously tested to ensure they don't shrink or fade.
10. Throw away boring bibs with plastic backing – a dribbly baby is the perfect excuse to snap on a Skibz, and funk up your baby's outfit. You'll be the envy of all your friends!