Baby bibs are the best! If you want to buy something cute for your baby, but you can’t afford it, you can buy an adorable bib for little or nothing. Bibs keep baby’s clothes clean so you don’t have to spend a lot of time doing laundry. And when babies turn into little drool machines, bibs can keep them dry and prevent drool rash.
Bibs used to come in two major styles. There were little round bibs that were never big enough to keep the strained carrots off baby’s clothes. And there were bigger ones with a pocket at the bottom. If you ever forgot to check the pocket after a meal — ewww! Mommy surprise.
Today there are bibs in a dozen or more styles, made from a variety of materials and with some ingenious designs. You’ll want a variety for different purposes, and extras for the grandparents’ houses and for daycare or mother’s day out. Bibs are great for giving, too. A cute bib puts the finishing touch on a shower gift when a pal is expecting, and you can wrap one up for Grandma to let her know that there’s another baby on the way!
Check out this preview of our best bibs for baby.
Our Top Picks
- Non-Toxic. This bib is made from food-grade silicone, and it is free from lead, latex, phthalates, PVC, BPA and other toxic chemicals.
- Easy to Store. You can roll the bib for storage and portability.
- Machine Washable. This bib can be wiped clean or washed in the dishwasher.
- Generous Cut. The neck closure has six holes, so this bib can be adjusted as your baby grows.
- Varied Designs and Colors. The bibs come in a variety of animal motifs and in a nice range of colors.
- Dual-Use. This Anais + Aden burpy bib can protect baby as a bib or protect mom's clothes as a burp cloth.
- Full Coverage. This bib covers baby's chest and arms to save baby's clothes from stains.
- Easy to Clean. This bib is machine washable.
- Soft and Absorbent. The fabric is silky soft but still absorbs moisture.
- Eco-Friendly. Bamboo is an eco-friendly choice, which is important to some moms.
- Non-Toxic. The OXO Tot Roll-Up Bib is made from nylon and silicone, and it is free from lead, latex, phthalates, PVC, BPA and other toxic chemicals.
- Easy to Store. This bib rolls up for storage and portability and has a fastener to keep it closed.
- Machine Washable. This bib can be wiped clean or machine laundered.
- Adjustable Neck. The neck closure features a long strip of Velcro that makes the neck size adjustable. .
- Varied Designs and Colors. The bibs come in a range of colors and patterns.
- Non-Toxic. This bib is made from food-grade silicone, and it is free from lead, latex, phthalates, PVC, BPA and other toxic chemicals.
- Easy to Store. You can roll the bib for storage and portability.
- Machine Washable. This bib can be wiped clean or washed in the dishwasher.
- Generous Cut. The neck closure has six holes, so this bib can be adjusted as your baby grows.
- Varied Designs and Colors. The bibs come in a variety of animal motifs and in a nice range of colors.
- Dual-Use. This Anais + Aden burpy bib can protect baby as a bib or protect mom's clothes as a burp cloth.
- Full Coverage. This bib covers baby's chest and arms to save baby's clothes from stains.
- Easy to Clean. This bib is machine washable.
- Soft and Absorbent. The fabric is silky soft but still absorbs moisture.
- Eco-Friendly. Bamboo is an eco-friendly choice, which is important to some moms.
- Non-Toxic. The OXO Tot Roll-Up Bib is made from nylon and silicone, and it is free from lead, latex, phthalates, PVC, BPA and other toxic chemicals.
- Easy to Store. This bib rolls up for storage and portability and has a fastener to keep it closed.
- Machine Washable. This bib can be wiped clean or machine laundered.
- Adjustable Neck. The neck closure features a long strip of Velcro that makes the neck size adjustable. .
- Varied Designs and Colors. The bibs come in a range of colors and patterns.
*All product links in this article will take you to the latest prices on Amazon.com, scroll down for our in-depth reviews below.
Bibs to Protect Baby’s Clothes
The main reason for using bibs is to protect baby’s clothes. Even before baby starts gobbling peas, you’ll want to use a bib to protect clothing from milk.
Both breast milk and formula can stain, although formula stains are much worse. If you don’t use a bib, baby’s clothes will soon have hard-to-hide stains around the neck. And it is sad to see a favorite outfit ruined!
When baby starts solid food, you’ll really need bibs. In fact, some bibs for this stage are more like smocks, and that’s not a bad idea. As baby gets better with a spoon and fork, you may be able to reduce the coverage, but you’ll still need a good-sized bib.
Bibs to Soak Up Drool
The second reason for baby needing a bib is baby drool. Contrary to conventional wisdom, when your baby first starts to drool, cutting teeth isn’t the culprit.
