Walk into any department store and visit the baby section or shop online and offline baby stores and you will find a wide variety of options when it comes to bibs and burp cloths.

A generation or two ago, it was the basic napkins that worked. Our parents used a ton of napkins and washed and reused them to clean up dripping, spitting up and drooling from their babies.

As I remember, wallowing in some nostalgic memories of the past, it is clear that many things have changed since then; the good or the bad will likely spark a debate with valid points that support both sides of the equation.

With that said, this article will highlight the options available to all parents and categorize them in perspective. Who are we to do that? We are a team of parents of different races; religion and culture that decided that all parents, especially moms, face similar challenges with their respective babies, regardless of our diverse backgrounds.

After a long experience of research-buy-test search for bottles, we have come to certain conclusions and we would like to share our opinions with all parents who care about making the best decisions for their babies.

So, let’s talk baby bibs and burp cloths, shall we?

Bibs before starting solid

There is one thing that seems very clear to us.

From birth to breast milk or formula feeding, most babies experience some type of drooling, dribbling, and / or spitting up. At this point, the bibs should be large enough to cover most babies’ clothing and absorbent enough to withstand the usual spit-up and drooling.

The most useful bibs and burp cloths during this stage go by many names, i.e. burps, drools, bibs, plain regular plush bibs, bandana with sleeves, novelty, and scarf or scarf bibs.

Were these names created as a result of a clever marketing strategy? Possibly, but to be fair, babies are unique in their individualistic and natural expressions; Some babies experience severe spitting up and belching, while others may experience massive drooling during the teething stages.

This is how subnicho categories are created giving birth to

• drooling and dripping bibs for teething babies,
• burp cloths for severe belching and spitting up,
• Bibs with sleeves to fully cover babies’ clothes from stains or regurgitations as well as protection during playtime with colors and paints.
• Novelty bandana and bibs that can address basic drooling and dribbling despite size limitation due to aesthetically pleasing designs to match or complement babies’ clothing.
• Scarf or neckerchief bibs that basically double as winter warmers for babies that comfortably cover the neck and lower chin area while addressing drooling and dripping.

Babies who spit up and drool moderately require, at a minimum, simple, plush bibs. Babies who drool or spit up a lot may need bibs made of 2 to 3 layer waterproof materials.

Drool / drip and burp bibs generally look alike with only differences in neckband material, size, and types.

Almost all plush bibs are made from: –

• Cotton that is really soft, refreshing and comfortable and is useful for moderate drooling and burping.
• Polyester that is more absorbent compared to cotton. What’s really noteworthy is the fact that polyester is wrinkle, shrink, and fade resistant, making it last longer. The downside is that it loses the cooling effect making it warmer than cotton.
• PEVA (Polyethylene Vinyl Acetate), which is a PVC-free, chlorine-free, biodegradable material that is primarily used as an alternative to PVC in toy products, baby bibs, and shower curtains. It is important for parents to know that PEVA is made from petrochemicals that contain untested chemicals.
• Or combination of 2 or 3 of the materials mentioned above

Most neck bands are velcro or snap closure.

• Velcro sometimes gets caught with other materials during washing (scratching part)
• There is a tendency for babies’ necks to become irritated due to the velcro material which sometimes leads to rashes.
• Babies can remove poor quality velcro quite easily
• Much better if the closure is to the side rather than the back of the baby’s neck.

While the snap closure is preferred, a simple tip is to fasten both ends of a velcro closure exactly without overlapping and most problems can be minimized.

The selection of a baby bib in the early stages should be based on the babies’ skin sensitivity / condition and the amount of drooling and spitting up. If you want the most absorbent bib, polyester is the recommended material, especially if you live in a cooler environment. The other option is to find 2-3 layers of waterproof material between layers of 100% cotton.

Bibs after initial solids

However, once babies start consuming solids, usually around 6 months of age, feeding bibs become more functionally useful. There are manufacturers who claim that the same bibs for drooling, dripping and burping can meet the needs of a baby who is beginning to consume solids. However, we do NOT agree.

Even good waterproof terry bibs have 3 drawbacks.

1. Stains easily

2. Loads and piles of bib clothing, waste of time and water

3. It is not economical as you need to keep stocking up on a cloth bib

The most functional, economical and load-saving bibs are the high quality, medical food grade soft premium silicone baby bibs. The reason we emphasize words like ‘premium high quality soft medical food grade’ is because the market for baby feeding bibs has become saturated with rigid ‘plastic-ky’ TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) bibs They also claim quality, soft food grade bibs.

Unfortunately, the pictures look alike and it is a challenge for most parents to spot the differences. However, we have taken the necessary steps to inform parents about what these differences are and how to detect them.

We started by first identifying the most common silicone baby bibs on the market that also claim to be food grade …

• TPE silicone bibs with plastic neckband (most common)
• 100% medical food grade soft silicone bib (including silicone neck band

TPE Silicone Feeding Bib

• Most silicone baby bibs that can be found in most offline department stores and online e-commerce platforms are made from plastic or TPE materials that are marketed as food grade silicone.
• Please note that TPE is a thermoplastic elastomer. Although generally considered safe, TPE means that it is hot melt vinyl that has all kinds of nasty additives that can be absorbed through the skin.
• TPE is an unstable material that will melt if overheated at different points. In addition, TPE bibs can cause an allergic reaction to surface contact with babies’ skin, especially when they sweat or in hot weather conditions and in areas of high humidity.

100% medical grade food grade premium soft silicone bibs

1. 100% medical food grade silicone bibs are a completely safe inert material that has to withstand and pass precise and meticulous tests to qualify as medical food grade. There is absolutely no comparison between TPE bibs and 100% medical food grade silicone bibs when it comes to health risk and durability.
2. Silicone rubber is generally non-reactive, stable and resistant to extreme environments and temperatures while maintaining its useful properties.
3. Many competitors make similar claims, but their bib has a strap or closure that is skin-irritating plastic or velcro with a limited neck size.
4. The medical food grade silicone neckband is adjustable enough with a 4-position closure to fit babies’ neck size.
5. It should be noted that babies and toddlers sometimes tend to grab the strap or bra and put it in their mouths out of sheer curiosity, making common plastic and TPE bibs risky.
6. Protruding Pocket – Since most bib pockets lie flat when worn, making it difficult to capture beverage spills and food crumbs, the food grade 100% medical silicone bibs have a slightly protruding pocket that automatically protrudes , which makes it much more effective in its functionality as a crumb collector. .

In conclusion, it is clear that most of the terry bibs that are waterproof with a combination of 2-3 layers of polyester and / or cotton should meet the needs of babies in the first 6 months to overcome drooling, burping and regurgitations. However, once the baby has started feeding, the most inexpensive and hassle-free option is to opt for premium medical food grade silicone bibs that are much larger in overall size, pocket width, and material texture. it is much smoother and foldable. The difference is huge.