Muslins - can you just use a towel?!

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So im a bit baffled. Im expecting my first and muslins are a bit of a mystery. I understand what they're for; wiping baby after feeds, throwing over your back when your burping etc. My question is do you actually need a muslin specifically? Wont a small towel do the trick?

Yes they’re heavier and bulkier to carry around though. I had to use a towel instead though as my dd was a massive puker. No dainty little possets for her!

They aren't compulsory. I used them as they are very light, easy to pack in a changing bag when you go out and dry easily after washing.

I bought shed loads of Muslins and they are most definitely needed.

Over a towel they are better for : less bulky in changing bags, I always carry 2 with me, better in the wash, can dry really quickly to unlike a towel. They are softer on baby's skin.

I wrap one tight around the Moses basket matress where baby has his head, sonic he is a little bit sick or dribbling, I just change that and not the whole sheet.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and I wish you all the best!

You could, but if you have a very sicky baby you could be going through dozens of towels a day. Muslins are generally more compact, will be faster to wash etc.

Yes you need muslins. If you’re lucky you might get away with a couple, if you have a vomiter you will need lots of them!

Any cloth will do, but muslins are light and small, so quicker, easier l, cheaper and more environmentally sound to launder, and will take up far less space in a bag when you go out. Also, you’ll need multiple of whatever you use, so unless you have a laundry cupboard full of small towels, you are going to have to buy something, and a stack of muslins is much cheaper than a stack of towels.

Muslins are much easier than towels. Wash quicker, dry quicker, soak up just as much, can be used as a bf cover, as a makeshift bib, as makeshift clothes when you forget baby bag and have a poo explosion as a sunshade, stick them under baby in high chairs when out for super easy clean up, take makeup off with, catch sick. Endless uses!

Technically yes but towels are bulky, take up lots of space in the wash and take ages to dry. Muslins make a good extra layer for baby when out and about too, towels not so much. Also good for laying down for baby to play on, changing mat, playing peekaboo, swaddle, emergency clothes when baby has pooped through last outfit in the changing bag. There’s probably a million other uses too.

Towels take longer to clean and dry. Muslins can often be handwashed and dried within an hour if urgent. Also, muslins tend to be a little rougher (not a lot!) and so are ideal for dried in spit / vomit stains.

I barely touched a muslin with DC1 but they were invaluable with DC2. They're also multipurpose - you can use them as ad hoc changing mats, emergency bum wipes if you run out, nursing cover if you're that way inclined, I've turned them into sun hats and ear defenders as well. I even turned a large one into a toga dress for DD when she got drenched and i didn't have a change of clothes. They pack up tiny so are very transportable.

We used muslins for all reasons listed above as a baby, but my son is now 2 and still loves a muslin as a comforter. He will twiddle the corners to settle himself off to sleep! Defo couldnt be without them!

You need muslins. I used towels when my refluxy baby was projectile vomiting every feed (thank goodness for infant Gaviscon fixing that) and it was horrible - they're too bulky, heavy and don't move as fast as you can with a muslin.

Fingers crossed you don't get a puker. I had 13 muslins when I had my baby, and turned down some second hand ones from a friend thinking I had more than enough 🙄 I've ended up with around 30.

I never used them for any of my 3 babies. They are teens now so can’t remember what I did but just wasn’t an issue. I suspect bibs, cloths and tissues covered most things!

My D couldn't understand the point of them when I bought her a pack and was completely surprised when I said I'll get her more.
Then the baby was born and he was quite sicky. I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up with over 30 of them.
They are absorbent , lightweight , wash and dry easily and versatile.
You'll use them to tuck under babies chin when feeding , over your shoulder when holding a sicky baby , burping , wiping babies face , covering up if breast feeding , as a sheet protector , prank protector etc etc.
Congratulations btw

I have 2 boys and probably still have a draw full of muslins. I love them! Will never need them again now but can't bring myself to bin them

Thank you everyone! I was going to buy a pack of 3 😂 But i'll buy more. WAY more!

They are remarkably versatile. I don’t use them for children now but I do use them for washing the car...!

Yep, get muslins. Dc1 we hardly used them tbh, but dc 2 and 3, we used them a lot. Dc3 still has a clothy has a comforter when she goes to bed now, so they were well with the money.

Omg, I think we had about 60 muslins on rotation with dd2! She'd easily soak 20-30 a day with puke. It was hell. But they wash well, dry super quick, no sick can get stuck into them (like I imagine it could with a towel), and I could easily fit a was of them in my bag when we went out. It really depends how sicky your baby is. With dd1 I probably had 10/15 muslins, and although she was pretty sicky, that amount worked fine, just washed the used ones every evening and they would be dry for the day after. With dd2, I could get through 10 (as in soaked completely) by 10am so after a couple of weeks we realised we needed to restock our supplies! A towel would not have sufficed with either of mine.

Large sized muslins are also great for swaddling in the early days. A towel would be too bulky and hot.

Muslins are a must! The large size were also great to use as blankets in the summer.

I only remember them being bought as liners for terry nappies (1980s). However I was still using some as dusters/general purpose cleaning cloths well into the 2000s.

Muslims are so awesome. My dc are older but I still think of muslins with huge fondness. They save your bacon in myriad ways

Definitely get loads! DS no longer needs them but they are so useful round the house still.

Oh autocorrect! muslins, not Muslims