Baby Sizes

AmmyBelle · February 2016

Hey ladies -

So, some context first: My sister is getting married in September (I'm the Maid or Matron of Honor) and she wants my as-yet-unborn daughter to be a flower girl of sorts. Basically, my SO will be carrying our 4 month old down the aisle in a cute dress. So my Mom has been looking for a dress for her - white, frilly flowery thing that I am not keen on, but it's not my wedding. And herein lies the problem: I keep telling my Mom to look at 3-6 mo size dresses, since kiddo will only be 4 months old. My mother keeps insisting she'll be too big, and keeps looking at 12 mo old dresses.

So here is my question for STMs and onwards, since you guys have dressed a baby more recently than my mother or me: At 4 months old, what size was your baby wearing?

Thanks

proudparent2b · February 2016

FTM, but trying to accurately guess your child's size this far in advance is impossible. Some kids will still be small in newborn sizes, while others will have moved straight into 3 month clothes at birth. The divide gets even wider by 1 year old- some are in 6 month sizes while others can be in 2T.

You should be able to find appropriate outfits on the rack- there's no reason you should have to choose an outfit right now.

AmmyBelle · February 2016

@proudparent2b - Right, all things I know. And yet, my mother persists, which is why I asked for advice frm STMs who have hopefully just gone through this in the last couple of years. I think, from what I said, that I implied that both my mother and I know there is a great variance in sizes of kids ... which is why I asked advice. Anyways, thanks for answering

yogahh · February 2016

Not sure if this helps, but I have bought a TON of size 6-12 month clothes for next fall and winter, assuming if she is 7 months in December it should fit at some point in the colder months. From the moms I asked, it seems that is a better estimate than thinking a 4 month old would be in size 12 month clothing. Again, as you know, its a guessing game but I would think something in a 6 month size range MIGHT fit better??? Do you have the option to buy in 2 or 3 sizes and return what doesn't work?

kbrands7 · February 2016

I'd advise 3-6 months. I've had lots of luck in the past using the WHO 0-2 charts and the brand sizing charts to estimate sizes. Each baby will transition and growth spurt a little differently, but if you look at the upper and lower ranges of the charts, it should help you to make a good judgement call. If it seems like she may be between sizes, look at yours/your H's body types to make the call or just estimate a bit big (much easier to take in something for a special event than to let it out).

To have some reference if it helps (really, it may not...but I know sometimes people like to see real life examples) DS has generally stuck to 60th/70th percentile in weight and 95th in height. He wore 0-3mo from birth to 3 months, then wore 3-6mo only until 5 months, 6-12 mo until 8.5ish months, 12-18 until 16ish months, and 18-24mo until about 21 mo. Now he's in all 2ts at 22mo.

cortney626 · February 2016

DD#1 was 7lbs 7 oz when ahe was born and was always 50th percentile in height and weight. Her clothes were always true to size. She wore 3-6 months when she was 3-6 months old. The good thing with dresses is that you don't have to worry about the length. For a 4 month old, I would think 3-6 would be ok. Maybe look for 6-9 month dress also. Or the best bet might be wait until she's here and shop for a dress.

AmmyBelle · February 2016

Thanks ladies! I am screenshotting this and sending it to my Mom to bolster my argument that 12 months is too big.

@yogahh - That was another suggestion I made, but my Mom is full steam ahead (first grandchild, first huge wedding of her three daughters since mine was a courthouse affair) and is stubborn enough to think she's always right. I need to send my middle sister with her - she's so much more level headed than anyone I know ...

amberraysofdawn · February 2016

It'll be Easter soon, and lots of pretty (white, frilly) dresses will be on sale. Maybe grab something while its on the cheap as a back up dress to make your mom happy, if she keeps insisting on it? If nothing else, she should be pretty close to fitting into it if she isn't already by the time next Easter rolls around, so you won't have to go shopping again at that time (not sure if that's a thing in your area, but having a special Easter dress is apparently A Thing out here. My mom has already been making a big deal about it.

).

mrstmoose · February 2016

I'm a FTM too but I know there is no way our LO's will be in 12 month clothing by then. If your mom really wants to buy a 12 mo dress, let her but then they will be stuck buying another one right before the wedding. When they realize you were right.

AmmyBelle · February 2016

@mrstmoose - and the benefit of that will be me getting to say "I told you so!" to my mother. You have no idea how gratifying that would be ... :P

maddenmm · February 2016

DS was 8lbs when he was born and he was wearing 6-9 month clothing by 3 months. He was always in the 98-99th percentile. Maybe order it in a size 6-9 months?? I would rather have it be too big than too small.

JessicaB0627 · February 2016

DD had just started wearing 0-3 months at that point. I think at 4 months she was around 56th percentile height and only 20-something percentile weight. I would probably buy 3-6 month if I had to buy something in advance

GlenLakeLove · February 2016

DS was also in the 90+ percentile for height but weight he was 50th. He wore newborn until about 2-3 months when he bumped up to 3 months and he seemed to be in the "proper" month just about all the way through. (Turned 6 months, wore 6 months, etc.) 3-6 month would be a safe bet but she could be 6-9 too. Hard to judge before she's even born to know her patterns. With this second little guy we have no idea what to expect. Could be a little chunker!

