One point I have not seen mentioned in this thread is that of fear of
malpractice issues. I think that is one very real reason there is such
attachment to weighing and measuring in the US, because we seem to be
such a letigious society, especially where health care is concerned.
Some insurance rates are astronomical, depending on what classification a
health care provider is in. Some documentation seems prudent as a CYA
maneuver (cover your a- -, that is).
Laurie said:
< In the USA birth is very medicalized, health care is based
on the medical model not a wellness model. But I don't see the numbers as
a bad thing necessarily. Lots of stuff in life is measured like blood
counts, hemoglobin, pregnancy weight gain, fundal height. We use these
numbers along with other assessors.>
Heather, as part of her answer, said:
<Fundal height - hmmm....don't know about that. I would like to see good
evidence that routine fundal height measurement is clinically useful.>
As one who has detected quite a few red flags from routine, serial
measurements of fundal heights, I certainly would never want to leave
that out if I am responsible for that portion of her health care.
While I am quite "iffy" about test weighing before and after a feeding, I
definitely like to "reinforce" my objectivity with a recorded weight in
certain situations, if for nothing more than "ammunition" when pediatric
offices occasionally weigh babies wrong, and then intimidate the mother.
Where multiple people are following the infant using the same official
records, some measurement s are essential communication. We just have to
learn to be more sensitive about how we talk to mothers about the
weights.
Jean
******************************
K. Jean Cotterman RNC IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA
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