Wondering which diaper size to choose for your little one? To help you make this important decision, Pampers worked with thousands of babies and their parents, taking nearly a half-million diaper-fit measurements to create just the right range of sizes for every family. We want to make it easier to find the perfect diaper for your growing baby, and our research resulted in a diaper size and weight chart to guide you in the right direction!
How Diaper Sizes Work
First, it helps to understand how diaper sizes work. A common question among parents is how to read a diaper size chart by age; however, age isn’t the ideal factor to consider. Instead, after taking hundreds of thousands of measurements, Pampers has organized diaper size by weight to help you select the right diaper. As you’re looking at the diaper size comparison chart below, keep in mind that your little one’s weight will be the most important factor.
We’ve also included information on our diaper size comparison chart to help answer two common questions:
Should you buy a specific number of diapers in each size? You might prefer to wait and see, as babies grow at different rates. But for general planning purposes, we've included the average number of diapers a baby uses for most sizes on our chart. How many diapers your baby needs per day may surprise you, whether you’re buying newborn diaper sizes or larger sizes.
How many months do babies need a specific diaper size? In addition to knowing how many diapers you’ll need, you might want to know how long your little one will wear each size. We’ve also included the average number of months babies typically wear each size. For example, many infants wear a newborn diaper size for about a month and a half.
Pampers Baby Diaper Size Chart by Weight
To sum up Pampers’ work with thousands of families, we’ve put together a simple diaper size chart (covering most sizes) that you can use as a quick guide to finding the best diaper size for your baby:
*Can vary by baby, age, and individual habits and practiceTo find a diaper size for your baby, look for your baby’s weight (which you can determine at home or obtain from your child’s healthcare provider at each well-baby visit). For example, a size 1 diaper’s weight range is for a baby who is between 8 and 14 pounds, whereas a size 2 diaper’s weight range is between 12 and 18 pounds.
Since these weight ranges can overlap in different diaper sizes, keep reading to learn more about how to find a good fit, when to size up diapers, and which Pampers diaper is best for your little one. Plus, pick up some tips on how to help prevent leaks and blowouts.
How to Weigh Your Baby
Pampers diaper sizes are determined by weight, and you may be wondering how to weigh your baby at home. You can use a standard bathroom scale and follow these basic steps to weigh your baby:
Take off your baby’s clothes and diaper, and then step on the scale while holding your little one.
Record the number.
Then, step back on the scale without your baby.
Subtract the second number from the first number to get your baby’s weight. Voilà!
Of course, your baby’s healthcare provider will also weigh and measure your baby at each checkup. Learn more about how your little one might grow and change in size with our baby growth calculator below!
related baby tool
Baby Growth Chart Calculator
Keep an eye on your baby’s average growth by tracking height, weight, and head circumference with our simple tool.
Babies come in all sizes and shapes, so diapers fit a little differently on every child. Pampers diaper sizes go by your baby’s weight—not age or gender—as weight is the most accurate way to determine the correct fit. Most of the time, your baby's weight will fall neatly within the range of a certain diaper size, producing a good fit. But in some cases, you might need to choose between two sizes, as the weight ranges can overlap.
For example, a size 4 diaper’s weight range is between 22 and 37 pounds, a size 5 diaper’s weight range is over 27 pounds, and a size 6 diaper’s weight range is above 35 pounds. There’s a lot of overlap there! Once you’ve selected a diaper size by your baby’s weight, then try these four quick checks to ensure a proper fit:
The diaper’s waistband should sit just under your baby’s belly button.
The leg cuffs shouldn’t have any gaps. After the diaper is on, run two fingers just inside the leg cuffs to remove any gaps, which can help prevent leaks.
After fastening the diaper, you should be able to fit two fingers under the waistband. This means the diaper fits correctly—not too snug, not too loose.
You shouldn’t see any red marks on your baby’s skin when you take the diaper off.
When to Size Up Diapers
Besides an increase in weight, there are additional signs that your baby might be ready for a larger diaper size. The following guidelines can help ensure your little one is wearing the correct diaper size:
If the fastening tapes don't reach the center of the waistband, it's time for a bigger size; if the tapes overlap, the diaper may be too big.
If you can't comfortably fit two fingers under the waistband of the fastened diaper, it's time for a bigger size.
You may need to go up a size if you notice red marks on your baby's tummy or thighs when you remove the diaper.
