Baby measuring chart
Baby weight and height tracker growth chart
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Date of measurement
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Weight
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Height
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Head circumference
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By Rebekah Wahlberg
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June 21, 2022
Our growth percentile calculator shows how your baby's size compares with other boys or girls the same age. Just enter your child's weight, height (aka length), and head circumference, and we'll calculate a percentile for each. The number reflects what percentage of kids is larger or smaller than your baby. So if your 3-month-old baby is in the 40th percentile for weight, that means 40 percent of 3-month-old babies weigh less than your baby, and 60 percent weigh more.
Using our baby growth chart
When your baby is first born, you'll have several visits at your pediatrician's office to make sure your baby's growth is on track. Your pediatrician will plot your baby's weight, height, and head circumference on a growth chart.
Don't be concerned if your baby doesn't fall right in the middle of the growth chart, though. There's a wide range of normal, and your baby's measurements now don't necessarily reflect what size they'll be as an adult. It's normal for some children to be in the 10th percentile for weight, while other children are in the 90th percentile. The most important thing is that your baby is growing at a healthy and consistent rate, no matter what percentile they're in.
Our growth percentile calculator is a general educational tool only. It's not the last word on how your child is growing, and it's not a substitute for having a healthcare provider monitor your child's growth at regularly scheduled exams. At these visits, your provider will determine whether your child is following a healthy growth pattern over time.
This tool is for children under age 2 and is based on World Health Organization data for kids in that age group. And if you'd like, you can find out how tall your older child is likely to be with our Child Height Predictor.
Read on to learn more about the measurements healthcare professionals take, and learn how to measure your baby at home.
Baby weight
If you want to see how your baby is growing between doctor visits, here's how to get a fairly accurate weight at home:
- Undress your baby completely (remove their diaper, too) and step on a scale while you're holding them. Record that weight.
- Then, set your baby down and weigh yourself. Subtract your own weight from your combined weight with your baby and record that number.
- This isn't as accurate as weighing your baby at the doctor's office, but it's a good estimate of how much your baby weighs.
- If you're worried about your baby's weight gain, call your baby's pediatrician. They may have you come in for a visit, since it's important to have your baby weighed on a consistent scale that can accurately measure weight in pounds and ounces.
Baby height
Before your baby can stand and walk on their own, their height is often recorded as their "length" – that is, how long they are from the crown of their head to the bottom of their heel while lying down. If you want to measure your baby's length at home between doctor visits, here's how:
- Lay your baby down on a flat surface and stretch a measuring tape from the top of their head to the bottom of their heel. Since babies' knees naturally bend a bit, you may need a second person to stretch out their legs while you take the measurement.
- Record their length to the nearest tenth of a centimeter or inch.
(In the hospital, birth length is often recorded in centimeters, but your pediatrician's office will likely record their length in inches. What you do is up to you!) Your record might be a little different than the doctor's, but that's okay.
Baby head circumference
Your baby's healthcare provider will measure their head circumference for the first two years of their life to make sure your baby's brain is growing at a healthy rate.
You can measure your baby's head circumference at home, but it can be hard to do this accurately. Here's how to get a good estimate:
- Wrap a flexible measuring tape around the widest part of your baby's head, just above the eyebrows and ears and around the back where their head slopes out from their neck.
- Take the measurement three times (your baby may be wiggly, which could make getting an accurate measurement tough) and use the largest measurement to the nearest 0.1 centimeter.
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Baby growth charts: Percentiles, reading a growth chart, and more
Baby growth charts track your child's growth over time and compare it to that of similar babies. Growth charts can show you how your baby's growing and alert your doctor if there's a potential problem. It's easy to get caught up in growth chart percentiles and how your baby measures up, but keep in mind that there's a wide range of normal. Also, what you see on your baby's growth chart now doesn't predict their size as an adult.
What is a baby growth chart?
A baby growth chart is a tool that your baby's doctor will use to track their growth over time and compare it to other babies the same age and sex. Growth charts were developed using measurements from thousands of children.
At every doctor visit, your baby's healthcare provider will measure:
- Your baby's weight
- Your baby's height/length (measured lying down)
- Your baby's head circumference (measured around the head above the eyebrows)
The doctor will plot these measurements on the growth chart and show it to you. Depending on where the measurements fall on the chart, you can see how your baby's growth compares to that of similar babies.
