>
> The scale calibration, and the comparison among scales is one of the
> reasons the public health nurses each carry their own scale and weigh
> babies even though the baby has been to the doctor's office!
>
> I have my own Baby Weigh scale and 10K weight to check it weekly (or if I
> haven't been out, I check it when I do go out).
>
> Our experience showed babies whose 1st check at 3 - 4 days may show, at
> the
> MDs office, a 1 lb (.4545 K) weigh GAIN when in fact there had been a
> loss.
> This was very scary with babies that were around 4 lbs (1.818 K). It
> amazed us how a baby could have weighed 4 lbs at birth, weigh 5 lbs (2.272
> K) at the doctor's office three days later and no one questioned the
> numbers! We found some very jaundiced "sleeping at the breast" babies.
>
> I understand our wanting to find a reason for baby's current weight loss
> due to IVs, but wonder whether this will make us too complacent and we'll
> just blame the loss of the heavy IV fluids and not look into intake
> problems (often due to lack of mother-infant contact in the hospital and
> at
> home - where I find babies in bassinettes over-wrapped and sleeping).
>
> The scale is still a good tool to use - even though we may be considered
> too "scale dependent" - to evaluate when moms say the baby had "wet"
> diapers. I also have found that a new mother (and father's) perception
> of
> "wet" is distorted. Even grandmas seem to have forgotten and change the
> diapers at the first sign of color change in the white paper. Disposable
> diapers, being so absorbent, also cause problems in perception as they
> THINK the diaper was "wet" even though it's very light. At times I even
> ask moms to put 3 tablespoons of water in one dry diaper and keep it
> around
> for a day to compare to the ones she has taken off her baby.
>
> Scales, frankly, often get me in the door so I then can do a "face to
> face" evaluation. I call the moms, she says she's OK but something
> triggers concerns in me - I offer a home visit with a weight check - and
> she's usually glad to have me come! (Remember I work for Public Health
> and
> there is no fee for my services.)
>
>
> Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC
> Vacaville, CA
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