What Size Urn Do You Need for a Baby's Ashes?

The passing of a child is the ultimate tragedy. All babies are entitled to a memorial service and cremation. You are not obligated to have a funeral service for your baby, but many parents find that it is an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate your baby's life.

If you are considering cremation, you might have a few questions.

How Much Ash Is Left After the Cremation of a Baby?

Typically, cremated ashes amount to 3.5 percent of an adult’s body weight and weigh between 4 and 6 pounds. In the case of children and babies, the ash amounts to 2.5 percent of their total body weight.

On average, the ashes that remain after a baby's cremation weigh between 0.7 to 1.5 pounds, which is around 18 and 43 cubic inches.

Selecting the Correct Urn Size for Your Baby’s Remains

It is important to remember that when choosing a cremation urn, you should concentrate on the volume of the remaining ashes rather than their weight. The volume is measured in cubic inches. Most infant urns measure between 10 and 20 cubic inches, while children's urns can measure between 10 and 150 cubic inches.

The general rule of thumb is that you will need one cubic inch for every pound of body weight. For example, if your baby weighed 15 pounds, you will need at least 15 cubic inches in your urn. You can also use an urn size guide to make an informed decision.

If the urn you’d like to use has no measurements listed in cubic inches, measure the length, depth, and height of the container and multiply those measurements to get the total cubic inches. For example, a beautiful keepsake box with a length of 4 inches, a depth of 6 inches, and a height of 5 inches would have a space of 120 cubic inches.