When our DD started baby-led weaning, I did far too much research on bibs and purchased a huge variety. Now that she has been enthusiastically and very messily eating solid foods for over a year, I thought it was time to share our evaluation on how they measured up, hope this helps someone else!
Bibetta Weaning Bib (with and without Sleeves):
The full-sleeved version are our favourite “messy” bibs, by far, and the only bib I went back to buy extras of.
- Keeps baby mostly clean - other than what she manages to drop on her legs or smear all over her head
- Proper sized, real velcro that stays on
- Comfortable and flexible, no complaints from baby
- Durable - other than some velcro fuzz, these look like new
- Pocket is wide enough to be useful in catching dropped food, although not as wide as a silicone bib
- Lots of bright cute designs
- Like wetsuits, also made of neoprene, these can get mouldy if left wet too long (did that once by mistake, and had to use some very heavy mould remover spray to restore it) - so make sure it dries fully
Nuby Coverall Bib (with Sleeves) & Catch All Bib (Sleeveless):
You do get what you pay for. I threw the sleeveless ones away after a few weeks and only used the sleeved version as a backup. These are a super-thin material that stained easily and retained smells (despite washing at 30C as suggested on the tag).
- Thin and light material, easy to transport
- Stains easily and retains smells - washing at 30C as suggested on the tag isn’t enough to remove stains or smells
- Hard to wash
- Shape of the pocket is useless
- Has some type of “gentle” velcro doesn’t stay shut - my daughter can pull this right off
Jojo Mama Bebe Silicon Bibs:
These are our favourite “non-messy” meal bibs by far, mostly because they are durable and so easy to clean! Many bibs need a trip through the washing machine, whereas these just need a quick wipe with a dishcloth.
- Extremely easy to clean
- Pocket is wide and sticks out far enough to be a useful food catcher - the only one my daughter picks food back out of again (we call it her “recycling bin”)
- Easy to clean on-the-go, great for restaurants and meals away from home
- Not much use for very messy meals (think pasta sauce) - the sauce ends up all over her arms and shoulders
- At 14 months, my daughter figured out how to work the clasp and take this off of herself
Jojo Mama Bebe Deluxe (with Sleeves & Sleeveless):
I would have expected a lot more from Jojo Mama Bebe.
- The long-sleeved version does keep baby clean
- Cute designs
- Materials is too thin, it rolls up on itself - specifically for the sleeveless version
- Food capturing pocket is useless as it stays flat against the bib and doesn’t collect any dropped food
- Plastic food pocket becomes bent very easily during washing
Frugi Spick and Span Bib (Sleeveless):
This bib is made from a raincoat-like material, and feels thick and heavy (which is good for a bib!)
- At £5, it’s an absolute bargain
- Very durable - it’s been washed at least weekly for a year and, other than a few bobbles around the border, still looks like new
- Plenty of cute designs
- The main bib is easy to clean at it’s waterproof - a quick wipe down with a dishcloth is enough. But the borders are a regular fabric and soak up water, so it still needs to hang dry. It dries slowly too. Product suggestion - if the borders could be made from a more water resistant materials (that is still soft enough to be comfortable), this would probably become my favourite bib.
BiBADO Weaning Bib:
This bib is polarising - some people love it, some hate it. My personal opinion is that it’s highly effective but a large commitment. I also think it’s heavily dependent on what type of high chair and tray you are using.
- Does what it says on the tin - the only bib that keeps baby’s clothes perfectly clean
- Hard to attach to the high chair, with layers of elastic and velcro
- Stretched and pulled in funny ways - baby couldn’t move very well and was uncomfortable (in our Tripp Trapp at least)
- Cleaning it is not fun - after wiping off solid food, you need to find a way to wash it in the washing machine without the surplus of strong velcro destroying the other items in the wash. Good luck.