If the diaper isn't fully covering your baby's bottom, choose a bigger size.
If your baby regularly gets diaper rash, it may be because the diaper is too small and doesn’t keep the moisture away from their skin.
The diaper may be too small if your baby shows signs of distress (for example, pulling at the diaper).
Test your knowledge and pick up even more tips on how to choose the correct Pampers diaper size with our quiz below!
Which Pampers Diaper Is Best for My Baby?
Diaper needs will change as your baby grows, becomes more active, and approaches different development milestones. Pampers offers a full lineup of diapers and pants to support your little one at every age and stage of development.
Here are some things to consider when choosing which Pampers product to buy:
For Newborns
As newborns have very delicate skin (and need gentle materials and appropriate skin care), look for a diaper that's
very soft
super absorbent to keep your baby's skin dry
designed so it doesn't rub against the umbilical cord stump
easy to put on and fasten.
You’ll find newborn diaper sizes in Pampers Swaddlers, Pampers Pure Protection, Pampers Baby-Dry, and Pampers Pure Protection Hybrid.
For Growing Babies
Dryness will be your biggest focus when your little one is around 6 to 12 months old, and choosing the correct fit is key to preventing leaks as you transition diaper sizes. For growing babies, choose a diaper that’s
super absorbent to keep your baby’s skin dry
designed to move with your baby
easy to put on and take off.
At this stage, consider Pampers Baby-Dry, Pampers Cruisers, or Pampers Cruisers 360°, which all come in diaper sizes 3 to 6 (and size 7 for Pampers Cruisers and Pampers Cruisers 360°).
For On-the-Go Babies
When your little one is wiggling or crawling, beginning to walk, or running with ease, you’ll need something that you can change in a hurry. So, with active babies, consider diapers or pants that are
easy to take off quickly
move with your baby as they play, run, and crawl around
extra absorbent and keep your baby’s skin dry.
For example, you might like Pampers Cruisers 360° or Pampers Easy Ups.
For Overnight Protection and Swimming Convenience
Although all Pampers diapers and pants are designed with optimal absorption and leak protection, the following are best for swimming and overnight protection.
Pampers Swaddlers Overnights offer extra absorption, breathability, and softness for a comfortable snooze.
Pampers Splashers are highly absorbent without swelling, so the fit and feel don’t change when your little one is playing in the water.
This chart summarizes available sizes for each product (and includes swim diaper sizes, too) to help you select the right Pampers diapers or pants:
Why the Right Size Matters
When your baby wears the correct diaper size, good things happen! A well-fitting diaper in the right size will be more comfortable for your baby and can help prevent leaks and blowouts from occurring.
Here's what could happen if your little one isn’t wearing the correct diaper size:
If a diaper is too small, it can leak because there isn’t enough absorbency for the volume of baby poop or pee. The diaper can’t properly do its job, and moisture can irritate your baby’s skin.
If the leg cuffs don’t fit properly or are tucked inside the diaper, pee can leak out the sides.
If a diaper is too big, baby pee and poop may leak out of the gaps before the diaper can absorb it, leading to skin irritation.
By choosing the correct diaper size, you’re helping your baby stay dry, comfortable, healthy, and clean.
The Bottom Line
Once you find the best fit for your little one using our diaper size chart and know how to change a diaper like a pro, selecting the right fit will be a breeze. Your baby will be comfier, and you'll feel confident that your little one will have fewer problems with leaks or blowouts. Still, accidents happen, so stay well-stocked with our diaper bag checklist to prepare for all situations.
Don’t forget to reward yourself for all those diaper changes with the Pampers Club app, which offers perks for all purchases of diapers and baby wipes.
Babies come in all sizes and shapes, so diapers fit a little differently on every child. Pampers diaper sizes go by your baby's weight—not age or gender—as weight is the most accurate way to determine the correct fit.
Babies come in all sizes and shapes, so diapers fit a little differently on every child. Pampers diaper sizes go by your baby's weight—not age or gender—as weight is the most accurate way to determine the correct fit.
The Pampers newborn size offers a fit for infants who weigh less than 10 pounds at birth but don't require premature sizing. Size 1 diapers. These diapers are designed for babies weighing between 8 and 14 pounds.
As a rough guide, most babies fit into size 2 between the ages of 2 and 6 months, with some progressing into size 3 as early as 3 months old. In terms of how many size 2 nappies you need, you can expect your little one will go through approximately 8 nappies per day.
