Did You Know This About Baby Scales

By Joann Parker

Baby scales are used to measure breast milk and the weight of babies.

Once a baby is born prematurely or has another medical problem a infant weigh scale is used. Physicians utilize these scales to evaluate breast milk consumption. The infant is weighed prior to breastfeeding and afterwards. This allows physicians to know precisely how much breast milk the infant is consuming. The weighing machine is so accurate that it can measure the difference of a half teaspoon of breast milk.

If you notice that your baby is not gaining weight, you should take this seriously. Make sure that your baby is being weighed correctly. Your baby should always be weighed on the same scale because there are slight differences between any two scales. You can use a regular scale to check how much a baby weighs and then if you notice no weight gain, use a more sensitive baby scale.

You also should weigh your infant once a calendar week, because of the day-after-day weight variation credited to urination, feeding, bowel movements, and so forth. If you are sure the weight measurements are accurate with the scale you are using and you see that your baby is either putting on no weight or losing weight, take your baby to a physician at once.

If baby's weight increases but does not seem enough, see if your infant is feeding appropriately. Are you offering up food 5 or 6 times a day? Are you feeding breast milk or infant formula to the baby? If you are using breast milk, does your baby look full after a feeding is completed? If you are using formula, are you mixing it properly?

Later on, when your baby is about six months old, they need additional calories from solid foods. Are you feeding your baby solid foods a few times a day? Does your baby regurgitate the solid food? Even if everything seems to be normal, you should still ask your pediatrician about your baby's weight.

A baby that does not weigh enough can mean many things. Once such health problem is called a congenital heart defect. This condition occurs as a result of the heart or blood vessels near the heart not developing as they should.

A healthy baby should almost double its weight after 4 or 5 months. A congenital heart defect will slow the baby's development and weight gain. Depending on how serious the congenital heart defect is will depend on how fast the baby can gain weight. A pediatrician will weigh your baby once every couple of months to make sure your baby is gaining weight and developing at the appropriate speed. - 29957

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