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Author:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
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Inside: The best bibs for babies starting to eat solid foods are easy to clean and use. Here are our top recommendations for parents feeding purees and doing baby-led weaning.
If you are thinking about starting solid foods with your baby, you might also be thinking about the mess that goes with it. Those little bibs that babies wear to catch drool may not cut it when it comes to spaghetti!
We want to help you find the best bib for your baby. Ones that are easy to clean and easy to use.
How to choose the best bib for babies
Choosing a bib for your baby can be as complicated as you want it to be. There are so many baby bibs on the market.
Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing a bib:
Silicone: a type of material that doesn’t absorb water or food.
Polyester: a soft-type of cloth that is water resistant.
Bib styles
Styles of baby bibs include:
Short bandana styles that are good for drips and drool.
Apron-styles that cover most of the child’s front down to their lap.
Front bibs that cover the front of the child and below the tray, but not their lap. These may include a pocket at the bottom for catching food or liquid.
Short velcro bibs that are good for drips and drool.
Shaped silicone or plastic with a large catching tray/pocket at the bottom.
Washability
Each bib will have its own care instructions. Here are some general observations:
Polyester bibs are often machine-washable.
Silicone and plastic shaped bibs are hand washable in the sink (some even in the dishwasher).
Cloth bibs are usually machine-washable.
Bibs with snaps are often easier to clean than bibs with velcro.
How easy are bibs to put on?
Every baby will have different preferences. Bibs with a clasp in the back, either a snap or velcro, can be easy to put on.
Some apron bibs have sleeves. These bibs can be great for keeping the whole baby clean, but they can take more effort to get on. This is especially true if your baby doesn’t like wearing bibs.
Are bibs safe for babies?
When it comes to mealtimes, as long as you follow safe eating practices, it is safe for your baby to wear a bib.
The bib should be loose around the baby’s neck. Your baby should also be sitting upright, and you should be supervising the baby at all times.
You should (and will want to!) remove the bib after your baby is done eating food.
At what age can babies start wearing bibs?
Your baby can start wearing a bib for eating as soon as they start eating solid foods. You know your baby is ready to start eating when they show the signs of readiness.
How many bibs do you need for babies?
How many bibs you want is totally up to you. If possible, having 2 or 3 helps make sure that if one is wet or dirty, you still have one or two clean ones.
Some families like to have enough for several days, just in case. If that’s the case then having a stack is helpful!
Best bibs for babies starting solids
Whether your baby will be doing puree-to-table weaning or baby-led weaning, eating is going to be messy!
Remember, even if your baby starts out with purees, it is important to let them get their hands, arms and face messy with food. This is important for reducing picky eating in the long run.
Here are the best bibs for baby just starting to eat solid foods.
1. BapronBaby
This bib is an apron for babies! It covers most of them down to their lap, even as they grow into toddlers.
2. Bumkins SuperBib
These SuperBibs are practical and washable. They close easily around the back and come in a 3-pack so that you’ll be set.
3. Bumkins Sleeved Bib
If you want to really protect your child’s clothing, a sleeved bib can be so helpful. This sleeved bib is a great one and has a pocket at the bottom to catch extra food and liquid.
4. BIBaDO Coverall
This coverall bib really does cover everything. The bib goes over part of the tray so that there is no gap between the baby and the highchair tray.
5. Babyhood Waterproof Bibs
Looking for a multipack of cost-effective bibs? Check out these waterproof bibs that come in 4-packs. They are washable and have a pouch at the bottom.
6. Apron Bib with Tug-Proof Closure
These apron bibs will grow with your child into toddlerhood. Bonus, they have a tug-proof closure that will make it easy for your toddler to keep the bib on.
7. Moonkie Silicone Baby Bib
This shaped silicone bib has a large tray at the bottom that will catch anything that falls from the baby’s mouth.
8. OXO Roll-Up Bib
Check out these durable silicone bibs. They roll up for easy storage.
9. BabyBjorn Baby Bib
These small, adorable bibs are dishwasher safe and they have a big tray for catching food.
10. Tiny Twinkle Bibs
Designed for babies 6-24 months old, these long-sleeved bibs have elastic on the end to make sure the sleeves stay at the baby’s wrists. They also have a pocket at the bottom for catching food or liquid.
The best bibs for baby-led weaning
Baby-led weaning is sometimes messier than puree-to-table weaning in the first month or two, so having a full-cover bib from the start may be important to you.
Here are the larger bibs that we like for baby-led weaning.
1. BapronBaby
As your baby is just starting to eat solid foods with baby-led weaning, this bib will cover their entire torso to keep their clothes cleaner.
2. BIBaDO Coverall
This bib covers everything. As in, it covers the baby and the entire opening between them and the tray. This keeps the baby and the chair as clean as possible.
3. Bumkins Sleeved Bib
This sleeved bib is very helpful. Your baby can self-feed from the beginning and they won’t get hardly any food on them at all.
4. OXO Roll-Up Bib
Some families also prefer a bib with a very large tray at the bottom to catch large chunks of food. These bibs will work for that. Plus, these shaped silicone bibs roll up for easy storage.
5. Moonkie Silicone Baby Bib
This silicone bib has a large tray at the bottom that will catch anything that falls from the baby’s mouth.
6. Tiny Twinkle Bibs
These bibs are designed to go from baby to toddler. The pocket at the bottom will catch food and the sleeves won’t inch up. They come in a two-pack, which makes sure you more easily have one clean and ready to go.
