Jess Miller, parent.guide
As a parent, you will quickly discover that meal times are messy. It is surprising how little of each meal actually ends up in your baby’s mouth. Baby bibs are a fantastic solution to keeping food off your little ones clothes (and everywhere else) during meal time.
Baby bibs come in all manner of different sizes, shapes and materials. How do you determine which bib is right for your baby?
I have created a super detailed guide on baby bibs that will provide you with all the information you need find the perfect bib for your baby. Once you have finished reading this guide you will be an a baby bib expert.
Okay, lets jump right in and learn all about baby bibs.
Why your baby needs a bib
If there is one thing baby’s love to do at meal time, it’s make a mess. That baby food may taste yummy but it is much more fun to smear it all over the high chair, clothes and floor.
Chances are that your washing cycle has become much more frequent now you have a baby in the house. While bibs wont prevent mess, a bib does provide a layer of protection between your baby’s meal and the clothes which they are wearing. Rather than constantly washing baby food coated clothes, you simply clean the bib instead.
Don’t believe in the awesomeness of baby bibs? This is your life now:
While a bib would not have stopped the mess, it would have at least protected his clothes.
The different types of baby bibs
Feeding Bibs
As the name suggests, feeding bibs are placed around your baby’s neck during feeding time. Since feeding a baby can be a messy process, feeding bibs are quite large to protect as much of your infants clothes from food as possible.
Some feeding bibs even come with a pocket to catch any food that falls from your baby’s mouth, not only protecting your baby’s clothes from mess, but also the floor as well.
Drool Bibs
Drool bibs are much smaller than feeding bibs. The smaller size allows your little baby to roam with out the fear of being tangled up in a larger feeding bib.
Drool bibs are designed to prevent small amounts of baby dribble from sliding down your baby’s front in and soaking into his clothes.
Long Sleeved Bib (smock)
Another option for feeding time is a long sleeved bib. Rather than simply hang of your baby’s neck, a long sleeved bib also covers the arms and majority of the body, making it incredibly difficult for a baby to become covered in food.
Long sleeved baby bibs can also double as a smock for arts and crafts time. The difference between a smock and long sleeved baby bib is an open back, allowing you to easily remove a messy bib from your baby without spilling it everywhere.
What to look for when comparing baby bibs
The ability to fold up
Bibs are a very handy baby item that are not only useful around the house but when you and baby are out and about in the big outdoors as well.
A bib is a common addition to many mothers diaper bags. If you find this idea appealing, be sure to choose a bib that can neatly fold up. Space in a diaper bag is already limited, you don’t want a chunky bib taking up a large portion of it.
Ease of cleaning
A commonly overlooked feature when buying baby bibs is the ease of which it can be cleaned. Baby bibs are designed to be coated in whatever your baby can throw at it, there is no ifs or buts about it, your baby’s bib will get messy and require cleaning.
The most common methods of cleaning a baby bib include:
Wipe down
Washing machine
Dishwasher
Different brands of baby bibs will come with different cleaning instructions. When washing the bib, it is always best to follow the instructions found on the packaging.
The Fit
A bib should form a nice snug fit. There are two benefits to a tight fitting baby bib.
Difficult to remove – A tight fitting baby bib is much harder for your baby to wiggle and squirm out of.
Makes less mess – Feeding time is already messy, loose fitting bibs can actually be dragged through your baby’s food; making a bigger mess than if your little one went bibless.
Comfort
If your baby is uncomfortable then I have bad news for you; Feed time is going to be more of a drama than usual. Your baby will be so focused on trying to remove the bib that food will be a second thought.
There are three main causes for your baby’s discomfort when wearing a bib.
Too tight: Ensure that the bib sits snug but so tight that your baby cannot move. If the bib is too small for your baby, you may have to buy the next size up.
Irritating neckline: Coarse ties or Velcro that hold the bib in place can irritate the neckline. My preference is for soft ties over Velcro, which can easily scratch at your infants neck.
Brushes against the skin: If your baby’s bib is a little coarse and brushes against exposed skin then your baby may fidget with discomfort. Choose a soft bib material where possible
Style
At the end of the day, your baby is only little one. Have fun. Choose a bib with his favorite superhero on it, something that matches his spoon and bowl.
You can even buy plain bibs and decorate them with fabric markers or embroidery yourself. Just because a bib is functional doesn’t mean it has to be ugly