6-9 vs 9-12 vs 6-12 Month Baby Clothes

folded pile of 9-mo old baby clothes

As a parent one of the hardest things is trying to find the right clothes for your baby. It’s just so easy to buy pants and tops which don’t fit properly as your infant can’t really try them out in the store! To make things even harder, every retailer has its own measurements for every baby and toddler size.

In this article let’s take a look in detail at the differences between 6-9 month and 9-12 month baby sizes. Why are there 6-12 and 9-12 month sizes? When should you switch? What are the exact measurements in various retailers?

What size is 6-9 in baby clothes?

This size generally fits babies who are between 6 and 9 months old. However your baby may be ready for this size when they’re younger than this, or they may still use it when they’re older than 9 months. In general this size is for babies who are around 26-28” long and who weigh between 17-20lbs.

Is 6 months the same as 6-9 months?

No. You should think of 6-9 month clothing as items which fit up to the age of 9 months. If you see the label ‘6 months’ on some clothing it really means it’s a 3-6 month size.

What age do babies wear 6-9 month clothing?

All babies are different sizes but on average if your baby is in the 50th percentile for height and weight, they should be fine wearing this size when they are between 6-9 months. However, maybe your baby is long with a slim waist, or maybe they are big for their age. It’s possible your infant could wear this size when they are 4 months old, or they could still be using 6-9 month clothing when they’re around 12 months. Just make sure the clothing isn’t too tight. If anything you want some clothes which are a little loose so your baby can wear them for longer.

What size does a 9 month old wear?

Again it depends on the shape and size of your baby. On average, at this age you’ll probably want to start looking at 9-12 month clothing as they will be at the top end of the 6-9 month size. But if 6-9 month still fits them well with room to spare, keep it for longer.

What is the average weight and height of a 9 month old?

A baby boy in the 50th percentile will be just under 20lbs and around 28” in height at 9 months of age. A girl will be around 18lbs and 27.5” long.

Source: Average Baby Weight and Length During the First Year (verywellfamily.com)

How does this size compare in different stores?

Here is the 6-9 month (or 9 month) baby size in various retailers.

  • Target: 26-28” and 16-20lbs
  • Carters: 27-28.5” and 17-21lbs (they just have 9 months as a label, not 6-9 months)
  • Walmart: 26.5-27.5” and 16.5-19”
  • Nordstrom: 27.5-29” and 19-22lbs (only 9 month label on their clothing)
  • GAP: 27-28” and 17-19lbs.
  • Janie and Jack: 25-27” and 17-19.5lbs

Nordstrom looks a good choice if your baby is little longer and heavier than average, but Walmart seem to cater for smaller babies.

What size is 6-9 months in other countries?

Like the USA, in the UK this clothing size will either have the label 6-9 months or just 9 months. In Europe, they do things a little differently so you’ll need to know your centimetres! They use 63-74cm (or just 74cm) for 6-9 month old babies.

What size is 9-12 in baby clothes?

Size 9-12 months is the final size of clothing in a baby’s first year. It is for infants who are between 28 to 30” in height and around 20-24lbs in weight. This label is used in the US, but you can also find it in the UK as well. In Europe this size equates to 74-80cm.

Is 9-12 months the same as 12 months?

Yes, you can think of 12 months and 9-12 months as the same size. The best way to understand it is to consider 9-12 months as up to the age of 12 months. However, the 12 month label is more widely used than 9-12 months anyway, which helps avoid any confusion.

What size does a 12 month wear?

It depends on the size of your baby. At this age, if your baby is in the 50th percentile for height and weight, they should still be ok in most 12 month (or 9-12 month) clothing. However, if they are fairly big for their age, you will likely need the next size up, which is 18 months (or 12-18 months).

Our son is almost 18 months and he’s right at the top for height and weight for his age (he’s an eating machine). He started wearing some 18 month clothing when he was around 12 months old!

What is size 9-12 in various retailers?

Here are some of the differences between retailers in the 9-12 month sizes.

  • Target: 28-30” and 20-24lbs
  • Carters: 28.5-30” and 21-25lbs (NB – they just have 12 months as a label, not 9-12 months)
  • Walmart: 28-29.5” and 19.5-22” (NB – they also just have 12 months as label)
  • Nordstrom: 29.5-30.5” and 23-25lbs (only 12 month label)
  • GAP: No 9-12 month size (they use 6-12 months).
  • Janie and Jack: No 9-12 month size (they use 6-12 months).

You can see that some use the 9-12 month size and others just use 6-12. This makes things a little confusing, but the best bet is stick to just one or two stores once you know you have some items that fit well on your baby. You can see Nordstrom cater for slightly larger babies for their age, especially compared to Walmart which looks a good bet if your baby is fairly small.

How big is an average 12 month old baby?

At the end of a baby’s first year, you can expect an average sized boy to be just under 30” in length with a weight of around 21lbs. A baby girl will be about 19.5lbs and 29” in length.

Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/first-year-infant-growth-431721

What is size 6-12 months?

In general, this size can be used for babies up to 12 months old, just like 9-12 months. However, you’re going to get a bigger height and weight range so your infant can use them for longer. In general this size is for babies between 26-30” in height and 17-24” in weight. However, the height and weight measurements can vary quite a bit between various stores, more so than other baby sizes (like 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12 months).

Why do some retailers stock 6-12 months instead of 9-12 months?

It’s just how some stores sort out their range of baby clothing. There’s no strict rule on what retailers can do for their baby and toddler sizes. Obviously you will get more use out of a 6-12 month item of clothing than one for 9-12 months, which will save you a bit of money. It’s also not that bad if the clothes are a little baggy on your baby as it allows for some growing room. So don’t think 6-12 months is a bad option if your baby is only 6 or 7 months old. Try one or two items and see how they fit.

What is this size in various stores?

Here is the 6-12 month size in various US stores. Clothes in Target seem to cater for a wider weight and height range compared to other brands.

  • Target: 26-30” and 16-24lbs
  • Carters: No 6-12 month size
  • Walmart: No 6-12 month size
  • Nordstrom: No 6-12 month size
  • GAP: 27-29” and 17-22lbs.
  • Janie and Jack: 25-29” and 17-22lbs