Clothing My Skinny Baby

I was a big fan of snuggly "footie" sleepers for daytime wear when my son was less than a year. I figured, after all, he's only a baby. Soft and snuggly is good, oui? The tights (sock thickness, not the kind that tears/runs) and dresses option is also a good one, since you've got a girl.

For clothes you already own: 2 options

1) Easiest for novice sewers: Is to attach a "ring" of fabric to the cuff. You can use a pair of old pants, pretty fabric, whatever you have on hand. I do this when I can't afford $150 jeans (aka most of the time). I have a 36" inseam, and it's near impossible to find girlie pants/jeans with that inseam for less than $100. TommyH used to make pairs of 28/36's that were fantasitc, and only $50... but I am no longer a 28 inch waist... more's the pity ;)

2) Attach straps and buttons to the waistband. These can be solid fabric straps, elastic straps, whatvere. (Hmm... I'm talking about the hidden kind, btw, not suspenders. But suspenders would be cute, too.)

Remember though... she's just a wee one. She's going to outgrow everything in the next month or two.

1 mom found this helpful

My daughter had the same problem. So I started making baby belts. She was 5-10% for weight until she turned 2 now she is 20% for weight so I am happy! She wears a 3T pants now for length but wore 18m this summer and they looked like Capri pants great for summer not for winter. Even pants with adjustable waists are not small enough to stay up on her she still needs a little extra help!! If you would like to try a baby belt go to www.createdformoms.com and look at "A H. Moment". There are a lot of great products on the site for kids so check it out for fun and let your friends know too!

Hope this helps,
H.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J., I have the same problem with my boys!! I have always had to buy very slim looking elastic clothing and either put elastic at the bottoms so that it doesn't drag or take the waist in a bit on things (even elastic things) I just pinch the amount and "tack" it by sowing it in a manner that I can take it out later if they grew into it.

One of the things I have noticed is that for some reason, the pants that come with the adjustable waist are usually in the "cheaper" category - freddies, etc. but the more flashier, expensive brands don't usually come with it. The boys have always fit into some of their things for years (it kinda nice) like for instance now - they are 9 but still fit into their size 5 shorts!! Good luck with this...

If you can handle a needle and thread, just take tucks in the pants. Look for pants that have drawstrings (like exercise or sweat type pants) and use them! If they have a belt loop, get a belt (maybe a cloth one you can tie to fit) and use that. Oh, and get tights. They stretch and will fit any size baby, and will help keep her legs warm, especially when you want her to look dressier like for church or a party.

Hope that helps!

I have a seven month old with the same problem. I dress him in overalls alot because since they arent around his waist they stay up good and the length is appropriate. Also, I have taken in some of his pants in the front so it looks like pleats. Since you have a girl, maybe she could wear dresses and tights underneath? But the overall thing has been the best route for my string bean. Good luck.

I have the same problem, i have found the cutest solution! Jean skirts thick white tights and the return of the leg warmers! I use all different types of skirts but leg warmers are the cutest with jean skirts. I actually found leg warmers brand new still in the package at the goodwill! (aparently they took a contract with target and get alot of the overstock that goes for household products and clothing of all sizes!) i like it 'cuz she can where tennis shoes and a layered long sleeve t or a dressy top and black patent shoes. The leg warmers are just like a sweater for her legs, and they come in just about every color/design possible. Hope it helps.

P.s.

Dont forget to look at thrift and discount stores you might be surprised!

My daughter is built that way.
Gap clothing has seemed to fit her pretty well. In adult sizes Old Navy fits similarly to Gap for less cost (and quality). I don't know if that holds true for baby clothing or not.

Also, invest in some BabyLegs leg warmers - you can put them on under dresses, or pants that are short, or as arm warmers... My daughter has a few pairs that she got as an infant, and she is still using them at 2.5 years.

JC Pennys has slim fit jeans. I find that the adjustable waist ones from Childrens Pace or Old Navy stay up but are so baggy everywhere else, my daughter hates them (she is 5). Tights and skirts work good too!

Oh you're in for fun finding clothes that fit! :) My 2 year old has been in the 75th-95th percentile for height and 25th for weight too! We have found that Old Navy and Children's Place tend to be quite a bit skinnier.

Best of luck with your long and skinny one! :)

in my experience Osh Kosh is more for slim babies. my chunkers could never wear their clothing.

Have you heard of babylegs.com? They sell leg warmers specifically made for babies that can go under pants or skirts. Their products are awfully cute and very versatile. I have several pairs for my long, thin daughter, and I like them a lot.

you may consider trying something like this:

http://dappersnappers.com/main.html

My son is 99th percentile for height and 50th for weight so we have a similar problem. The only thing with the dapper snappers is the pants need to have belt loops.

Here are some homemade ideas:

http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/tutorial-knee-pad-pan...

http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/showthread.php?s=a276...

http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2009/08/repurposing-s...

http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2009/08/repurposing-b...

http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/

Leggings, baby legs,...all made from other items that aren't getting used anymore. All easy sewing too.