We are also doing the wedding (destination, first cousin) thing as guests in November. I'm not buying him anything until September. Or I may buy sooner if I find a great deal and can buy multiple sizes to have all our bases covered.

gemini2005 · February 2016

My kids were always average/above average and most of the time their age correlated to the clothes size. I always bought bigger sizes though so they could wear things longer. I would get the 6-9 dress to be safe.

laurenmdrn16 · February 2016

As PP mentioned (way too lazy to scroll back up, sorry) I think it would be best to get it in 2 sizes and return the one that doesn't fit. You really never know what size your kiddo will be. Safest bet is probably 6-9 mos, but depending on the style you will want to choose the one that fits best. I figure for dresses it isn't so important, but I know that for my son's baptism outfit with pants, getting the right fit was really key to him not looking like MC Hammer.

NB817 · February 2016

STM here, at 4 months DD was wearing 6month things. She was born average at 7lbs 12oz but she gained a lot on my milk and was 15lbs by the time she was 4 months. Little chunk ☺️ But I agree with PPs about dresses being easier to fit and if she insists on not waiting to buy something go with 3-6 month.

kami09 · February 2016

Mine was a fairly big 8 lb 9 Oz but then stayed a peanut for quite a few months. He pretty much stayed within the size ranges for his age.

On the other hand, my niece was out of 3 months and then 3-6 at a very early age..and then stopped growing. She's 21 months and still fits into 12. So obviously it's so hard to tell, but I would think if a 21 month old can fit into 12 mo, I highly doubt a 4 month old would.

mcb2016 · February 2016

It is so hard to know how big the baby will be! Is there any way you can order a dress closer to the wedding date?

asummerbride · February 2016

My daughter was pretty true to size, and my son was always a little big for his age. That being said, I just cannot imagine any 4 month old being big enough to fit into 12 month clothing! I would go with 3-6 months.

Par13 · February 2016

DS was always true to size based on his age and stayed right around 50th percentile since birth. DH and I are also pretty average for height and weight.

If you or your SO are extremely tall, you may have a baby who's in larger sizes earlier or you could randomly have a baby who puts on weight quickly in the beginning and moves out of 3-6 mo clothes prior to being 6 months old.

I don't personally know anyone who has had a baby in 12 mo clothes at 4 months old though. Like PP said, you're probably safest getting both 3-6 mo and 6-9 mo sizes and seeing which fits best closer to Sept.

JennyS86 · February 2016

Plus, each brand fits a little differently! My girls were preemies, so they were small, but they fit clothing with their adjusted age - they will be 2 in 2wks, and they fit 18months, some 24m clothing. I understand how fun it is to pick little girls dresses, but there will be plenty off-the-rack all summer!
The good thing is that she won't be walking, so it won't be a big deal if it is too long

KelleAlward · February 2016

My daughter was behind on sizes. Despite being 75th percentile for height, she was 30th percentile for weight. At 4 Months she was definitely still wearing 0-3 month clothes. It seems like, on average, babies fit the predicted size for their age, so go with 3-6 month dress.

hellogoodbye2 · February 2016

My daughter has always been pretty much within the 50th percentile and she wore 3-6m clothes at 4m old.

Dantzscher32 · February 2016

Both of my boys were born small (6lbs and 7 lbs) but they chunk up outside the womb. It was right at 3 months when they jumped sizes and then they were always ahead on size compared to their age (6mos wearing 9mos). But they were boys and every baby is different. I'd go with buying two different sizes. Each brand also varies whether it runs small or large.

emma+karen · February 2016

DS has always been a little big, but I have a really hard time imagining any baby that would fit in 12 month size at 4 months! I'd go with 3-6 months, or wait and see how big she is when she's born.

camillaandcarson · February 2016

0-3 or 3-6 if my baby was 4 months based on my last baby.

sillyfox · February 2016

My LO was in 3-6 and 6-9 mos at 4 months. In fact, she was baptized at 4 months and wore a 12 month baptism gown. That said, I have friends from my last BMB who have 21 month olds still in 12 month clothes. It varies so widely, I would browse but not buy anything until your LO is maybe 2 months and you have a better idea? If at 2 months, he/she is still in newborn or 0-3 month then don't go bigger than say 3-6 months. But, if you give birth to a near toddler like I did (9 lbs at birth, and her size was almost always double her age until about 18 months) then maybe a larger size. Too hard to tell at this point since babies vary so much!

jessib899 · February 2016

All babies are different, but my niece wore a second-hand David's bridal flower girl dress, size 6 months, for her 6 month pictures and it fit perfectly. She was able to wear it a few months prior and it was a little loose, at four months. No offense to your mom, but I think a 12mo dress on any 4 month old would swallow her whole, chunky or not.

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