Reddit mentions: The best baby bibs & burp cloths

Because links rock!

Drool and Spit Up Bandanna Bibs - these were our favorite. We used them almost immediately on our son because he spit up so much (he soaked through 7-10 of these a day, which would have meant 7-10 outfit changes without them!). I thought bibs weren't needed until they started eating (ha, cute Ernie, real cute). But no - these are absorbent and catch allthespitup and allthedrool and they snug up beautifully underneath the chin, which helps keep the moisture away from neck rolls (unlike U shaped bibs that don't snug up quite as well). There are literally hundreds of prints and manufactures all over Amazon - we had +/- 30 of them total from different sellers and they were all the exact same quality/pattern/fit.

My son's daycare provider preferred these cloth bibs as opposed to the bandanna bibs. I don't know why - they were just easier for her. They're cloth on both sides with an impenetrable crinkly plastic sandwiched between. Bonus - the crinkle entertained my son and he loved to shove these in his mouth and scrunch them.

Daycare also preferred these cloth bibs over the bandanna bibs. They're cloth like above but single layered with no plastic backing. They worked better for drool than spit up, but I still preferred the bandanna bibs.

Once my son started eating we were all about the silicone bibs. I liked these - they folded up small for the diaper bag, were easy to wash, easy to get on and off, and they fit well from about 6 months to... meh... 13ish months (though my son was routinely in the 20-30th% percentile for weight at this age).

Once my son outgrew those we went to these guys. They're bigger and have a bigger trough that stays open to catch food better. I love these. We have 4 in rotation. They're perfect. I have absolutely no complaints. My son is now in the 45th% range for weight at 15 months and they're perfect size.

First child? So people are going to get a lot of clothes for you. Onesies are where it's at. Anything else is over the top and not really necessary. You probably won't be taking your child out into the world a lot. A Co-sleeper is really convenient for the first few months, you can attach it to the side of your bed so you don't have to do much when the baby wakes up at night. I recommend having at least 6 SwaddleMe's. Baby's love being swaddled until their a few months old. Also recommend 6-8 bottles at a time to minimize dishes. Anglecare bath support is necessary to give baths in. Don't bath them until they're a few weeks to a month old, then try to start giving him baths before bed to get him into a cycle. These are our favorite bibs for later when he starts to drool a lot. Onesies and bibs is where you will catch yourself doing a ton of laundry, so get a lot of them. Babies soil their clothes easy. Oh sorry, the bibs are kinda 4+ months, but for a newborn please don't forget a cap and mittens, they get cold because they can't regulate their arms and legs. Our son was pretty good. He would wake up ever 3 hours, we'd change him, feed him, and he'd go back to sleep. That went on for about a month and then it went to 4-5 hours and slowly he started to just stay up all day (That's where it gets rough). Let me know how it goes! Congrats!

edit: Oh, a vibrating swing is REALLY good for non-cosleeper comfort when you're in the living room or at the computer, etc.

YAYS:

Chux pads, hands down, were the best purchase we made. Those saved us so much laundry and so many diapers. The link is hit or miss - one box we got was great and quilted, the second box was not quilted and they fall apart more easily. Which really sucks because we're not going through several a day anymore, so it has time to really fall apart before it gets soiled. Even the shitty ones are incredibly helpful.

A Haakaa breast milk catcher. Best money I've ever spent. I stopped using it every day at 11 months PP. 11 months of daily use.

An electronic nail file. I cut too close once, and decided I don't ever want to do that again. It's quiet, it has a little light on it, two speeds, and a bunch of different nail heads.

Stacking cups. Don't know why we even have other toys. Did you know you can throw them and chase after them and then throw them again, mom? You can put them inside each other! You can put them in the toy basket and then take them out and then put them back in again! You can knock them down when mom & dad foolishly stack them up! You can clack them together! You can bang them against EVERYTHING!!

This inflatable tub. It has a little shoehorn for the crotch so you can use it before baby can totally sit up by themselves. We're still using it because my child is dead set on committing suicide in the bathtub.

Sleeved bibs. Or as we like to call them, eatin' ponchos. We got some "art smock" cheaper ones to alternate with, but the Bumkins one is 👌👌👌 so much better. The art smocks are fabric-y on the body, so they stain.

