by Isabelle Esteves

Created on: April 26, 2008   Last Updated: December 02, 2011

If all  kids came in one size, life woulld be a lot easier. Unfortunately they don't. There are as many different shapes and sizes of babies and children as there are parents. Getting clothes that fits them can be challenging. This is especially true in infants since it is impossible to try things on in the store. It is not an insurmountable challenge however. You will have to take the initiative to determine your baby's size. This will be much easier with your own child. If it is a gift you will have to count on the mother or father for this information. Infant sizing is by age but since babies of three months old can vary by as much as 5 or 6 pounds it isn't going to be a one size fits all.

Babies come in a lot of different sizes. Their starting weights can run from 5lbs to 10lbs. At 12 months they can be a petite 15-17 pounds or a hearty 30 pounds. They were not all going to be wearing a 12 months size, as a matter of fact few of them will fit in that size.

You need to check the manufacturers sizing chart, they are not standard from one manufacturer to another but they will offer you the best chance to get a proper fit. In addition to your child's weight you need to consider their height. If they are very tall you may need to go up one size , if they are very short, well that is much easier to deal with.

As children move into the toddler stage there is a difference between a size 24 months and a size 2T. In most cases the 24 months will have a snap crotch to facilitate diaper changes. By the time you move from 4T to a size 4 you will notice the cut is a little slimmer and the legs are a little longer as your child moves from infancy into childhood.

At this point in your child's life not only their personalities are being formed but their body type as well. Some will be long and lean, some dainty and petite and other stocky and sturdy. Children's clothing also reflects these changes with offerings in slim, regular and husky. Tailoring is something that all mothers need to become familiar with because very few children are a standard size. By tailoring I mean shortening pant legs and shirt sleeves. If you child is stocky they may need a larger size then their height can handle. What to do with 3 or 4 extra inches becomes an issue. The handy mother uses Stitch Witchery , you just cut off the pants, make a small hem, place the magic tape between the pants and the cuff and hit it with a warm iron, instant hem. There is also a product called Tear Mender which is a cream which does the same thing without needing an iron.

Hopefully your child is one who enjoys trying on clothes. They will need to try on every piece that you buy as they grow older. Even jeans as we all know vary in size from one pair to another even in the same manufacturer. As your girls outgrow size 16 and boys 18/20 they are ready to move on to adult sizing and then the fun really begins.

Here is a suggested size chart for children.

Newborns Weight Height
0-3 months 0-10 lbs 0-22"
6 months 11-15 lbs 22-24"
9 months 14-16 lbs 24-25"

Infants
12 months 16-20 lbs 25-27"
18 months 21-24 lbs 27-30"
24 months 25-28 lbs 30-33"

Toddler
2T 25-28 lbs 33-34"
3T 29-32 lbs 35-36"
4T 33-36 lbs 37-38"

Older boys and girls
4 35-38 lbs 39-40"
5 39-41 lbs 41-43"
6 42-46 lbs 44-46"
6X 47-53 lbs 47-48"
7 54-57 lbs 49-51"
8 58-63 lbs 52-53"
10 64-72 lbs 54-55"
12 73-80 lbs 56-57"
14 81-90 lbs 58-59"

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