I weigh babies between breasts, after they've fallen asleep, when mom is ready to change positions. I find it a useful tool for waking them up, as well as analyzing intake. Yes, I don't always like the info I receive, because I've found babies who sound like they are taking lots, but are taking little. The right scale is designed to allow for insensible weight loss in the multiple remeasurements. I have actually been shocked sometimes at the volumes some babies can tolerate! Blows all my information about a baby's stomach size all to pieces! I've had moms who've had a scale at home and found a baby taking more milk when prone on top of mom than when standard sitting position was used. This helped confirm to mom that not only was it more comfortable for mom, but it was effective for baby too!
-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ellen
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 1:13 AM
Subject: Test Weighing
Hi all,
I hate test weighing, and in my early years as an IBCLC my scale would gather dust rather than information!
I never used it, and when I did the results were often NOT what I wanted or expected to see.
BUT, after gleaning advice from my dear colleagues here, I think I learned better how to use the scales.
I don't know how everyone weighs, (and like me, maybe some are too shy to ask here), but once I started weighing the babies 10 minutes into the feed - rather than waiting and waiting and waiting.......when the baby starts already expending energy and might even beging to lose, the results I felt were a far better indication.
I never weigh babies who look great and who do not have a weight gain problem. Results can sometimes deflate the moms confidence. But sometimes test weighing can be the biggest boost to a mom who actually feels that everything is ok, but everyone around her is stripping away her confidence!
I always explain beforehand, that it is not a really accurate way of detecting amounts transferred (disclaimer, just in case the scales don't show what we want) but sometimes it really does help.
Ellen Shein, LLLI, IBCLC
Tel Aviv
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