My Niece Drools like Crazy- Help!!!

Updated on March 15, 2008
V.F. asks from Bellevue, WA
17 answers

My 6 month old niece is drooling like crazy. It is not a teething issue as it has always been this way! We have bought every bib brand for her and nothing works. She is always a wet mess and has to be changed several times a day. Anyone have a suggestion?

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So What Happened?

Thank you all for the supportive notes! We are going to try one of those baby chaleco bibs- they are too cute! I love the one with the kitty cat on it! I will let you know how it goes:) Thanks again!

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C.R.

answers from Seattle on

Have you tried Hylands Teething Tablets? They help with the drooling, swelling and fussiness! You can find them at Fred Meyers in the Nutrition section, Vitamin Supplements or usually any health food store. They are homeopathic. Their Hylands products for kids are GREAT! C.

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G.T.

answers from Portland on

V.,
My son was the king of drool forever, it seemed! He hated bibs and we were constantly changing his shirt because it was wet. After numerous visits to the doctor and speech therapist, I finally made peace with the fact that he was just a drooler!
He is 3.5 and has finally gotten to the point where he closes his mouth and wipes his own chin. The therapist had recommended practicing sucking with a straw, blowing cotton balls around with a straw and sucking on popsicles to try to strengthen those muscles in the lower lip. Structurally there was nothing wrong with my son, just lazy about keeping his mouth closed and not letting drool just roll down his chin. We tried those options, but he still drooled.
In truth, I think it bothered my husband and I more than it bothered him. A lot of our relatives believed it was teething related, but it sure lasted longer than that! I know this isn't exactly suggestions, but in my experience, it was just another phase! You could try bandanas- that's the one thing my so would wear because he thought he was a cowboy!
G.

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L.R.

answers from Portland on

Hi:
My son also drooled everyday, wet through every shirt until he hit three!! That is also when we got him off his pacifier. I do not know if that was related to the drooling but it stopped when the use of it stopped.

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A.M.

answers from Seattle on

V.:

My son drooled constantly until he hit three. With some kids, it's just their genetic makeup. Bibs were useless, so we ended up using bandanas. The folds hold the drool and keeps the clothing much drier. Of course, you need to change the bandana every hour or so. Their inexpensive, though, and come in a variety of colors, so you can find some pretty pastels and color coordinate if you want.

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K.B.

answers from Seattle on

My daughter was the same way from about 3 mos to 9-10mos. I bought those bibs they have at target that have the plastic lining on the back. Those at least cut down on the clothes changing every day. You can get them in 10packs.

Sorry, no real advise, you just have to wait it out.
good luck =)

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A.W.

answers from Seattle on

My daughter who is now 16 months was a major drooler and still does when teething or has a cold. It started at 3 months and I had to change her bib every two hours and shirt twice/three times a day. She use to get horrible face rash because there was so much drool. I think some babies are just more drooly than others. My friends use to just laugh and they still do because Avery's shirt is always wet. And at this age, she will not wear a bib. I constantly asked the doctor about it and she said it was not uncommon for some babies.
I wish I had some advice for you, but I don't. I just dealt with the drooly mess the best I could by changing her constantly. I wish you lots of luck.
A.

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M.C.

answers from Seattle on

Just as all the other moms shared, my daughter was also a serious drooler. I too used the plastic lined bibs and went through many a day. All I can say is that your niece WILL grow out of it, it's just a matter of when. Sorry we can't be more helpful, but hopefully knowing that others have experienced the same brings you comfort. Take care!

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R.H.

answers from Portland on

I Wish I knew, of my 14 neices & nephews, 2 children and 5 grandchildren I can assure you that this is quite common. We never knew why, we just kept a supply of the plastic-backed bibs on hand. There was a pad that we used under the babies faces in bed that was rubber-like inside with a soft flannel type exterior that was soft on their skin.

Some of our kids had lactose issues or just had to eat smaller amounts more often to keep from drooling it back out.

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C.N.

answers from Seattle on

My second daughter was a drooling mess until about two months ago. She is 11 months now. We also had to change bibs about 8-10 times a day. Just know, that it will stop. We even bought a 10 pack of bibs just for the diaper bag. I like the ones that are lined inside with some kid of plastic material, becuase the ones that are all fabric just get too wet. I know this advice doesnt help but just thought i would try to offer some encouragement.

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C.W.

answers from Seattle on

It sounds very typical of all babies, some more than others. Please just enjoy this precious time with her, wetness and all. Soon enough, she won't be a "mess" anymore, but you might regret not just enjoying her sweetness. It's not something you can change or fix.

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K.W.

answers from Anchorage on

Hi V.! I'm sure there could be a number of possibilities that are causing the drooling. All I have to offer is my own experience with my kids. Dd, who is now 5, drooled more than any baby I had ever known. Anyone who saw her typically had some sort of comment on how much she drooled. We had a plethora of bibs and did a lot of clothes changes, and eventually, once all of her teeth came in (and they seemed to all come in at once), it stopped. Remember, teething can actually take up to several months before any teeth even appear to be close to the surface. Dd didn't get her first tooth until close to one year! Ds, on the other hand, did not drool much as a baby. But, around the age of 2 or so (and still a bit now, but not so much) he started drooling a lot. I think that in a lot of instances it actually is teething, even though the teeth may not be close to the surface. Some babies begin the "teething" process shortly after birth, regardless of when the teeth actually come in. If you have ruled out any sort of serious condidtions, I would say keep buying those bibs and bring extra clothes with you!

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T.S.

answers from Seattle on

V.,

Try baby chaleco bibs. My friend's son uses them and she swears by them. He can wear the same one all day and it seems to totally do the trick. You can buy them at www.babychaleco.com.

T.

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S.J.

answers from Seattle on

My daughter was the same way. As we (doctors) explored it further is was due to two things ... she had acid reflux and very large tonsils. She was put on Prevacid right away but we had to wait until she was 2 1/2 to have her tonsils removed. I hope this helps.

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E.R.

answers from Medford on

my daughter was the same. she wore a bib all day =)

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S.G.

answers from Spokane on

My pediatrician told me that when a baby starts drooling excessively, it means that their stomach enzymes are ready and raring to go for some solid foods. He told me that he has some Moms wait to start solids even up until 8 months sometimes if their babies aren't drooling like that. If they don't have the proper enzymes in their tummies to digest their food properly, they can get constipated and have upset tummies. My son happened to be ready at 4 months (even used to grab at my own food and try to bring it to his mouth!), so it's definitely different with every baby.

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M.S.

answers from Portland on

There is nothing you can do to teach a baby to swallow her saliva. Some babies just have more than others. The only thing that will keep it at bay is a pacifier. Try plastic backed bibs so you only have to change the bib throughout the day and not her shirt too. After taking off a wet bib, let it air dry and then use it again. Rotate 2-3 throughout the day or even a couple days. That way you are not washing them all so often. Bacteria cannot grow once it is dry, so they aren't all that dirty. Good luck, the drooling lasts well into the toddler years.

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