Choosing clothes for a newborn baby is not an easy task. All children are different. Babies grow and develop at different rates, each of them has their own height and their own body features. Boys and girls also differ from each other in appearance. For ease of selection, experts recommend using special size tables.
A children's suit should be comfortable
Selection of clothes for the baby
In order to properly form a newborn’s wardrobe, you need to know the main characteristics of young children: spasmodic rates of development (the child grows “by leaps and bounds”), undeveloped thermoregulation processes (it is very easy for the baby to overheat or, conversely, to become overcooled), the characteristics of children’s skin ( sensitive to allergenic materials and easily irritated by contact with rough fabrics).
When choosing outfits for a newly born baby, you need to keep the following in mind:
- The suit should not be too tight so that the baby’s internal organs are not compressed;
- It is worth giving preference to natural fabrics and forgetting about synthetics, at least until the baby is one year old;
- There should be no rivets or buttons with sharp corners on clothes, shoes and hats;
- If possible, you should choose models with adjustable length and transformable models - they will last much longer.
Guided by these simple rules, you can create the optimal children's wardrobe.
You should take care of choosing your wardrobe in advance
Selecting hats for babies
Baby clothing sets usually include a hat. If the size of the items in the set is chosen perfectly, then usually the hat fits just right. But having bought a few extra hats for a newborn baby in the maternity hospital for a change, a young mother sometimes ends up with nothing - the tied cap does not cover the ears, comes off the child’s forehead or rubs in the neck area. You need to carefully select a headdress for your baby to preserve his health and for his safety, in accordance with the circumference of his head.
When choosing items of clothing for a baby, it is a mistake to focus only on his age. The size indicated on a child's headdress corresponds to a certain head circumference, expressed in centimeters.
Manufacturers of children's clothing can designate the sizes of hats and bonnets in different ways: in the form of letters or numbers. This can be one number (for example, 36, 38, 40, 42 with an interval of 2 cm) or two numerical values (first option: 36-38, 40-42; second option: 38-40, 42-44). Two numbers separated by an inclined line can indicate the circumference of the child’s head and his age (for example, 36/56, where 36 is head volume, 56 is height). If the numbers on the headdress are 1, 2, 3..., keep in mind that 0 is suitable for premature newborn babies, and 1 for babies born at term.
Measure the circumference of your son or daughter's head, placing the centimeter along his eyebrows, stretching over his ears to the back of his head. Our table displays the maximum and minimum head circumference values for newborn girls and boys by month.
Sizes of hats for children
The letter designation of the parameters of hats and bonnets also corresponds to a certain head circumference.
Head circumference (in cm) What is indicated on the headdress
| 40-43 | XXS |
| 44-46 | XS |
| 47-49 | S |
| 50-52 | M |
Types of children's clothing
How often to change a newborn's diaper
If the baby was born in the summer, the first three months are enough for him with diapers and vests. However, for walks and doctor visits, more comfortable, functional clothing is required. The baby will need:
- Envelope overalls for walking in a stroller;
- Baby vests. They are usually worn by children under six months old. When the child learns to sit independently, they are replaced with T-shirts or T-shirts with short sleeves;
- Bodysuit. This is comfortable clothing for walking in the summer and for routine visits to the doctor;
- Sliders. They are needed when the baby begins to actively move. However, if it is cold at home or outside, rompers can also be put on a newborn, under the diaper in which he is wrapped.
Hats are an integral part of a child's wardrobe. For children under one year old, this is a thin cap made of cotton fabric (worn after bathing), a thicker flannel cap (worn on a walk and at home, if it is cold in the apartment), a woolen hat for the street.
In winter, the baby wears booties or warm woolen socks on his rompers. It is strictly forbidden to wear them on bare legs, because sensitive children's skin may experience severe discomfort from direct contact with fur.
Selection of things in winter and summer
In the summer, children under three months old wear a baby vest and a light cotton cap, and the baby is wrapped in a diaper. In hot weather, you can do without sliders. Therefore, if the baby was born in the warm season, he will need diapers, baby vests and two or three caps for the summer. You don’t have to buy an envelope for a walk, because in the stroller the baby is still covered with a blanket.
A “winter” newborn will definitely need warm overalls and a woolen hat. You should also choose appropriately sized flannel blouses with rivets and insulated rompers. In addition to calico diapers, you will need thicker ones.
The baby should feel comfortable in his suit
How to choose the right size clothes for a newborn
A few decades ago, young mothers were not too worried if the romper or blouse turned out to be too big for their newborn baby. In the first months of life, children grow very quickly, and what is big today will fit in just six months. But the baby should not only be warm, but also comfortable to move his arms and legs in his pajamas, and the folds of clothing should not squeeze the delicate skin. Therefore, if possible, it is better to dress the child in the right size from the first days of life.
Basic size indicators for infants
- height, which must be measured at the time of birth and recorded in the medical record, and then the measurements are repeated every month at a doctor’s appointment;
- weight, which is also measured by doctors;
- chest circumference - it is easy to measure with a regular measuring tape;
- head circumference - also measured with a measuring tape;
- foot length is measured in the same way.