Instead, around two months of age babies start to salivate more, as their systems are getting ready for solid food. The problem is that they don’t have great control of the muscles of the mouth. They don’t really know what to do with spit, so they just let it leak out of their mouths.
Saliva has many purposes besides giving busy moms one more thing to do. It rinses bacteria out of the mouth. The part that is swallowed aids in digestion. And it’s a natural antibiotic.
About the time babies start to drool less, they do begin to teethe, and they then drooling may increase again. (Most babies get their first tooth around 6 to 8 months of age.)
Drooling will finally mostly stop around 2 years of age, but during all those months of on-and-off drooling, you’ll need bibs to soak up the spit. Drool rash may develop if your baby’s skin stays wet with saliva.
Drool rash commonly occurs on baby’s chin, neck and chest. It is caused by wetness, so it will be less likely to occur if you soak up as much spit as possible with a bib.
It also helps to wash the drool off your baby a couple of times a day. Be sure to get in the folds around the neck. A little petroleum jelly or other emollient creams can be used as a moisture barrier.
What to Look for in a Bib
Choosing the right bib for your baby isn’t as simple as it seems. First, you’ll need to consider the purpose. Bibs to catch drool can be smaller and simpler than ones used to protect clothing.
When you’re picking out feeding bibs, you should consider what stage of feeding your child is in. Babies who are just starting to feed themselves may be in the super messy stage and may need a bib with sleeves.
Here are some other factors to think about:
Comfort
Touch the part of the bib that will go around baby’s neck. It should be soft, not scratchy. If your baby has hair that is neck-length or longer, the bib shouldn’t get tangled in baby’s hair.
If you’re shopping for a fabric bib, cotton is a good choice. If the fabric has a waterproof backing, be sure it doesn’t make the bib too stiff or itchy.
Fit
Be sure that the bib won’t be too tight around baby’s neck, especially if your baby has those cute neck rolls. If you are choosing a bib with sleeves, be sure that the sleeves and armholes aren’t too tight. If it takes a wrestling match to get baby into the bib, you’ll never use it.
Cleaning
Will the bib be easy to clean? The silicone bibs that wipe clean are the ultimate in ease, but they aren’t suited for soaking up drool.
If you are choosing a fabric bib for feeding, you should realize that sooner or later the bib may get stained. If you choose a darker color or a print, the stains won’t show as much.
Folding
Most bibs fold easily for storage or travel. The silicone type can be quite bulky, although some of them roll for more compact storage.
Style
If your baby needs to wear a bib, why not make it fun? You can either choose solid colors that coordinate with baby’s outfit, or you can make the bib the star and pair it with a onesie or other plain togs.
Materials for Bibs
If you are concerned about toxins touching your baby’s skin and also about the planet, you may want to think about which materials to choose for your baby’s bibs.
Silicone
The newest materials to be tapped for bibs, silicone has several advantages. It is waterproof, leakproof, easy to clean and soft to the touch.
Silicone is considered an eco-friendly product, in part because it lasts a long time. When used instead of plastic, it keeps a lot of plastic waste out of the oceans and landfills.
Silicone is created from some of the most abundant resources on the planet – namely, quartz, usually in the form of sand, and oxygen.
Energy is consumed in its manufacture, however, Silicone is also recyclable, although it can be hard to find a facility that accepts it.
Cotton
The classic favorite because of its soft feel and ease of laundering, cotton continues to be a popular choice for bibs. It’s also breathable and moisture-wicking.
Its softness and absorbency make it an especially good choice for drool bibs. Cotton is all natural, but the traditional farming methods for cotton involve pesticides, fertilizer and lots of water.
Natural or Eco-Friendly Choices
Some cotton-lovers who are concerned about the environment look for organic cotton, which is grown and processed using natural processes rather than chemical ones.
Some environmentally conscious moms seek out products derived from bamboo, because it is a sustainable crop that requires no pesticides and very little water.
Paper
Disposable bibs made primarily of paper are a good option for certain situations. For the sake of the planet, they probably shouldn’t be an everyday choice, but some moms swear by them for travel and eating out. Some moms like to keep one in the diaper bag and one in the car for unforeseen circumstances.
Safety Concerns
Due to concerns about strangulation, most products for babies no longer use long ties. Most modern bibs close with Velcro or snaps.
Some are designed so that no closure is needed. A few bibs for bigger children may still use ties, but they are typically short ties that don’t present a safety hazard.
Babies should not be allowed to sleep in bibs, as they could become caught on something or trapped under the body and pulled too tight during sleep.
With these considerations in mind, take a look at some of the best bibs for baby.
