5 Useful Things to Make for Babies

Sheesh, babies. Is that all anyone can talk about around here?
Alas yes, pretty much. (Today marks 35 weeks. Eeep.)
Babies apparently need a tremendous amount of stuff, much of it horrifically expensive. However, you can make some of it yourself (or as a gift). This gives one a wonderful sensation of "sticking it to the man". One does not get to feel that very much when one is pregnant, let one tell you.

Bibs
You'd be amazed at how crummy a lot of bibs are. A lot of them appear to be made out of kleenex. I can practically see the liquefied vegetables leaking through them all the way from the future.
Enough grousing. Chickpea Studios has an easy tutorial to make wonderful bibs. And there's even a downloadable pattern.

Burp cloths
A friend of mine has a baby with horrible reflux. That poor woman can barely keep a shirt dry. She's let me know that most of the cute burp rags are pretty much useless. However, these ones by Sew She Sews are excellent!
Burp Cloth Tutorial by Sew She Sews

Slings
One of the most highly recommended items has been a sling. "Get yourself a sling!" people keep telling me. "Do you ever want to use your hands again? Get a sling!" Who am I to argue? Using my hands sounds great.
Jan Andrea has put together a whole index of sling tutorials. Everything from ring slings to mei tais.

Breastfeeding cover
It's a glorified apron. It is also known as a "hooter hider". Egads.
Maybe I've been in the crafty community for too long, but my gut reaction is, hey, make one!
Freshly Picked has an excellent, photo filled tutorial to show you how.

Swaddling blanket
Can babies be swaddled? The experts say yes. The parents say "Eh, sometimes. At least for a little while."
You can swaddle in a receiving blanket, or you can whip up one of these awesome swaddling blankets:
Swaddling Blanket Tutorial by Prudent Baby