In many cases blowouts happen because of the wrong size diaper or diapers that aren't fully snug on the baby. It can be hard to ensure a good diaper fit when changing a wriggly baby! Diaper blowouts will happen, so always carry a spare change of clothes for your baby.
If you notice excessive gapping at the legs and waist, the diaper may be too large for your baby. Let your baby gain another pound or two and then try again.
As a rule of thumb, babies reportedly tend to stay in size 3 for the longest period of time — about six months by some estimates. Assuming six or seven diaper changes per day, this could mean you might need anywhere between 1,000 to 12,000 size-3 diapers before moving on.
Experts recommend that you change your newborn's diaper every two to three hours, or as often as needed. Why? Your little one may urinate as often as every one to three hours, and have between two and five bowel movements a day.
“Most newborns won't fit into a one-size cloth diaper even if they're born at 8 pounds, since newborn legs are so tiny,” Duffy adds. “Usually, a baby won't fit into a one-size cloth diaper until they are about 2 to 3 months old or about 10 pounds.”
Size 1 (8 -14 pounds): Most babies need size 1 diapers until 4 months of age, and they'll soil about 8-10 diapers each day. Therefore parents can plan to buy around three to four boxes, based on 164 diapers per box.
Average-size baby boys usually move into Size 1 diapers around four weeks old and Size 2 diapers at about three to four months. Average-size baby girls reach the same milestones later, transitioning into Size 1 diapers around six weeks and Size 2 diapers between four or five months.
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.
It's easy to overlook, but the leg cuffs, or ruffles on the edge of the diaper should be pulled out. Make sure to run your finger around these edges to make sure they are pulled out. This helps lock everything in, so there isn't leakage.
They should fasten easily without having to tug them too much. If the tabs meet or overlap in the middle with no problem, the diaper might be too big. On the other hand, if you have to pull to fasten them and they're tight, the diaper is probably too small.
Huggies diapers have a higher leak rate than competing brands, despite being built with more absorbent material. Pampers diapers are more absorbent and successfully stop leaks.
The most common cause of leakage is fitting your baby with the wrong diaper size. So start by checking if the diaper size is right for your baby. Note also that the amount of pee increases as your baby grows. By the time your baby is 12 months old, the amount of pee discharged in a day will be twice that of a newborn.
Diaper companies know this, so larger sizes are designed to hold more urine. By sizing up your diaper, you're basically increasing your absorbency. For example, a Huggies Size 6 diaper holds 7 to 13 more ounces than their Size 5 diaper.
Designed to keep your baby dry for up to 12 hours, overnight diapers are extra absorbent, often with around 20 to 25 percent more capacity than regular diapers.
No, you don't have to change baby's diaper every time they pee. Most disposable diapers tend to have moisture-wicking technology, so it takes more moisture than just one pee to get to baby. However, if you're using cloth diapers, or other reusable diapers, it's best to change the diaper every time baby pees.
To help the baby maintain good hygiene, parents should always change diapers every time they get wet. Check the diaper surface on the interior of the diaper periodically to determine whether it is completely dry to the touch. If it starts to feel wet, the diaper should be changed immediately.
If your baby is sleeping, you do not need to change their diaper. A dirty diaper isn't bothering them, so it shouldn't bother you either! If your baby wakes overnight, whether it be to eat or just a typical overnight waking, try to limit stimulation and skip a diaper change when possible.
Some diapers have sizing indicator images in the front of the diaper to show when it's time to size up again. Once that image beneath the fastened ”tabs” starts to show, it might be time to size up. If the two tabs are meeting in the middle of the diaper, the diaper is most likely too big.
If you don't have the proof of purchase (examples include receipts, digital barcodes, packing slips), you may receive a refund in the form of a merchandise return card. When returning an item purchased from a Target Plus™ Partner, you must provide the proof of purchase.
During the first few days of life, breastfed newborns have about 3 wet diapers a day. After that, they have 6 or more wet diapers a day throughout the first month of life.
Babies tend to gain weight fast and then slow down. In the first few months, babies gain about 1 ounce (28 grams) a day. That slows at around 4 months to about 20 grams a day. As they turn 6 months old, many babies are gaining about 10 grams or less a day.