Your baby's growth chart can give you a general picture of how they're developing physically, and their doctor will use it to determine whether your baby is growing in a healthy way.
But try not to get too hung up on your baby's growth chart – it's not the last word on how your baby is doing. There's a wide range of normal, and your baby's measurements don't mean they'll be short or tall, or fat or skinny, as an adult. The most important thing is that your baby is growing at a steady, appropriate rate over time.
Note: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that doctors use the charts from the World Health Organization (WHO) for the first 24 months of a child's life. After age 2, doctors typically use the CDC's growth charts, which are similar but based on different data.
The charts from both organizations show length in inches and centimeters as well as weight in pounds and kilograms. Both charts also use percentiles, which compare averages of children broken down by age.
How do growth chart percentiles work?
This is easiest to explain by example. If your 3-month-old daughter is in the 40th percentile for weight, that means 40 percent of 3-month-old girls weigh less than your baby, and 60 percent weigh more.
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The higher the percentile number, the bigger your baby is compared to other babies the same age. If your baby is in the 50th percentile, that means they fall right in the middle of the pack.
To chart your baby's growth at home, try our growth percentile calculator.
Percentiles in a growth chart aren't like grades in school. A higher percentile isn't better, and a lower percentile doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your baby.
Let's say both parents are shorter than average, and your baby grows up to have the same stature. It would be perfectly normal for them to rank consistently in the 10th percentile for height and weight as they grow up.
What's important to remember is that your doctor is watching how your baby grows, not just how much.
Babies tend to go through rapid growth spurts, during which they might put on a little extra weight or length. Other months they may grow only a fraction of what they normally do. Your child's doctor notes individual peaks and valleys, but they'll be more focused on the overall pattern of growth.
Should I worry about my baby's growth?
It could be cause for concern if your baby's percentile changes significantly. For example, if they're consistently been around the 50th percentile for weight and then suddenly drops into the 15th, your baby's doctor will want to figure out why. There could be a medical reason for the change that needs further evaluation.
A minor illness or a change in your baby's eating patterns might result in a smaller drop, in which case the doctor may just follow your baby's growth more closely for a while.
If your baby hasn't been sick but their weight gain is slowing down while they're still growing in length, your child's doctor may suggest increasing the number of feedings. You may have to go in for more frequent visits to make sure that your baby starts gaining weight again.
There are times when gaining or losing faster than usual is a good thing. If your baby was underweight, for example, it may be a good sign that they're gaining ounces faster than growing inches.
Also, being at one end of the growth spectrum isn't always a reason to worry. For example, if your baby is very short and both parents are relatively short, then it may be perfectly appropriate for them to be in the lowest 5 percent.
But if your baby is very short and both parents are average height or taller, or if your baby is very slender and both parents are average weight or larger, then the doctor will make sure that there's no problem with the baby's growth (like a hormone deficiency or genetic problem).
Also, if your baby is in the top 5 percent for weight, the doctor will keep an eye on their growth – and possibly counsel you about their feedings – to make sure they aren't at risk for obesity.
If your baby's head measurement is much smaller than average, the doctor will make sure that their brain is growing and developing normally (a baby's brain growth is reflected in the size of their skull). If your baby's head circumference is much larger than average, they'll be further evaluated to make sure that they don't have excess fluid in the brain, a condition called hydrocephalus.
How much does birth weight determine future growth?
Birth weight seems to matter less than you might think. Genes, not newborn weight, generally determine adult size. Petite babies sometimes grow to be strapping adults, and large babies can become slender over the years.
A baby's parents are the best indicator – are you and your partner tall, short, or average? Slender, heavy, or medium? Chances are, your child will be similarly built as an adult.