Other measurements are not needed, the listed measurements are enough to buy a baby according to his height.
How much to buy clothes with?
If a newborn constantly wears disposable diapers, there is no point in purchasing a large amount of clothing. For the first three months of life, the baby will need:
- Winter envelope for walks – 1 pc.;
- Woolen hat for winter-autumn – 1 pc.;
- Calico cap 3-4 pcs. and 2-3 pcs. flannel;
- Calico and flannel diapers - 15-20 pcs.;
- Baby vests (chintz, flannel) – 10 pcs.;
- Flannel blouses with fasteners – 5-6 pcs.
Why might a child under one year old have bad urine?
If desired, you can also purchase several children's bodysuits and overalls made of cotton fabric. Which color to choose depends on the gender of the child and the tastes of the parents. Also, young parents usually buy two or three sets of bedding for their crib.
Attention! You should not buy too many products of the same size and type, because children under one year old develop very quickly. It is known that in the first three months the baby grows by about 10 cm. Then the increase in weight and height slows down a little. From six months to one year, on average, a child gains 300-500 grams. and grows by 2-2.5 cm monthly.
Size chart for newborn boys and girls by month
Even inexperienced parents of their first child can easily understand the labeling of children's items in order to accurately select products of the appropriate size for their child. Most babies are of average height and weight at birth. You should be more careful when choosing if the child was born miniature or, on the contrary, has heroic dimensions.
Determining the size is not difficult. You just need to arm yourself with a measuring tape and measure the height of the little man from head to toe, or use the latest measurements taken by the supervising pediatrician. Then find your height in the table and compare the data indicated in it with the actual size of your baby
| Age | Height, cm | Weight, kg | Children's clothing size | Cap size | Double size step |
| From birth to 3 months | 50-54 | 3-3,5 | 56 or 18 | 35 | 50/56 |
| 3 months | 58-62 | 5-5,5 | 62 or 20 | 40 | 56/62 |
| 6 months | 63-68 | 7-8 | 68 or 20 | 44 | 62/68 |
| 9 months | 69-74 | 8-9 | 74 or 22 | 46 | 68/74 |
| 12 months | 75-80 | 9-11 | 80 or 24 | 47 | 74/80 |
Types of dimensional grids
The sizes of clothes for newborns can be found out from the so-called “grids”. There are two types of them: depending on height (“by centimeters”) and depending on age (“by months”). The first grid allows you to more accurately select clothes and can be used when choosing a wardrobe for premature babies. It is convenient to use the child's size by month when relatives choose clothes as a gift for the baby, knowing exactly his age, but at the same time do not have an idea of his build. When using this version of the table, it is recommended to choose clothes “for growth”, focusing on the data in the column dedicated to older age.
Size chart by month
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The size chart will help you choose the right clothes. Height, weight, body length, chest and head circumference in boys and girls during the first period after birth differ slightly. These data depend largely not on gender, but on the pace of development of the baby and heredity. In this regard, in Russia it is customary to use universal sizes for newborns, suitable for use in both boys and girls. In preschool age, starting around the age of three, the difference in weight and height between boys and girls becomes more noticeable. Therefore, starting at this age, it is advisable to use separate size charts for male and female children.
Attention! You cannot be guided by size data to determine the optimal costume for a premature baby. In this case, special requirements are imposed on clothing, and sizes are calculated individually, depending on the specific situation and the degree of retardation of the baby in physical development.
Baby hat size
A warm woolen hat for a winter walk in winter can be purchased a size larger, because the child wears a cotton cap under it.
Newborn size by month, headwear table
| Age in months | 0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7-9 | 10-12 |
| Head circumference | 34-39 | 40-41 | 41,5-43 | 43,5-45 | 46-48 | 48,5-50 |
| Size | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
When purchasing bonnets and hats, you should give preference to models with comfortable ties. A child, even an infant, spends a lot of time moving, so the headdress should not fall off.
Sock and shoe sizes
A child's very first shoes are woolen booties with soft soles. However, as soon as the baby learns to walk, he should wear leather shoes (with thin socks) on his feet, otherwise flat feet may quickly develop.
Newborn size chart, socks and shoes
| Age in months | 0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7-9 | 10-12 |
| Foot length (to take measurements, you can place the child’s foot on a piece of paper and trace it with a pen) | less than 6.4 | 6,5-7,4 | 7,5-8,4 | 8,5-9,4 | 9,5-10,4 | 10,5-11,4 |
| Size | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
Pediatricians and orthopedists categorically do not recommend that young children wear someone else's shoes, even if they are in perfect condition and fit exactly. Failure to comply with this rule can lead to leg diseases, serious gait and posture disorders.
Orthopedists urge parents not to put other people's shoes on young children
Overalls size
Parents often buy overalls for newborns “for growth.” At the same time, they are guided by the fact that on the street the baby still lies in a stroller and does not experience any discomfort in a spacious suit. However, it is wrong to do so. If the overalls are too large, cold can penetrate into the gaps and crevices. You also need to take into account that babies up to three months feel comfortable only in a “cocoon” that fits tightly to the body. If the overalls are too large, the child will wake himself up during sleep with involuntary movements of his arms and legs.