We’re excited for you to start solid foods and hope you enjoy the process!
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Jennifer Anderson is a registered dietitian and has a masters of science in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. In 2019, she founded Kids Eat in Color®, a public health resource that improves child and family nutrition and mental health. Prior to starting Kids Eat in Color® she coordinated youth nutrition programs at a food bank, performed research in inner-city food deserts, and consulted for the USDA national office SNAP-Ed program. Her academic background is in public health nutrition, cultural anthropology, and economics.
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Inside: The best bibs for babies starting to eat solid foods are easy to clean and use. Here are our top recommendations for parents feeding purees and doing baby-led weaning.
If you are thinking about starting solid foods with your baby, you might also be thinking about the mess that goes with it. Those little bibs that babies wear to catch drool may not cut it when it comes to spaghetti!
We want to help you find the best bib for your baby. Ones that are easy to clean and easy to use.
How to choose the best bib for babies
Choosing a bib for your baby can be as complicated as you want it to be. There are so many baby bibs on the market.
Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing a bib:
Related: 8 Tips for Managing Messy Eaters at Mealtimes
Materials used to make baby bibs
Bibs are often made out of:
Bib styles
Styles of baby bibs include:
Washability
Each bib will have its own care instructions. Here are some general observations:
How easy are bibs to put on?
Every baby will have different preferences. Bibs with a clasp in the back, either a snap or velcro, can be easy to put on.
Some apron bibs have sleeves. These bibs can be great for keeping the whole baby clean, but they can take more effort to get on. This is especially true if your baby doesn’t like wearing bibs.
Are bibs safe for babies?
When it comes to mealtimes, as long as you follow safe eating practices, it is safe for your baby to wear a bib.
The bib should be loose around the baby’s neck. Your baby should also be sitting upright, and you should be supervising the baby at all times.
You should (and will want to!) remove the bib after your baby is done eating food.
At what age can babies start wearing bibs?
Your baby can start wearing a bib for eating as soon as they start eating solid foods. You know your baby is ready to start eating when they show the signs of readiness.
How many bibs do you need for babies?
How many bibs you want is totally up to you. If possible, having 2 or 3 helps make sure that if one is wet or dirty, you still have one or two clean ones.
Some families like to have enough for several days, just in case. If that’s the case then having a stack is helpful!
Best bibs for babies starting solids
Whether your baby will be doing puree-to-table weaning or baby-led weaning, eating is going to be messy!
Remember, even if your baby starts out with purees, it is important to let them get their hands, arms and face messy with food. This is important for reducing picky eating in the long run.
Here are the best bibs for baby just starting to eat solid foods.
1. BapronBaby
This bib is an apron for babies! It covers most of them down to their lap, even as they grow into toddlers.
2. Bumkins SuperBib
These SuperBibs are practical and washable. They close easily around the back and come in a 3-pack so that you’ll be set.
3. Bumkins Sleeved Bib
If you want to really protect your child’s clothing, a sleeved bib can be so helpful. This sleeved bib is a great one and has a pocket at the bottom to catch extra food and liquid.
4. BIBaDO Coverall
This coverall bib really does cover everything. The bib goes over part of the tray so that there is no gap between the baby and the highchair tray.
5. Babyhood Waterproof Bibs
Looking for a multipack of cost-effective bibs? Check out these waterproof bibs that come in 4-packs. They are washable and have a pouch at the bottom.
6. Apron Bib with Tug-Proof Closure
These apron bibs will grow with your child into toddlerhood. Bonus, they have a tug-proof closure that will make it easy for your toddler to keep the bib on.
7. Moonkie Silicone Baby Bib
This shaped silicone bib has a large tray at the bottom that will catch anything that falls from the baby’s mouth.
8. OXO Roll-Up Bib
Check out these durable silicone bibs. They roll up for easy storage.
9. BabyBjorn Baby Bib
These small, adorable bibs are dishwasher safe and they have a big tray for catching food.
10. Tiny Twinkle Bibs
Designed for babies 6-24 months old, these long-sleeved bibs have elastic on the end to make sure the sleeves stay at the baby’s wrists. They also have a pocket at the bottom for catching food or liquid.
The best bibs for baby-led weaning
Baby-led weaning is sometimes messier than puree-to-table weaning in the first month or two, so having a full-cover bib from the start may be important to you.
Here are the larger bibs that we like for baby-led weaning.
1. BapronBaby
As your baby is just starting to eat solid foods with baby-led weaning, this bib will cover their entire torso to keep their clothes cleaner.
2. BIBaDO Coverall
This bib covers everything. As in, it covers the baby and the entire opening between them and the tray. This keeps the baby and the chair as clean as possible.
3. Bumkins Sleeved Bib
This sleeved bib is very helpful. Your baby can self-feed from the beginning and they won’t get hardly any food on them at all.
4. OXO Roll-Up Bib
Some families also prefer a bib with a very large tray at the bottom to catch large chunks of food. These bibs will work for that. Plus, these shaped silicone bibs roll up for easy storage.
5. Moonkie Silicone Baby Bib
This silicone bib has a large tray at the bottom that will catch anything that falls from the baby’s mouth.
6. Tiny Twinkle Bibs
These bibs are designed to go from baby to toddler. The pocket at the bottom will catch food and the sleeves won’t inch up. They come in a two-pack, which makes sure you more easily have one clean and ready to go.
We’re excited for you to start solid foods and hope you enjoy the process!
Learn more about feeding babies from our experts