A ring sling. No link because I actually borrowed from my local babywearing community. But I checked out a ring sling back to back to back. My chonker outgrew the Moby wrap I had (which was super hot and a PITA to get on and off) by 3 months when I finally discovered ring slings. Ring slings are like the cool, breezy older sister.

A yoga ball. We spent hours bouncing our child.

NAYS:

This Graco Swing. Well, any swing, but this is the one we had. Of the several swings at daycare, my baby tolerated one kind...for a few minutes. Obviously this is a my baby thing.

A walker. We got one used from a garage sale before we realized they're not really recommended for babies anymore.

Any chew-toy specific type teether.

My first recommendation is to check to see if she has a baby registry. New parents need/want LOTS of stuff, and while all gifts are appreciated, having someone help cover the essentials always made us really happy! Some of my favorite gifts were for things we needed like extra bottles, bassinet sheets, and giftcards to Amazon.

Now, to your question - here are some top items we've used with our new baby:

• If she's breastfeeding then nipple balm, nursing pads (I like the Lansinoh disposable ones), cooling pads for your bra for when you're engorged, a Haaka breastmilk pump/saver, and nursing tank tops.
  
• An activity mat
  
• High contrast books and toys to look at
  
• Extra changing pad liners
  
• Dreft stain remover (GREAT for poop stains!)
  
• Burp cloths (you can literally never have too many. We love these from aden + anais.)
  
  
  With the exception of the activity mat, you can really never have too many of the above items!

Hi and welcome from another newbie.

I am also a board game enthusiast. Favorites include Glory to Rome, Fresco, Hive, and What’s my Word. I also really love Catan with the right people.

What are your favs?

Also, I had a look at your wishlist, and recommend these bibs. They are the greatest.

https://www.amazon.com/Dex-Baby-Dura-Bib-Months/dp/B008D5ZX24/

You are such a sweet sister!! Things I have had to recently run out and purchase for my 6-week old:

Gerber 0-3 or 3-6 month footie sleepers/pajamas that ZIP instead of button because trying to figure out buttons or snaps at 3:00 AM is torture

Tons of bibs-Amazon has some really cute bandana looking ones that have two sizing snaps so that bebe can use it now and as they grow
https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Absorbent-Drooling-Teething-Matimati/dp/B01KU2UYH6/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1502907109&sr=1-6&keywords=bandana+bibs+for+girls

Covers for my baby's car seat straps-
https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Infant-77490-CushyStraps-Ivory/dp/B0038JDD36/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1502906990&sr=1-5&keywords=car%2Bseat%2Bstrap%2Bcovers&th=1


Lastly... what I would really love is someone to bring me dinner one night! I don't know if your sister works, but I have gone back to work now and cooking a meal when I get home is the last thing I want to do, I'd rather spend that time snuggling my baby! Maybe you could send a restaurant gift card so they could order take out? Would love a cleaning service, but that is pretty expensive.

If you purchase one bib, you've spent $12, $1.20 of which will supposedly go to charity. (I see nothing on there about charitable status or 501c, no mention of accounting or accountability, nothing. or anything. Plenty about what credit cards they take, though.

If you really like the bibs, by all means, buy a bib. I hope you get it.

If you really need bibs, you can get 10 for $14 on Amazon, and if you use Amazon Smile, a small portion of what you pay is donated to the charity if your choice.

But if you really want to feed children, send Feeding America a donation. Send them the $1.20 and feed someone for most of a week. Send them the entire $12 and feed a family of four for a week and a half. That'll do a lot more good than a bib.

Our bumper group loves: kick n play piano, sit-me-up, the Winkel, the haaka, baby Brezza, love to dream swaddle, and (the holy grail) baby Merlin magic sleepsuit 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

Also, these bibs ! So soft and absorbent and cute, and are amazing for when they start getting drooly so you don’t have to change their outfit over and over

I love my baby bum brush! It's a silicon spatula designed to put on diaper cream. No more cream under my nails! I also love the Oogie Boogie bear which helps get out stuck boogers. Oh and drool bibs are great too.