Good luck!

My daughter is the same way. K-mart sells the Snugabye brand of baby clothes & PJ's. They are perfect, they have long legs & long cuffs at the bottom to adjust to the lenght of your baby's legs continually.
http://www.snugabye.com
Before she was potty trained I also had her wear alot of OshKosh overalls, they come in such cute fabrics at the outlet stores, all colors of denim & corduroy. After they potty train not a good idea because they can't get them off fast enought prevent accidents.
When she gets older (2T or bigger)I have found that Target's Cherokee T-shirts have a longer cut body & Sears Canyon River Blues brand jeans have an adjustable waist as well as slim sizes. I looked at all the brands & how they were cut. My daughter is not supper tall, she is just skinny & long. She got my long legs & her dad's long torso.
Hope this helps.

Go buy some baby legs - you can get them at Bella Stella and Milagros, or online at www.babylegs.com. I think Target might have them too. They are full log covers for baby to 5 years. I used to use them for my daughter when she was an infant. Now that she is 4.5 yo, she can wear them as leg warmers. They are super cute!

Good luck!

Ah yes, same distribution here. I usually try to buy somewhat snug fitting outfits in a larger size (stretchy fabric), overalls are great too, they give lots of room to move and don't fall off! For jeans I like H&M, their pants often have adjustable elastic waistbands.
If you but pants with and elastic waistband it is really easy to alter that as well. You just make a small cut, pull out the elastic and either cut it to size and sew it back together, or sew on a small button and make a little slit in the elastic so you can adjust it.

We also wear a lot of warm tights and you can put leg warmers over them.

Good luck!

I always used one piece items. My boys were both very thin. when they began to walk I'd buy the skinnies things I could find and then they would wear susupenders! Overalls are great also when they start to walk. they make really cute ones for girls.
Try the one piece jumpers, they wont fall down. Good luck! and enjoy your little one!

Looks like you've gotten some good responses here. I too have a skinny daugther at 4 1/2 years old. I've found that using the pants with the adjustable waist band is good. They do tend to bunch up on the sides a bit and sometimes she complains about that, as it can pinch the skin. For leggings, or knit pants, I open up the waist at the seam and if there is not already elastic in there, I add an elastic waist band for her. If there is elastic in the waist band, I take out a couple inches to make it tighter, then stitch up the seam again.
Best of luck to you.

My son was 75/25 all his infant life...as I don't really sew what I ended up doing was roll the elastic waistbands a few times to keep his pants up...once they get to toddlerhood it becomes easier to get skinny pants for these kiddos.

Use legwarmers to cover any gaps - they work great!

Hi J.,
My son was the same way and before he started walking I'd keep him in the fleece jammies/rompers with feet on them (because I also couldn't keep socks on him). Or overalls are good too. Once she gets a little older (or maybe now?) they have pants with the waist adjusting straps on the inside. I like Carters, but I think most stores/brands have them.

Have you heard of a product called babylegs? They are a long "socks" that start at the diaper and go to the ankle. Kids can wear them under pants as extra warmth and come in really cute patterns and colors. They are also great to wear when kids start crawling (for extra support), under dresses, and are easy to change diapers in because they don't go over the butt. They sell them at Target, Babys R Us and online. They are one size fits all so the length should be good for a long time!

Our son has always been tall and skinny (95th percectile for height, 25th for weight), and we've had to be careful about the pants we buy him. So many of them just slide right down his legs! One trick we learned is to roll the waistband of his pants that are too large...this creates a little bulk and makes them tighter. It does tend to hike up the bottoms, though, so only do this with pants that are long anyway.

I've found that OshKosh clothing seems to fit on the tall and slim side. I second the suggestions about Gymboree leggings and BabyLegs, also. Good luck!

My daughter's fairly thin as well. I noticed that "Genuine Kids by OshKosh" (sold at Target) fit her quite well. Also look for pants with adjustable waistbands. You could try to keep the pants up by using a small scarf as a belt if the pants have belt loops. Also try to have her wear knit pantyhoses under the pants. Our daughter wore those all through winter under her pants. They stretch quite a bit in length and still stay put.

One-piece outfits or dresses with warm tights work great for this age. Once she is older, belts work great. My son has only one pair of pants that he can wear without his belt.

I had the same thing with my oldest! I don't know of any brands that fit slender kids better. One trick that we did use was to roll the waist of her pants. Sometimes, we would use pants that were a size big and then roll it so they were still the right length.

Another trick (that isn't nearly as cute) is to put the pants under a onsie. The onsie will keep the pants up, the pants will keep the legs warm.

Another option is to use babylegs instead of pants. Then you can use onsies or shorts and her legs will still stay warm. There's TONS of cute styles of babylegs and if you're willing to try making your own, they aren't hard. even for a novice seamstress! :)

My son is super skinny, too, and I've found that the Carter's corduory's and cotton pants fit really well.

