Baby clothing sizes by age: the quick guide that stops you buying wrong

Most brands label by months, but the number on the tag stands for an approximate height. A size 68 is meant for around 68 centimetres, which tends to line up with six months, though plenty of babies wear it earlier or later. So it is worth checking actual height rather than the calendar age.

On top of that, brands are not consistent with each other. One brand's size can run half a size larger than another's. If you buy or swap second-hand, see how that brand fits your baby before trusting the number alone.

As a rough guide: 50 and 56 cover the newborn, 62 is around three months, 68 around six, 74 around nine and 80 around the first year. From there, 86 sits near eighteen months, 92 near two years and 98 near three. These are references, not rules.

In the early months clothes change very fast, so it does not pay to stockpile much of any size. After the first year the pace settles and each size lasts a good deal longer, which also changes how it makes sense to buy.

Buying exactly the current size risks the clothes lasting weeks. Having the next size ready avoids emergency purchases and lets you choose calmly, whether handed down, second-hand or swapped.

Season matters as much as size. A garment in the right size but the wrong season is no use. Work out what size your baby will be in summer or winter and let that guide you when you buy ahead.

Outgrown clothes in good condition are among the most circulated, because there is always a family a couple of months behind who needs them. Donating, swapping or passing them on is usually more practical than storing them with no clear plan.

Group them by size and season before moving them and they go much faster. A tidy, well-labelled bundle is easy for the next person to understand, and it saves you the explaining.