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Sizes of children's clothing by age, table of Russian and European sizes
Dimensional grid of children's clothing: Russia, Europe, China, USA
age | child's height in cm | dimensions | |||
Russia | Europe | China | USA | ||
0 - 1 month | 44 - 51 | 18 | 50 | 0 | newborn |
2 months | 52 - 57 | 18 | 56 | 0 | 0 - 3 |
3 months | 58 - 62 | 20 | 62 | 3 | 0 - 3 |
3 - 6 months | 63 - 67 | 22 | 68 | 3 - 6 | 3 - 6 |
6 - 9 months | 68 - 74 | 22 | 74 | 6 - 12 | 6 - 9 |
1 year | 75 - 80 | 24 | 80 | 12 | 12 |
1.![]() | 81 - 86 | 24 | 86 | 18 | 18 |
2 years | 87 - 92 | 26 | 92 | 24 | 2t |
3 years | 93 - 98 | 26 | 98 | 3 | 3t |
4 years | 99 - 104 | 28 | 104 | 4 | 4t |
5 years | 105 - 110 | 28 | 110 | 5 | 5 |
6 years | 111 - 116 | thirty | 116 | 6 | 6 |
7 years | 117 - 122 | thirty | 122 | 7 | 6x |
8 years | 123 - 128 | 32 | 128 | 8 | 7 |
9 years | 129 - 134 | 32 | 134 | 9 | 7 |
10 years | 135 - 140 | 34 | 140 | 10 | 8 |
11 years | 141 - 146 | 36 | 146 | eleven | 10 |
12 years | 147 - 152 | 38 | 152 | 12 | 12 |
The table will not help if you do not know three simple rules. We will tell you about them so that you can choose the right size for children's clothing by age:
- As a rule, regular seasonal sales are held in online stores, allowing parents to save money on clothes for children. But what if different manufacturers have a different size chart, which radically differs from the Russian one? In such situations, it is necessary not to take risks and not buy a “pig in a poke”, but to transfer the size range, for example, US to Russian, according to our table.
- You should not choose clothes according to age, since European age parameters most often do not coincide with Russian ones. Therefore, it is best to focus on the individual parameters of the child: chest, head, hips, height, step, and so on. Generally, Russian height 116cm can match Jewish height 110cm or 120cm.
- The sizes of children's clothing up to a year are best chosen for growth, as in the first 3 months they gain weight quickly and grow. After 2 years, this process is a little slower, therefore, it will be possible to buy clothes that fit in size.
Metric size chart
age | weight in kg. | height in cm | breast volume | hips | Waist | the length of the sleeve | crotch | Russia size |
1 month | 3 - 4 | 50 | 41 - 43 | 41 - 43 | 41 - 43 | 14 | 16 | 18 |
2 months | 3 - 4 | 56 | 43 - 45 | 43 - 45 | 43 - 45 | 16 | 18 | 18 |
3 months | 4 - 5 | 62 | 45 - 47 | 45 - 47 | 45 - 47 | 19 | 20 | 20 |
3 - 6 months | 5 - 7 | 68 | 47 - 49 | 47 - 49 | 46 - 48 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
6 - 9months | 7 - 9 | 74 | 49 - 51 | 49 - 51 | 47 - 49 | 23 | 24 | 22 |
1 year | 9 - 11 | 80 | 51 - 53 | 51 - 53 | 48 - 50 | 26 | 27 | 24 |
1.![]() | 11 - 12 | 86 | 52 - 54 | 52 - 54 | 49 - 51 | 28 | 31 | 24 |
2 years | 12 - 13.5 | 92 | 53 - 55 | 53 - 56 | 50 - 52 | 31 | 35 | 26 |
3 years | 13.5 - 15 | 98 | 54 - 56 | 55 - 58 | 51 - 53 | 33 | 39 | 26 |
4 years | 15 - 18 | 104 | 55 - 57 | 57 - 60 | 52 - 54 | 36 | 42 | 28 |
5 years | 19- 21 | 110 | 56 - 58 | 59 - 62 | 53 - 55 | 38 | 46 | 28 |
6 years | 22 - 25 | 116 | 57 - 59 | 61 - 64 | 54 - 56 | 41 | 50 | thirty |
7 years | 25 - 28 | 122 | 58 - 62 | 63 - 67 | 55 - 58 | 43 | 54 | thirty |
8 years | 29 - 32 | 128 | 61 - 65 | 66 - 70 | 57 - 59 | 46 | 58 | 32 |
9 years | 31 - 33 | 134 | 54 - 68 | 69 - 73 | 58 - 61 | 48 | 61 | 32 |
10 years | 32 - 35 | 140 | 67 - 71 | 72 - 76 | 60 - 62 | 51 | 64 | 34 |
11 years | 33 - 36 | 146 | 70 - 74 | 75 - 80 | 61 - 64 | 53 | 67 | 36 |
12 years | 35 - 38 | 152 | 75 | 82 | 65 | 55 | 70 | 38 |
In order to choose the right size for children's clothing, you should know the child's parameters, such as:
- waist;
- hips;
- bust;
- step;
- sleeve length;
- neck girth;
- wrist circumference.