The cells of the table below take into account not only height, but also how much the baby weighs. This data can be used when knitting costumes with your own hands.
Newborn clothes size for overalls
| Age in months | 0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7-9 | 10-12 |
| Height, cm | 50 – 56 | 57 – 61 | 62 — 67 | 68 – 73 | 74 — 79 | 80 – 85 |
| Weight, kg | 3 – 3,5 | 5 – 5,5 | 7 – 8 | 8 – 9 | 9 – 11 | 11 – 12 |
| Size | 56 | 62 | 68 | 74 | 80 | 86 |
If your baby was born in winter, it is better to purchase overalls with a removable lining made of natural fur. In the spring, when the child grows up, the lining can be unfastened. The overalls will immediately become larger and will last for at least another year and a half: a boy or girl will be able to walk in it when he learns to walk.
Bodysuit and vest sizes
You should not choose vests that are tied with a cord and ribbon. The most convenient and safest option is a clasp with metal buttons. The bodysuit should have a similar fastener at the bottom for easy diaper changing.
Standard sizes for newborn baby clothes, bodysuits and vests
| Age in months | 0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7-9 | 10-12 |
| Height | 50 – 56 | 57 – 61 | 62 — 67 | 68 – 73 | 74 – 79 | 80 – 85 |
| Bust | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 |
| Size | 50 | 56 | 62 | 68 | 74 | 80 |
Baby vests are convenient to put on newborns and babies in the first time after birth, up to three months. From three months, when children begin to move actively, it is better to replace them with a comfortable bodysuit in combination with rompers.
Bodysuit - very comfortable clothing for a baby
Slider sizes
Romper pants come in two styles: strapless closed-foot pants and strapless pants. The second option is more convenient. In some models, the buttons on which the straps are fastened are arranged in two rows. This helps to adjust the height: the sliders can “grow” along with their little owner.
Children's size up to one year, rompers
| Age in months | 0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7-9 | 10-12 |
| Height | 50 – 56 | 57 – 61 | 62 – 67 | 68 – 73 | 74 – 79 | 80 – 85 |
| Bust | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 |
| Size | 56 | 62 | 68 | 74 | 80 | 86 |
For children up to three months, a onesie with a closed foot is sufficient. For older children, it is worth purchasing several pairs of ordinary cotton pants that imitate trousers, along with socks and booties.
When choosing a suit for a baby up to one year old and a dowry for the maternity hospital during pregnancy, you should first of all pay attention to the size. In order for your baby to feel as comfortable as possible, you should not take things “to grow.” Also, do not wear suits that are too tight and tight-fitting, otherwise the child will sweat a lot and his natural heat exchange will be disrupted.
Caps, tights and mittens
Bonnets, hats and other headwear for babies are selected according to the length of the head circumference, which is measured along the eyebrows, then above the ears and towards the back of the head. The hat should not press too hard so as not to harm the baby! The mesh varies, as a rule, these are double designations, like tights (for example, 38-40). In addition, you may find letter values or double markings depending on the child’s height (for example, 36/56).
Table of parameters for children's hats and bonnets
| Marking | Head circumference (girth) (cm) | Height (cm) | Age (months) | |
| Russian | Letter | |||
| 35 | XXS | 35-40 | 50-54 | 0-1,5 |
| 40 | XS | 40-44 | 56-63 | 1,5-3 |
| 44 | XS | 44-46 | 62-68 | 3-6 |
| 46 | 46-49 | 68-74 | 3-9 | |
| 47-48 | M | 50-52 | 74-80 | 6-12 |
The parameters of tights for babies are determined by height in centimeters, while the standard foot length for the item is specified, which is indicated in the table above. If your baby is overweight, choose tights one size larger.
Table of parameters of children's tights
| Size | Age (months) | Foot length(cm) |
| 50-56 | 0-1,5 | 7 |
| 56-62 | 0-3 | 8 |
| 62-67 | 2-6 | 9 |
| 68-74 | 3-9 | 10 |
| 75-80 | 6-12 | 11-12 |
| 81-86 | 9-18 | 13 |
| 87-92 | 12-24 | 14 |
To determine the parameters of mittens or mittens, measure the length in centimeters around the palm without covering the thumb. However, today it is quite difficult to find mittens or mittens for newborns, since most overalls for cold weather completely cover and protect the baby’s hands.
For children under six months old, Russian manufacturers offer size ten, for babies aged 7-12 months - eleven, for 1-2 years old - twelve. Foreign manufacturers of children's mittens and mittens offer size zero for infants up to one year old, and size one for children 1-2 years old. How to properly dress a newborn and infant at home or for a walk, read here.
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How to choose clothes for children from foreign manufacturers
In addition to domestic products, there is a lot of Chinese and American clothing on the market; the sizing charts for such products differ from Russian standards.
Foreign clothing sizes for newborns by month - table
| Age (months) | America | China |
| newborns | 0/3 | 0 |
| 3 | 0/6 | 3 |
| 6 | 0/6 | 6 |
| 9 | 6/9 | 9 |
| 12 | S/M | 12 |