Most children will complete toilet training and be ready to stop using diapers between 18 and 30 months of age,1 but this certainly isn't the case for all kids. Some children are not fully out of diapers until after the age of 4.
It can be confusing to determine the difference between Newborn and 0-3 month clothes, but typically Newborn sizes cover babies in the 5-8 pound range while the 0-3 month sizes fit 8-12 pound children.
Regardless of the kind of diapers you use (reusables or disposables), it should be every 3 hours (more or less). This means 6 or 7 diapers a day which is average for a bigger baby, newborns might need slightly more (before their digestion fully develops at approx. 2 months, newborns usually poop after every feeding).
Wearing diapers that are fastened too tightly can trap moisture, which can cause diaper rash. Diapers that are too tight may also cause rubbing and irritation.
If you can't comfortably fit two fingers under the waistband of the fastened diaper, it's time for a bigger size. You may need to go up a size if you notice red marks on your baby's tummy or thighs when you remove the diaper. If the diaper isn't fully covering your baby's bottom, choose a bigger size.
Here's the general month-by-month breakdown of how many diapers your baby will need: Babies 2 to 4 months old: Up to 10 diapers a day (or 300 a month) Babies 5 to 8 months old: Up to 9 diapers a day (or 270 a month) Babies 9 to 12 months old: Up to 7 diapers a day (or 210 a month)
So, how many wet diapers might your 3-month-old produce per day? In general, you'll know they're feeding well when they produce around six wet diapers per day.
Babies between 1 and 5 months old typically go through 8 to 10 diapers per day. Note that if your baby is exclusively being breastfed, she may have more soiled diapers compared to a baby who is on formula since breast milk is easy to digest and typically results in more frequent bowel movements.
The average weight of a 2-month-old baby is 11.3 pounds for girls and 12.3 pound for boys. Length (aka height) averages are 22.5 inches for girls and 23 inches for boys, according to the World Health Organization.
The average weight of a 2-month-old baby girl is 11.3 pounds; the average baby boy at 2 months weighs in at 12.3 pounds. Height averages are 22.5 inches for girls and 23 inches for boys.
At about 2 months of age, babies usually take 4 to 5 ounces per feeding every 3 to 4 hours. At 4 months, babies usually take 4 to 6 ounces per feeding. At 6 months, babies may be taking up to 8 ounces every 4 to 5 hours.
Newborns generally sleep for two to three hours before waking to eat, day and night. As they get older, babies are usually able to sleep for increasingly longer stretches of time at night without waking to eat. Between the age of 2 to 3 months old, healthy babies are often able to sleep for six hours without feeding.
Typically, a baby's weight doubles within their first 4 to 6 months of life and triples in their first year. For instance, a baby born weighing six pounds would typically weigh about 12 pounds by the time they were 6 months old and about 18 pounds by the time they turned 1. Slow weight gain is not always a concern.
At What Age Should You Switch From Diapers to Pull-Ups? Most parents switch to pull-ups for potty training at between 2 and 3 years old on average. Some never use them at all. If you want to switch to an elastic waist sooner, diaper pants are great for babies over six months old.
Most babies will start in the Newborn size (which also has a cut-out in the front for the umbilical cord) then ultimately spend the majority of their diapering days in size 4, the most popular size on the market.
As babies get older, their bladder size increases and they can hold more pee. Diaper companies know this, so larger sizes are designed to hold more urine. By sizing up your diaper, you're basically increasing your absorbency. For example, a Huggies Size 6 diaper holds 7 to 13 more ounces than their Size 5 diaper.
Here's the general month-by-month breakdown of how many diapers your baby will need: Babies 2 to 4 months old: Up to 10 diapers a day (or 300 a month) Babies 5 to 8 months old: Up to 9 diapers a day (or 270 a month) Babies 9 to 12 months old: Up to 7 diapers a day (or 210 a month)
3-month-olds will generally drink 4 to 6 ounces of formula around every four hours. That adds up to 24 to 32 ounces of formula in around six feedings total in a 24-hour period. 4-month-olds will often drink 5 to 7 ounces of formula every four to five hours.
At this stage, your baby will start to move away from a steady gain of about 6 ounces per week to a little less than 4 ounces. This means that she will gain roughly 2 pounds this month, and every month following until seven months old. Baby Should Eat: Breast milk or formula.
Introduction: My name is Neely Ledner, I am a bright, determined, beautiful, adventurous, adventurous, spotless, calm person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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