Barbara, you said:  Just because this takes time and
effort to coordinate doesn't make it impossible, and it ought to be the
standard of care.  Weights are not the only information one needs, but with
poorly feeding infants, they give a piece of the puzzle that can be useful
for planning and monitoring.

I agree that this sort of thoughtful use of scales would be of great
benefit.  It also seems to me that this is the ethical use of scales.  In
our situation in the UK we have a whole lot of sloppy, causal (not done for
any defined purpose and then not interpreted usefully), and UNETHICAL use of
the weighing scale in routine practice.  I think its going to be a huge task
to try and sort this out, while preserving the useful and ethical practices
you describe.  (and I have no idea who might even try to do this -- we don't
have a profession poised to take this on, and the profession that does the
most weighing [heath visitoring] has a vested interest in continuing current
practice).

I have been *nauseated* at the routine practices in the UK during my
research.  But the practices and sloppy thinking are quite entrenched -- for
parents and professionals.  Its hard to feel optimistic about changing this
culture.

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK


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