I noticed while in the US visiting that the SECA baby scale was in use in the
facility I saw.  This is the scale we use in our hospital and at all the
well-child clinics in the district.  On a scale like this, you can record the
baby's weight in pounds and ounces, and by switching a simple toggle on the
front of the scale, you can see the metric value too.  I use this feature to
show immigrant parents from the US what the birth weight would have been in
pounds, so they can send birth announcements their friends will understand.  

No one who can divide or multiply by 10 should need a chart for weight losses if
the units used are metric.  A baby who weighs 3500 grams at birth has 350 grams
to 'spare' before reaching the 10 per cent loss mark.  Birthweight in grams
divided by 10 equals 10 per cent of birthweight.  I wouldn't know how to begin
to calculate a 10 per cent loss using a system of two units (lb and oz) where
one is 16 times the other, and the smaller one is between 28 and 29 grams.

What you really need in the US is just a conversion chart to metric for the
birth weight.  Once you know what the birth weight would have been in grams,
when baby is seen in a place with a scale that can be used in the US or in the
rest of the world (because I don't believe anyone else is still using pounds
and ounces in the health services or anyplace else for that matter), you can
simply put the scale on metric units and see whether or not the current weight
is within acceptable range of loss from birthweight.  You will impress your
friends with your familiarity with the metric system besides.  It is SO much
easier!

Rachel Myr
who really appreciates being able to state her weight in kg rather than pounds,
because it's only a two-digit number :-)
Kristiansand, Norway  

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