My daughter has the same problem, although she is not that skinny. I have luck with leggings from babygap or Gymboree. Some run on the long side and the stretch helps keep them tight on her waist. Plus they are super comfy..she doesn't want to wear anything else. Good luck!

My daughter does not have that problem (although my son, who is older, has grown to have that issue...), however, we dress her in a lot of leggings, which tend to be a little more tight fitting, and dresses over them. I like the 4 dollar leggings from Target, but have also found great ones at Children's Place. You can also try one piece outfits - you won't have to worry about things falling down. Old Navy has (usually) a lot of one piece things for babies.

I had the same problem with both of my kids! My daughter lived in coveralls and the leggins from Gymboree during the winter (dresses and shortalls during the summer). The leggins are not cheap, but they held up great! My daughter was very active and a mover and none of the leggins ever got a hole in the knee.

We used clip-on suspenders - you buy one (or two) and then move them onto whatever pants she's wearing.

Also at fabric stores you can buy a thing that is a short piece of elastic with two clips (one on each end). We used this on baggy tops and dresses to make them more fitted without having to work to keep all her shirts tucked in.

Hi J.,
My little girl is kinda the same way - only like the 5-6 percentile in weight so I know how you feel! She is on the taller side too so I cannot go down in size on pants either. Rather than buying new pants, what I do is simply hand stitch two sides of her pants in - I take a bit of waistline and fold in on itself and handstitch it down (just a few stitches - don't go hog wild here) so it wont bother her when wearing (I do both sides rather than just at the back so it doesnt look as if I did it - if you do one at the back, it will bunch up). It only takes a few minutes on each side and if she gains, you can let them out, then let out one side at a time. I rarely K!

L.

I think it is JCPenneys that has "slim" size jeans, but maybe not in infant sizes. I don't know what kind of diapering you do, but cloth diapers may be a little more bulky and hold up the pants better. I also wonder if cloth diapering tends to promote younger potty training. They make wonderful easy cloth diapers these days.. no pins, cute covers.

I had the same problem with my daughter. Gymboree leggings were the best! I would ALWAYS find them at used kid's stores, if you don't want to pay full price.

We have the same problem with our son - so far old navy has the most consistent fit for pants. We've also found that several places (like Kohl's and KMart) sell pants that have an adjustable waistband. We adjust them as small as they'll go. Good Luck!

We have always had this same issue with our kids! With my daughter it was easier. Cute dresses with colorful tights were the easiest thing. We also used Gap adjustable jeans and those seemed to work pretty well. It gets harder as they get older. My, almost 3 year old, daughter wears a 4T jean and an 18 month skirt.
Gymboree, Gap and Old Navy have really cute tights this year!

My oldest was like that. 90% for height and 5% for weight! It was frusterating finding clothes for her. By the time she was six months old, she fit 18 month clothes lengthwise and 0-3 months were a little loose around the waist. We did a LOT of overalls and dresses. Overalls should keep those legs warm during the winter.

Good luck! Side note: My daughter, around age 3 1/2 suddenly chunked out and became proportionate. Eventually your daughter might do the same.

My daughter was 75/15 at that age and is now 50/10. doctor is also happy with her since she is so active and we feed her all day long! (3 full meals, 2-3 snacks, morning and night nursing with 2 or 3 bottles of expressed milk during the day)
I found that by going with the larger size and rolling down the waist band it worked. I have found carters and circo really work well for her. Granimals (walmart) does not work at all! Gymboree is also great but that is obviously more expensive but since she will be in them longer the better quality will pay off in the long run.
Good luck and have fun with your petite baby girl!

Choose the size that fits the waist better, and get a couple pair of "baby legs" (leg warmers to put over/under them. So cozy and warm. I think Target makes their own brand now, so they're cheaper.

try adding baby legs or other type of thing (they are like leg warmers for babies.

Baby GAP!!! They make Long and Lean style jeans in 12-18 months sizes and then, up to a 5t. Once Once she is in 4's they have SLIM sizes at GAP kids!! :) We have JUST hit that. but, really GAP has been awesome for my string bean. They also have some styles that are cut longer, and that helps. I also buy pants that are cuffed and then if they are simply stitched you can EASILY remove the stitching and have pants that are instantly an inch or so longer!!! I tried Childrens place, but they are WAY short, gymboree jeans are cut too wide... GAP has just always worked.

I am 5'9 and my husband is 6'5 so our girls are SUPER tall. At least a head taller than all the kids in their classes!!

Good Luck and happy shopping!!!

Oldest was skinny too! The only brands that fit her well were Ralph Lauren/polo and gap, which has the adjustable waist on pants. When pants were too short we put her in robeez booties or baby legs legwarmers.

my son is the same way but it is getting better now that he is getting a little chubbier. I liked the one piece outfits. I had to get a bigger size for the length so his legs would be covered.

Hem the legs of the pants and get really crazy suspenders. That's what I did for my kids.

As you baby grows you can let out the hem and when she becomes toilet trained she can where the same pants then. Just keep the suspenders.

Buy a spare set.