Inside: Learn all about proper diaper sizing thanks to a handy diaper sizes chart! The diaper sizes chart shares weight limits for various diaper sizes, in various disposable diaper brands like Huggies, Pampers, and Luvs. Learn how to know if it’s time to size up your baby’s diaper, too! You’ll be amazed to know the difference between newborn diapers and what is the perfect fit!
There are so many things you have to remember when becoming a parent, like keeping the diaper bag packed with newborn essentials, a change of clothes for you and your baby when you’re out and about, some toys and books to keep baby busy, and a blanket for nap time and breastfeeding privacy (in case you forget your nursing cover).
There’s one last, super important thing to remember to pack for your baby as her parent:
Diapers.
Why Diaper Size Matters
Choosing the appropriately sized diaper for your child matters just as much as having diapers in your bag in the first place.
When you choose the right diaper size not only does it help to keep them comfortable, it also helps to keep them dry after they have used the bathroom.
There are a few negatives that can come from not choosing the right diaper size:
- Leaks: When a diaper is too big, it can cause the liquid to easily fall out of the diaper, thereby causing soiled baby clothing and crib sheets. Conversely, if a diaper size is too small, it also causes leaks.
- Rashes: If you choose a diaper size that is too small it can cause the liquid to come in contact with your child’s skin. This can cause skin irritations such as diaper rashes that can cause your child to be fussy.
- Blowouts: Much like leaks, a diaper size that is too small or too big will not contain a diaper blowout well. In fact, it makes it worse. Poorly sized baby diapers cost you time cleaning up a much bigger and nastier mess than wanted.
If you’ve ever put the wrong size diapers on your baby’s skin then you know that a smaller size will cause issues! You have to worry about a diaper rash as well as make sure that the contoured shape of the diaper is right for their weight range, too. And that’s just the start! There are training pants and popular brands to compare and try to understand the average number of diapers that your little one will need. The good news is that you can find the best fit for your new baby and all different ages and different stages, too.
Diaper Sizing Based on Weight and by Age
Here is a general weight-limit diaper size chart for the most common diaper sizes.
- Newborn Sized Diaper Weight Limits: 1-10 pounds, usually for babies 0-1 months old.
- Size 1 Diaper Weight: 8-14 pounds, usually fitting babies ages 0-4 months old.
- Size 2 Diaper Weight: 12-18 pounds, usually fitting babies from ages 2-12 months old.
- Size 3 Diaper Weight: 16-28 pounds, usually fitting babies from ages 8-24 months old.
- Size 4 Diaper Weight: 22-37 pounds, usually fitting babies from ages 18-48 months old.
- Size 5 Diaper Weight: 27+ pounds, usually for children aged 36-48 months old (3 years old to 4 years old).
- Size 6 Diaper Weight: 35+ pounds, usually for children 48 months old (4 years old) and above.
The above diaper weight sizes are a good base point reference for you as to look to properly fit your child in a diaper. (You may need a bigger size for your baby’s needs. Choose the best diaper size that is the appropriate size for your little one!)
However, there are various brands of diapers including Pampers, Huggies, Luvs, Honest Brand, Up and Up, and others, and each brand has its recommended diaper weight maximum per diaper size, but they are, give or take, relatively the same as the base chart we have given you above.
Related: Pampers Pure Diapers Review
There are so many different diaper sizes out there, and some diaper brands feature slightly different weight limits for different styles of their diapers, like Huggies Little Snuggles versus Huggies Snug and Dry versus Huggies Little Movers versus Huggies Pull-Ups and Huggies Little Swimmers!
Each of those Huggies diaper styles will fit your child differently (and cost differently) too.
Sometimes it’s not about sizing up (which costs more per diaper), but trying a different brand of diapers or a different style of diapers from the same diaper company, in order to find the best fitting diaper for your child.
Related: Where and How to Get Free Diapers
How Do You Know If a Diaper is Too Small?
There are some signs that you need to watch for to know when your baby needs to move up to the next diaper size.
1. Check your child’s legs and waist for any diaper imprints.
A diaper that leaves imprints on your child’s waist or legs means the diaper is too small and you need to move up a diaper size.
This will ensure that your child remains comfortable and their skin faces no irritations.
2. Note the frequency of leaks and/or diaper blowouts.
If your child is experiencing frequent leaking or blowouts, it’s a strong indicator that you need to go up a diaper size.
Going up a diaper size can guarantee that you minimize the number of blowouts and leaks your child experiences, because there is more absorbency in bigger diaper sizes.
Related: How to Change a Squirmy Baby’s Diaper
3. See how low the diaper is on the waist.
If your baby’s diaper is fitting like low-rise underwear, sitting nearer to their hips than their natural waist, or you’re having to pull and tug on those adhesive diaper tabs to get the diaper secured, it’s likely time to move up to the next size of diapers.
4. Check the diaper sizing weights on the box.
Jump on the scale with your baby, or have them stand on it, and see if they are outgrowing the recommended diaper size weight limits (like listed in our diaper size chart above). This is a good way to get a quick overview of the baby diaper sizes.
If they are getting close to that upper limit, and experiencing comfort or fit issues, or leaks or imprints, then go ahead and bump them up a diaper size already.
Related: 5 Tips for Preventing Diaper Blowouts
How Do You Know When a Diaper is Too Big?
While this is less of a problem (as we like to keep babies in the smallest diaper as long as possible to save money on diapers), you can know a diaper size is too big if it does any of the following:
- Comes up past the baby’s belly button (at the belly button is okay)
- The Velcro strips cross over or touch each other when putting on the diaper snuggly.
- The elastic bands on the leg holes don’t completely close around the leg.
- The diaper falls down or off their little bum regularly.
Generally, too big of diapers isn’t a big problem, but my motto is always to go with the smallest diaper size possible, as the smaller the diaper, the lower the cost per diaper!
Related: The True Costs of Cloth Diapers
Whatever brand of diaper you choose, I hope this diaper sizing chart and information ensure you choose the right size diaper for your baby.
Once you have the right diaper size chosen you can easily make your way through choosing the brand that is right for you and your children.
For other great baby and diaper related posts, check out the following:
- How to Get Rid of Diaper Pail Odor and Smell
- How to Throw a Diaper-Themed Baby Shower
- 11 Costly and Messy Diapering Mistakes
- Potty Training – What Happens After You Ditch the Diapers
- 10 Ways to Prevent Baby from Taking Off Their Diaper
- Great Big List of Fun Gender Reveal Ideas
Baby Diaper Size Chart Infographic from Childmode.com.
Bio: Tiffany Simmons is a Georgia mom , wife , and aspiring children’s book writer, acquiring a BS in Mass Communications & Marketing from the University of West Ga, and leaving a job in the healthcare profession to become a freelance writer for childmode.com!
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