Knowing when to go up a size in diapers can be hard, especially when the box guidelines aren’t always perfect. If you’re wondering if you need a bigger diaper for your baby, check out these sure-fire tips to help you decide!
Ahh, diapers – the bane of every new parent’s wallet. (Even if the pretty printed diapers are 10x cuter!) While obviously a necessity and a blessing at keeping mess at bay, they can be frustrating. Knowing when to size up can feel like you need a degree to figure it out sometimes.
6 Signs for When To Go Up a Size in Diapers
But never fear – we’ve compiled some signs to know when you should size up and what to look for when sizing up to help make it easy.
Leaks.
This is the number one sign you need to go up a size in diapers. There are leaks because either it’s not fitting right or the size cannot handle the amount of pee or poop the baby is now making. This causes a diaper explosion or icky leak.
I find this usually happens during night diaper changes first, so try to size up at night. Then use up the rest of the diapers in that size during the day. It also might help with longer stretches of sleep!
Your baby is on the edge of the weight chart.
Check the recommended weight range for the specific brand, style, and size you are currently using.
If you’re on the edge of the range, try to size up. Brands tend to overlap the weights for sizing, so chances are if you’re at the end of one, you’re also at the beginning of another size.
She went up in clothes size.
If your baby went up a size in clothes, especially in the newborn – 6 months period, check to see if she needs a new size in diapers. Babies go from size newborn – 2 pretty quickly and it can coincide with the diaper sizes.
Red marks or rashes.
If the diaper is too small, it may chafe and cause a rash. It also might cause red marks from being too tight.
Pulling at the sides.
If the diaper begins riding up her hips or bunching at the hips, this is a sign that the diaper is too small, It should fit straight across her hips without pulling upwards in a bikini underwear-esque way.
Tabs aren’t working.
If the tabs do not reach the mid section of the front of the diaper, it’s too small. Similarly, if any of the elastic from the tabs is exposed to the skin, the diaper is too small.
**We also need to remember that different brands and styles fit differently. So if you’re not brand loyal, there’s a chance you’d need to go up a size in one brand before you go up in another.
How to know your baby’s diaper size:
Check the sizing on the box!
This is a great place to start when choosing a diaper size. It’s an average for and intended for the average baby, so it’s not perfect, but a great start.
Compare to your baby’s size and age.
If you baby is large or small for his age, he might need a larger/smaller diaper. This is especially true if you have a smaller size baby who is older. Their bladder can hold more, so they need a larger/more absorbent diaper.
Experiment!
Try different brands and cuts. What works for one baby might not work for another!
How to determine diaper sizes by age
While it’s not perfect, you can get a general feel for when you’ll be upping a size by a baby’s age. Of course, this will cary by baby and by brand/style od diaper, but generally this is what you can expect.
- Newborn – Small/average newborns.
- Size 1 – Larger newborns, up to 3 months old.
- Size 2 – 2 to 6 months old.
- Size 3 – 5 months to 2 years old.
How to choose diaper sizes by weight
Again, choosing solely based on weight isn’t fool proof, but it’s a great starting point. Of course, this will Vary by baby and by brand/style of diaper, but generally this is what you can expect.These sizes will also vary by brand, but this is a good average of sizes across brands.
- Newborn – 6 – 10 lbs
- Size 1 – 8 – 14 lbs
- Size 2 – 13 – 28 lbs
- Size 3 – 22 – 36 lbs
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