The Difference Between Sizes 24 month, 2T & 2
Contents
Is my math right?
Your little bitty baby is growing up quickly and is starting to outgrow their 18-month clothes….now what?
You now have the choice of 24 month, 2T and 2?
By my math, those are all the same thing, right? A two-year-old is 2 and also 24 months?
What the heck does that T stand for?
What could the difference possibly be?
Choosing between 24 month and 2T
No two babies are alike.
I know some 12-month-old babies who wear 18-24 month clothing.
There are also some one-year-olds who are wearing 9-12 month clothes.
Just like adults, no two babies are built the same.
24 month is cut round and usually, is an expansion of the patterns for baby clothes labeled by month. (nb, 3m, 6m, 9m, 12m, 18m 24m)
This size can be used by chunky little 12-month-olds who have those baby rolls and are still crawling around.
It can also be used by skinny little 2-year-old babies.
2T is cut from the patterns used in the toddler section. Hence the “T” (2T, 3T, 4T, 5T)
This is made for walking toddlers. The T leaves room for diapers.
There may be an incredibly tall two-and-a-half-year-old toddler who is working on that potty training and is wearing a size 5T to accommodate their long torso and legs, that diaper, or those chunky little cheeks.
Choosing between 2T & 2
2T, again, is cut from the Toddler section (2T, 3T, 4T, 5T). Walking toddlers, so it’s not cut as round as the monthly-sized clothes but still includes room for diapers.
2 is cut from the Children’s section patterns. (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Think of the children’s section as the potty-trained kiddos.
Some parents have those miracle babies that are potty trained at 18 months., so they can go from 18-month clothing straight to 2.
Some of these little 2-year-olds are skinny minis and the 2T’s fall off of them even if they are wearing diapers, so they need a 2.
But WAIT there’s more!
The store or brand you are shopping with doesn’t have a “2” and your kid is potty trained?
All brands and companies differ. YAY more complications! Now you only have to choose between 24 month and 2T.
Most brands don’t start their “children’s section” until size 4. So your options go from 24m to 2T, 3T, and 4t/4 5T/5, 6, 7, and so on.
I’m sure you noticed as your little one was going through their first year that no two brands are alike…even if the sizing guides were identical…rude.
The Carter’s 6 month was tight, the Garanimals 6 month was nice and comfy and the 6-month un-pronounceable brand you got through Wish or Amazon was huge.
All companies have their own patterns that they use to cut their fabric and no two are completely alike.
So really, you’ve already been in this situation before, you knew how old your baby was, and how much they weighed and the baby section still made it confusing because of the clashing brand patterns.
Now, on top of choosing what brand to go with, you get to figure out what section to try out.
In conclusion
Think of these sizes (which seem to all be for the same baby) in 3 different sections.
Baby Section – 24 month
Toddler Section – 2T
Children Section – 2
I made a handy little general sizing guide that covers what most American brands have in their sizing charts.
Unfortunately, it’s going to be a guessing game no matter what, but I hope this was in some way helpful!
Happy Shopping! May the odds be ever in your favor!