Best Baby Bibs
Modern Twist Silicone Baby Bucket Bib
Designs are individually silk-screened on the bibs, which are made of a extra soft silicone. (If you prefer the cartoon animals, this company has them, too.)
One of the advantages of silicone bibs is that it’s possible to mold them with a scoop or “bucket” in front to catch spills. Bibs of this design are great for catching crumbs and spills.
A few babies dislike this style, or can’t resist playing with the bucket part, which sort of defeats the purpose. Still, the bucket design works great for most babies.
The Modern Twist bibs come in one size, which is suitable for babies from about 6 months of age on up. Modern Twist is a San Francisco-based company that specializes in decorative items made of silicone.
Cons: Today moms in many countries swear by Anais + Aden’s super-soft products. Mostly rendered in cotton muslin, the company also offers some items in organic cotton and some in a rayon/viscose derived from bamboo. Another Anais + Aden specialty is making multi-use products. These burpy bibs are dual purpose. As a burp cloth, the kidney-shaped cloths drape nicely across mom’s shoulder. As bibs, they are wrapped around baby and snapped in back. With four layers for absorption and a generous cut, burpy bibs are available in a multitude of patterns that are more artsy than cutesy. The company website claims that Anais +Aden prints have a “modern aesthetic” and that there is a story behind each pattern. The company also makes bandanna-style drool bibs and a more traditional snap bib. This particular bib is in the “silky soft” line because it is made from bamboo-sourced viscose. This makes for a more luxurious feel than the cotton muslin. One mom said that these bibs win oohs and aahs when passed around at baby showers, because no one can believe how soft they are. Cons: The bibs are available in nine designs: bee, panda, monkey, unicorn, dog, owl, hedgehog, dinosaur, ladybug and butterfly. The animal’s face appears on the front of the bib, and some of the designs have little ears, wings or other details added to the sides or tops of the bib. The designs coordinate with other items in the Skip Hop product line. You can buy matching dinnerware, water bottles, backpacks and more. The Tuck-Away Bib has two features that moms will appreciate. One is the pocket on the bottom of the front that serves as a crumb catcher. Then there’s a second pocket on the back that allows you to fold the bib with the dirty side inward. After you have used the bib away from home, you can neatly “tuck it away” until you can get it home. Skip Hop is part of a family of products that includes Carter’s and Oshkosh B’gosh. The company motto is “Must-Haves Made Better.” For sure, Skip Hop makes must-haves cuter. Cons: If you’re eating on the go, when mealtime’s done, you can roll the fabric portion into the silicone pocket. There’s a little fastener to hold it closed until you can get home to wash it. OXO is the company that’s known for ergonomic kitchen tools. Like those tools, this bib is more functional than attractive. It is, however, available in a rainbow of solid colors and a couple of pretty prints, too. Cons: Tommee Tippee has a better idea with the Closer to Nature Comfi Neck Bib. It features a soft padded collar that serves as a dribble catcher but will not irritate baby’s neck. It’s great for early feedings when a lot of milk leaks out of baby’s mouth. It’s also good for babies in the drooling stage. This bib is reversible for two different looks. One side is a solid-color terry, and the other is a cute print. Available in a twin-pack, this bib also features a Velcro closing for ease of use. T he maker, Tommee Tippee, is a British company known for innovative baby products, starting with the original tip-proof baby cup. Cons: Designed for ages 6 months to 2 years, the Bumkins Sleeved Bib features elasticized sleeves and a tie back. The tie is to thwart bigger babies who have learned how to remove Velcro-ed bibs with a hard yank. There’s also a pocket to catch food that’s dropped or dripped below. The bibs are available in 18 cute prints, plus designs based on DC Comics, Nintendo characters and other favorite motifs. Bumkins makes these bibs from their own waterproof fabric, which is polyester with Bumkin’s proprietary coating. The bibs are machine washable, but must be hung to dry, with pocket flipped so that it doesn’t hold moisture. Many moms choose to dunk them in the sink rather than machine wash, as long as baby hasn’t been eating something really messy. Bumkins is a Phoenix-based company that got its start making waterproof covers for cloth diapers. The long-sleeved bibs are “responsibly made in China,” according to the company website. Cons: These bibs feature a two-layer design, with the top layer of organic cotton and the bottom layer of polyester fleece. Matimati is a family-owned business that started out exclusively manufacturing and marketing bandanna-style bibs. They now handle a few other products, but the bibs are the foundation of t
Anais + Aden Soft Burpy Bib
Skip Hop Zoo Tuck-Away Bib
OXO Tot Roll-Up Bib
Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Comfi Neck Bib
Bumkins Sleeved Bib
Matimati Bandanna Bibs