Baby Bum Brush Diaper Cream Applicator Tool (Orange) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LYQ53OC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_Tj2KwbZVSYHKB

oogiebear Ear & Nose Cleaner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GXTTPKI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_Il2KwbNH31RHQ

Matimati Baby Bandana Drool Bibs With Snaps For Boys & Girls - Super Absorbent, Soft, & Modern Pack of 4 (Solid Arrow Unisex) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010IF6V04/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_5n2KwbZFWKFD4

Mine is also teething. Drooling like crazy and chewing on everything in sight. Most of our favorite teethers are things my mom found at yard sales, but I'll try to find similar things on amazon to show you:
we have a sheep similar to this, and a bib similar to this only with teethers all along the bottom instead of just one corner. We also have a Winkel.
This rattle has also been a big hit, not only with my son but several friends' babies, but I couldn't find it on Amazon. I did see one on ebay though. It's easy for him to grasp and the little rubber bits on the ends are good for gnawing.

I thought this may help my fellow new parenters out there. If you're anything like me, you scoured the internet checking off every "must-have" baby items list before your LO was born, but I still ended up having Amazon deliver things about every other day for the first couple months.

As a disclaimer, I'm not saying these are MUST HAVE items. I just went through my Amazon purchases and I'm writing down some things that I purchased in those 3 AM wee hour Amazon shopping sprees.

Here's a compilation of everything that I felt I missed in my preparation for my baby girl:

• An electric nail file. I was terrified to cut her nails myself. This is a safe and easy alternative.
  
• A Swaddle UP. This allows her hands to be by her face, which she preferred her first month or two.
  
• Friedababy MediFrida. My baby had a rough go of reflux and was diagnosed with Ranitidine pretty quickly. This helped us give her doses with no fuss!
  
  
• Comfy shorts for me. I was unprepared for my post C-Section body and clothing options.
  
  
• Gripe Water / Colic Drops. My reflux baby had some rouuuuugh nights. These helped? Maybe? Witching hour SUCKS.
  
• A bigger swaddle that ZIPS. Screw trying to unvelcro my child out of her swaddle quietly at 2 AM.
  
• A mirror to help with tummy time. She still hates tummy time. But she does like looking at herself for a while. So I count that as a win.
  
• MORE. BOOKS. you don't have enough. I promise. After the 15th time of reading "The Rainbow Fish" you'll appreciate a change of pace. I personally recommend, "The Wonky Donkey."
  
• Trial and error pacis. Your kid will have a preference and you'll just have to figure out which. Once you figure it out, buy extras.
  
  
• Bibs / ABSORBENT Burp Cloths. Again... You don't have enough. And the little tiny rags that Gerber tries to sell at Target will not do the trick. Get some THICK in your burp cloth regimen.
  
  ---
  
  I hope this helps! Let me know if there's anything you would add to the list.

Wow, thanks for all the advice!

I wish I could tell what size these were. And I wish there were non-gendered bib sets! They had both a boy and a girl, so I wish there was just a red-orange-yellow-green-blue-purple set, which would be nice an unisex. This is a unisex as I could find.

One more thing i would say. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY BURP CLOTHS... lol We use them for everything. we love this style: https://www.amazon.com/Muslin-Baby-Burp-Cloths-Girls/dp/B0772P4YGX/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1526498521&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=burp+cloths+bib&psc=1

It can be a bib or a burp cloth and is great even as they get older!!!

EZPZ mini mat - we use it for every meal and when we go out to eat so he has a clean surface.

Silicone bibs with pockets - so easy to clean

Feeding Littles Instagram - a ton of good ideas and helpful supportive advice

Cups - munchkin 360 cup and the weighted straw cup

Bibado Bibs.

Have a look at this bib. My wife and I use this for our daughter. There is still a lot of mess, but we don't need to change any clothes as the food only goes on her hands and face.

I couldn't recommend these bibs more.

Weaning Bib - BIBaDO (Navy) - The Award Winning Coverall Smock, Attaches to Your highchair, Ideal for BLW Mess, Long Sleeves, Waterproof & Stain Resistant ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07JHM9MBQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aT7gDb63P94D3

Definately put burp cloths under his head basically whenever you put them down. I used the smallish like 4 inch wide Gerber burp cloths that you can buy in like 4 packs. I would put one under her head and then just toss them in the laundry once they were inevitably ruined.

As for me and my clothes, we used the flannel receiving blankets. they make excellent burp cloths, super absorbent, and the cover ALOT.

