I also think that one of the best tools I can have as a lactation consultant is the digital baby scale. I have used the scale for more than 9 years now. At this moment, Im also using it with batteries, since my new office's electricity outlet is in an inconvenient place. At this moment I bought a new one, but the one I used with my prior employer, I used to move it all around and travel with it all the time. Still, it kept it's caliber.
I test weight all my clients babies before and after feeding. I do weight with diaper, since I use it to find out the baby's input. Usually, if everything is going well, I only weight again only if parent are interested. I do use it more frequently with babies with poor weight gain, prematures, relactation and the sort.
In my experience, parents do enjoy knowing baby's intake. I explain to them the diference in caloric properties between feedings and between mothers...since Ive seen many chubby babies who only take 2.05 onces, but are gaining properly.
When babies on the contrary, are not gaining properly and I do not see a proper intake, I do encourage the parent to supplement in cojunction with bf in every feeding. I also suggest the amount of ounces the baby should be receiving in every feeding according to the baby's weight. As the baby's intake increases (test weight weekly checking), we decrease the supplementation. I have seen many successful bf experiences, who might otherwise had probably given up and wean.
I have had the experience, mostly with pediatricians and a few LC's , who either do not use any scale or use the manual scale to evaluate their clients, but do no test weight. If the baby is not gaining properly, they tell the mother her milk is low in fat (which makes the mother feel terrihble), and make the matters worse, by limiting to one side per feeding (this is currently the trend here) which lowers the mother's milk supply. I have seen many starved and dehidrated babies with this current practice. How can you evaluate baby's intake without a digital scale beat me!!! I have seen many mothers who pump up to 6 onces, but baby's intake at the breast is 0. If I had relied only in the pump, these babies would have probably dehidrated. I do encourage encourage and support test weighting.
Carmen Cabrer, IBCLC, RLC, LLLL
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www.lacted.com
lacted.com/blog
San Juan, Puerto Rico
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