4 Quick Answers to the Question: But, what size do I get the baby?
Your friend is having a baby soon—you just got the virtual baby shower invitation! Yippee! You can buy baby clothes!
Or, wait—your workmate sitting behind the weekly zoom conference across the country was pregnant—and just had a baby!
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides birth rates by month; July through October tend to be the most popular birth months in the United States. August is the most popular month for birthdays.
So, your next question is--
“But, what size do I get?”
The average size baby is born 7.5 lbs and grows approximately 1.5 to 2 lbs each month, and 1 to 1 ½ inches in height each month. On average, baby clothes have 4 sizes, so here are 4 quick answers to your question:
- 0-3 months Chest: 10-12 inches Height: 15-19 inches Weight: 5–12 lbs
Size translation: Buy this size when you want to give the “wear from hospital to home” outfit! (Remember—the average size baby is born 7.5 lbs.)
- 3-6 months = Chest: 12-14 inches Height: 20-24 inches Weight: 12-17 lbs
Size translation: Buy this size when you want Mom and Dad to dress the babe up in your purchase for the new baby Instagram stories; and, for those fun refrigerator magnet baby pictures with Granny and Grandpa!
- 6-12 months = Chest: 14-16 inches Height: 25-28 inches Weight: 17-21 lbs
Size translation: Buy this baby romper size or baby hat when you cannot make the baby shower. The smart gift size, so you do not have to worry when “the Dad is tall “or “Mom always make big babies.” The babe will grow.
- 12-18 months = Chest: 16-18 inches Height: 29-31 inches Weight: 22-24 lbs
Size translation: Buy this size when you cannot remember when the baby was born—you don’t want to ask—you don’t want to scroll through the mom’s social media feed—doing math calculations in your head—balancing and spreading your phone screen while showing a fuzzy post to a random Starbucks barista at the drive-up window—how big do think this baby is?!
Or, you simply want to send a gift the child can grow in to. A 2T Toddler T-shirt is also a good option at this point.