Burp Cloths

When you begin to choose your layette and baby accessories, you may see burp cloths and wonder if they’re an item that you really need. Burp cloths are, in fact, an important part of your gear for taking care of baby. Placing a burp cloth on your lap or shoulder when burping baby prevents spit up on your clothes, and on baby’s. You’ll also use them for all sorts of little baby “cleanups”.

If you’re like most mothers of young babies, you’ll find that you walk around your home most of the time wearing a burp cloth on your shoulder. You’ll find that burp cloths are wonderful for keeping you and baby clean and smelling fresh. In fact, it’s likely that you’ll go through several burp cloths each and every day.

In fact, you’ll need so many burp cloths that you may find the expense of buying all that you need a bit daunting. Keep in mind that designer burp clothes are not necessary. You’ll want a few nice looking burp cloths for using away from home, but at home you can use less fancy cloths.

To economize, you can sew burp cloths from scrap fabric. You can use a pattern if you desire, but most moms simply cut the fabric in the size and shape they find most useful and make a hem around the perimeter. Shop at your local fabric store for flannels and cotton knits on sale and use these to make burp cloths for your own use. You can make them as ornate as you desire, monogramming baby’s initials on the corner, or sewing on cute appliqués. You can also make burp cloths to coordinate with your child’s clothes or bibs.

Experiment with different sizes and shapes of cloths. I found that many fabric pieces sold as traditional burp cloths were too narrow at the spot designed to fit on my shoulder, and did not completely protect my clothing. So, when I made burp cloths, I made them in rectangles that were wide enough to cover my entire shoulder.

Finally, my favorite burp cloths of all time were simply cloth diapers. They’re inexpensive, and you can purchase them by the dozen. They’re soft and launder beautifully. Using cloth diapers makes having plenty of burp cloths on hand easy and affordable.

Until you have a baby, you’ll never guess how critical burp cloths can be. You can significantly reduce the amount of laundry you have to do and the number of stains on your clothing, and baby’s, by keeping a burp cloth always at the ready. They’re certainly a valuable piece of baby gear.