Hi all
 
I may find my opinion in the minority here but I see very little need for
test weighing.
 
I am always concerned about test weights.  I am concerned because I am
concerned about the mother and that she has not learnt to look at the baby's
behaviour at the end of a feed.   I am concerned because the keys to knowing
if a baby has had enough is by their behaviour at the breast, behaviour
following a feed and the output in  24 hour period.  
 
The other concern is that, in my opinion, to be truly of value, for test
weighing to be truly significant, the weighing needs to be done at least
over a 24 hour period - and I would think over a day or two.  The reason for
this is that baby's intake will vary from feed to feed - just like our
intake of food and fluids varies through out the day and day to day.  Low
intake could well signify the need for a lower volume of milk for that
particular feed.  It may indicate that mum has small volume breasts and
simply needs to feed more frequently that most people would think.
 
A child who is not getting enough may will need extra immediately.  Unless
the baby is premmie, we know that baby will stop when it has had enough. 
For those baby's who are boarderline, it may be enough just to increase the
time the breast is offered over a couple of days with or without domperidon
or herbal help - a - longs (sorry late at night and I can not spell
galactules righ now! Lol)
 
What ever the senario, it all involved looking at the behaviour of the baby,
looking at the output, making appropriate suggestions and empowering mother
to follow her instincts and understand her baby's behaviour.  IMHO test
weighing does not do this.
 
All the best
 
Ruth Fiedler
Australia

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