<<so that one can more accurately estimate intake as 1 gram of weight
increase is
equivalent to 1 cc of milk intake. >>
I don't want to appear stupid or argumentative here but there is something
that has always bothered me about pre and post weights. Has anyone ever
documented that one fluid cc of BREASTMILK is equal to one gram of weight? I
know that is true for water because that's how the measurement was
determined. But does it hold true for other liquids? Does foremilk weigh more
then hind milk or vice versa depending on the fat content? Does a fluid ounce
of formula equal an ounce of weight? Are there studies that show how much
human milk weighs from actually weighing the milk itself?
Does the amount of space a liquid takes up vary according to what the liquid
is? If I draw up 30 cc of cooking oil in a syringe is it going to weigh an
ounce? This isn't one of those pound of feathers verses a pound of lead
questions because obviously a pound of feathers would take up more SPACE then
a pound of lead.
Also can a baby have insensible water losses while nursing (I know mine sweat
like crazy) that would alter the weight and therefore leave even more room
for doubt on estimated intake?
It's been forever since I was in a class that would even lend itself to a
discussion about the differences if there are any. If I knew the answer at
one time it has LONG been buried in my mind.
The reason I am asking is that I just got off the phone with yet another
woman who has become obsessive compulsive over the baby's pre and post
weights. She rented the scale after her baby lost more then 10 percent of her
body weight in the first few days. Well, the baby is now 8 weeks old and mom
is still doing pre and post weights. If the baby hasn't gained the number of
ounces she thinks baby should, she supplements with expressed milk or
formula. She plans to rent the scale for a while longer. Her baby has gained
in leaps and bounds.  Since the initial loss baby has gained nearly four
pounds. I am afraid that she is wearing herself out with this obsession (she
even weighs the baby before after night feedings and says she gets about 3
hours of sleep per night). This mom has 6 other kids to take care of.
I have run into this with moms of premies that were in the NICU who pump and
bottle feed because they just have to know how much the baby is getting. Does
this happen because well meaning HCP's make a big deal of how much the premie
is taking in a bottle feeding as a sign that the baby is advancing?
DO our interventions and measurements leave the parents at risk for
"vulnerable child syndrome?"

Marie Davis,  RN IBCLC

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