Once you start solids, baby bibs and burp clothes are a must-have
What are baby bibs and burp clothes?
Baby bibs and burp clothes are small pieces of fabric that secure loosely around a baby’s neck to protect their clothes from spills, stains, and spit-up when transitioning to solids. Some bibs are designed specifically for use while teething, made of a material like organic cotton with a silicone chew on the end.
They are made from materials like BPA-free plastic, nylon-coated polyurethane, soft food-grade silicone, Teflon fabric, or a combination. They can be wiped clean with a damp cloth, placed in a washing machine, or some can even be cleaned with hot, soapy water or placed in the dishwasher. They come individually, or sold in multi-packs, in a variety of colours, designs, or fun themes.
Burp clothes, often sold in packs of 3 or 4, are small 13 x 10” (or so) pieces of fabric that can drape over your shoulder while you burp a baby to catch any spit-up or drool. With patterns or colours on one side and soft terry, unbleached cotton, cotton muslin, or another similar material on the other, they come in handy for cleaning up spills or wiping a baby’s mouth as well.
What types of baby bibs and burp clothes are there?
Baby bibs come in different forms, some soft, others made of a material like silicone so they’re easier to wipe down. Full-cover baby bibs add sleeves with elastic cuffs for more coverage for extra messy babies, or while travelling. Some have catch-all pockets at the bottom to catch food that falls from the baby’s hand or spoon, or to keep crumbs from getting onto the high chair or floor.
Baby bibs have adjustable tie closures or Velcro to prevent a mischievous baby from tugging it off. They come in different sizes for babies anywhere from 6 months up to 24-month-old toddlers and in a fun patterns and designs, like animals, florals, comics, or even a dress-up tie for formal occasions.
Teething bibs are triangular in shape, bandana-style, with a silicone chew on the end to help reduce pain and catch drool while baby is teething. They are usually suitable for babies from 12 months and up.
With burp clothes, you can select from a variety of colours or patterns to match your nursery, diaper bag, or to keep baby distracted and intrigued.
What to look for in baby bibs and burp clothes
Look for a pattern and/or colour that your baby will love, and material that is easy to clean and is stain- and odour-resistant as well as waterproof or liquid-repellant or BPA-, lead, PVC, and phthalates-free. Soft ones allow your child’s skin to breathe underneath, won’t cause irritation around the neck, and fold up nicely for a diaper bag; while silicone is handy in the home since you can wash and dry them quickly for re-use. Find a size that will fit comfortably without being too tight but won’t be too loose such that food can easily fall through the neck hole.
Grab 3 or 4 baby bibs so you have a clean one ready to go for every meal of the day, and extras for on-the-go. If your child is extra active, opt for at least one full-cover bib to avoid stained sleeves.
You’ll need more burp clothes than you realize and will use them for clean-ups and wipe-downs as well given their small and convenient size. Don’t forget to grab a set of dishes, cups, and utensils along with a high chair to make the introduction to solids complete.