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You buy them every week, you use them on your baby every day, but many parents have absolutely no idea what the “+” symbol or “plus size nappies” actually mean. But panic not… Asda Little Angels are on hand to provide some clarity and myth-busting advice.
If you believe plus sizes are a half size, offering a small increase to give your growing baby a little more room around their waist and legs before stepping up to the next full size, then you wouldn’t be alone. In fact, a large proportion of parents believe this to be the case, but this isn’t true.
Much like shoe sizes, nappy sizes go up in progression of numbers, where larger numbers indicate larger nappies. Given that every baby is different, one of the best ways to choose a nappy size for your little one is by their weight. Babies usually get weighed at birth and during regular health visits – this will give you a benchmark weight to start the nappy journey with, and you can move up the number scale as your baby grows.
If you’ve seen two nappies with the same number, but one has a plus symbol (+) next to it, then it simply means that this nappy has added absorbency. Yes, that’s right… not an ‘in-betweeny-size’, but more absorbent! As your baby grows, they’ll progress through the smaller sizes relatively quickly (blink and suddenly your newborn bundle of joy is in a size 4 nappy).
However, as they move through to larger sizes, they will likely remain in sizes 4, 5 and 6 for longer periods of time. For babies who drink a lot or for babies that have larger bladders and therefore produce more urine – you can pick up nappies with boosted absorbency (e.g. 4+, 5+, 6+). These nappies are still exactly the same size but can hold more liquid.
You may choose to use plus size nappies just for night-time to help minimise those 4am nappy changes, or your little one may benefit from plus sizes day and night – the choice is yours!
It’s important to remember, one of the main causes of dreaded leaks is being in the wrong size nappy, so you’ll want to be sure when it’s time to move to the next size so baby always gets the best protection. Asda Little Angels nappies feature a handy size-up guide to help you identify when it’s time to go up a size – simply check that the sticky tabs still fasten in or over the coloured stripe and if they don’t then it’s time to size-up. Easy!
You can also check the Little Angels sizing chart below to help understand if you’re ready to move up a size, or if your baby might need a more absorbent version of their current nappy.
Asda Little Angels nappies are available in sizes 0 to 6+ and, for babies who are on the move, you can give your baby all the freedom of movement they need with Comfort & Protect Nappy Pants. Find out more.