Gerber burp cloths: https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Baby-Boys-Terry-Cloth/dp/B073Z3SB1C/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1525442841&sr=8-5&keywords=burp+cloths+gerber

Flannel receiving blankets: https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Joys-Carters-Receiving-Blankets/dp/B01MREOH8C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525443089&sr=8-1&keywords=flannel+receiving+blankets

You want tepid food the first couple of days, cold is also fine. You also do not want to use a straw.

What do you normally eat?

Root vegetables that have been steamed into mush, bananas, mushy peas or refried beans, wonderbread, nut butter, vegetable juice, egg salad or savory custard, chilled noodles, unflavored gelatin or a nice stock for savory gelatin... a couple of pouches of baby food or toddler food would make a good emergency snack. Cheerios should be okay as long as you drink something between bites. Jook might be good when you can start eating warm food.

You have time to buy a food mill, blender, potato ricer, or baby food maker. This is cheap and will probably get the job done.

Don't worry about if something is high-calorie or low calorie for the volume. You probably won't want to eat much until you start to heal.

I recommend that you get terrycloth diapers like this. You will need them for when your baby is in the constantly spitting up/drooling phase.


Also, I would get about one billion cloth diapers to use as burp cloths. These are good.


Another thing that saved our lives was a mobile for the crib. It occupied my LO for 5-10 minutes when I really needed to put him down for a minute to take a quick shower. This one is awesome.


Not sure what your philosophy is on pacifiers, but we used lots of them, and they disappear into the ether kind of like socks, so it's good to have lots.


Also, I highly recommend registering for some good nursing bras/tanks. I didn't get these until a couple months post-partum, and I wished I had gotten them sooner. I like this one.


Edit: Assumed you were nursing, but disregard the last one if you're not. :)

I've thrown everything on there that I know we will need/want. This way, whatever is left, we can still get a discount on. I have both pricey and not so pricey items. And I too am registered with Amazon. Here are a few of the cheaper items I have on my list if you want to check them out:
Skip Hop Spout Cover- Whale
http://www.amazon.com/Skip-Hop-Spout-Cover-Whale/dp/B001WAJVZM/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3JH4ZHMSVHZWK&coliid=IEFRQ3CRIV55S

Baby Banana training toothbrush
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Banana-Bendable-Training-Toothbrush/dp/B002QYW8LW/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3JH4ZHMSVHZWK&coliid=I1ZE4J4J0X6H4

Munchkin Backseat Organizer
http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-23205-Backseat-Organizer-Black/dp/B003XMWFBE/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3JH4ZHMSVHZWK&coliid=I15ELS3VA7EZ3I

Sasy Baby Disposable Diaper Baggies
http://www.amazon.com/Sassy-Disposable-Counts-Diaper-Sacks/dp/B0007V644S/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3JH4ZHMSVHZWK&coliid=IDCAXJI26J3PE

Nosefrida
http://www.amazon.com/Nosefrida-The-Snotsucker-Nasal-Aspirator/dp/B00171WXII/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3JH4ZHMSVHZWK&coliid=IT3PQ5INDNNZ6

Lamaze Freddie the Firefly
http://www.amazon.com/Lamaze-Play-Freddie-Firefly-Along/dp/B000I2Q0F4/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3JH4ZHMSVHZWK&coliid=I3NP50TP9VSYY6

Green sprouts 10 Pack Waterproof Absorbent Terry Bibs (someone on here told me these rocked so added them lol)
http://www.amazon.com/green-sprouts-Waterproof-Absorbent-Terry/dp/B000CP2X9O/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3JH4ZHMSVHZWK&coliid=I4VY0VDI592SI


Hope this helps! :)

Congrats!! I really like these bibs. I removed the teether and attached a pacifier. Or I put my own teether.
https://www.amazon.com/Bandana-Teething-Organic-Absorbent-Vuminbox/dp/B077RVJQZM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=bib+with+teether&qid=1571957496&sprefix=bib+with+&sr=8-3

Also soft baby toys, soft books, soft blocks.

These worked pretty well for our reflux-y drooler.

http://www.amazon.com/green-sprouts-Waterproof-Absorbent-Terry/dp/B000CP2X9O/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1373220467&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=eco+gro+bibs