Here's When You Should Replace Baby's Bibs

Motherhood is full of fascinating questions, like is my baby supposed to make that noise? And, how do I keep the diaper smell inside the Diaper Genie? Along the lines of interesting questions you may ask as a mom, you might be wondering when to replace bibs your baby uses to eat, because, let's be honest, they can get pretty nasty.

Once your baby starts eating solids — after they're about 6 months old, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) — you'll need to stock up on feeding "accessories" to accommodate your baby's new diet. Things like spoons, bowls, a high chair, lots of clean clothes, and yes, bibs, will become staples of mealtime survival. Stocking up ahead of time will be helpful. If you're the type of parent who likes to avoid messes, buying more bibs than you think necessary might be helpful (think eight or more). If you're more easy going and OK with your child destroying your dining room, a few bibs — two to three — will suffice. Bibs also come in handy when baby is teething and are a good means of soaking up all that extra drool that comes with growing teeth.

Luckily, when it comes to buying bibs, you don't need to continue buying them, like diapers or wipes. The vast majority of baby bibs are reusable, and therefore, able to be tossed in the washer and cleaned for the next use.

The amount of bibs you need will also depend on the type of foods you feed your baby and what methods you use. If you're all for baby teaching themselves how to eat following the Baby Led Weaning (BLW) method, you may need to prepare for more messes. However, if you're planning to use homemade or store-bought purees and feed your baby yourself, it will likely be (a bit) cleaner than full-on BLW.

No matter when or how you decide to wean your baby and start introducing solids, it will be a learning experience for the both of you, and investing in a few good bibs to protect your table (and maybe even your sanity) will be a worthwhile investment.