When choosing clothes for your child, pay attention not only to the table, but also to the fabric of the product. Sometimes, the chosen clothes can stretch over time and become very large for the baby. Or vice versa, after washing it can sit down and become very small. During a hot period of time, it is best to buy clothes made from natural fabrics for children in which the child will not sweat.
In winter, it is better to purchase clothes that are floor-length or one size larger so that you can wear something else. This applies to pants and sweatshirts.
Many manufacturers advise buying clothes made of linen, but for some children, it can be "prickly". Therefore, before you buy it in an online store, it is advisable to check its compatibility in advance.
How to take your child's measurements correctly
- Be sure to measure your child's height before looking in the age column, even if you have recently measured it. Children grow up quickly, so this must be taken into account.
- Bust circumference should also be measured with a measuring tape.
- When taking measurements from the hips and waist with a measuring tape, it is important that your baby does not pull in the stomach.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that hosiery, as well as underwear, is not subject to age in any store. Therefore, it is important that you, as a parent, choose them correctly so that you do not regret your purchase later. For example, it is best to choose tights according to the step, and not the overall height of the child, as there are tights with a low fit, so they can be either small or large for the child.
Socks, of course, must be chosen according to the size of the foot, as a rule, the child's foot grows annually by 1-2 centimeters.
Thus, we can conclude that when choosing clothes for a child, one should not rely only on the size range and age figures of the manufacturer. It is necessary to select clothes for the baby, according to his preferences, the quality of materials and their tailoring and individual sizes.
Keep in mind that manufacturers' sizes may not match the baby sizes in our charts. Therefore, it is best to rely on the parameters of the child.
Newborn sizes
age "month" | Height | Bust | Russia sizes | Europe sizes |
0-2 | 56 | 36 | 18 | 56 |
3 | 58 | 38 | 18 | 58 |
4 | 62 | 40 | 20 | 62 |
6 | 68 | 44 | 20 | 68 |
9 | 74 | 44 | 22 | 74 |
12 | 80 | 48 | 24 | 80 |
Sizes of children's socks
Sock size | Foot length cm | Age |
6-8 | 6-8 | up to 3 months |
8-10 | 8-10 | up to 6 months |
10-12 | 10-12 | up to 1 year |
12-14 | 12-14 | 1-2 years |
14-16 | 14-16 | 3-4 years |
16-18 | 16-18 | 4-5 years |
18-20 | 18-20 | 5-7 years |
20-22 | 20-22 | 7-9 years old |
22-24 | 22-24 | 10-12 years old |
Confused? Quick jump to the table of contents of interest.
- main size chart
- Metric table
- how to properly measure a child
- clothing sizes for newborns
- sizes of children's socks
Despite the fact that it is very difficult to predict the growth of the baby in advance, it is best to purchase things well in advance of the birth. Starting from the 30th week, the baby will grow rapidly, so it is extremely difficult to choose clothing sizes for newborns with maximum accuracy. We have compiled baby size charts to help you. The size chart for children by age includes detailed data that is easy to figure out on your own. However, if you have any questions, it is best to contact our consultants, and they will be happy to resolve your difficulties. Table of clothing sizes for children from 0 to 1 year old
Size range for children from 1 to 3 years old
Size chart for children aged 3 to 6
Most toddlers are born around 50-56 cm tall, so 56 can be considered the standard size. Boys, as a rule, are somewhat larger than girls, besides, a baby can grow up to 25 cm in a year, so these details are also very important to consider. If you are afraid not to guess with the size range, then use our advice:It is important that the baby at the beginning of his life cannot regulate his body temperature on his own. Only over time, this skill of the body will develop, therefore, in the first period after birth, the size of clothes for a newborn child directly affects his condition. If you make a mistake in the dimensional grid of clothes for children and tightly wrap the baby, then this will negatively affect his condition. At the same time, things that are too big will help keep warm air, and in summer it is very dangerous. Therefore, when choosing things for your little one, do not forget to navigate by month. The size chart for clothes for newborns should make it easier for you to choose a wardrobe, because. |