How Accurate Is Weighing Baby At Home?
Weighing your baby at home can be a convenient way to monitor their growth and development without frequent trips to the doctor’s office for regular check-ups. But is home weighing really accurate?
Why Home Weighing Is Attractive
Home weighing is attractive for a variety of reasons. It’s easy, convenient, inexpensive, and allows parents to get to know their baby’s regular patterns. Many parents find comfort in tracking even the slightest changes in their baby’s weight.
What You Need to Know Before Weighing Your Baby
To ensure accuracy when weighing baby at home, there are few things to consider:
- The Scale Matters: Make sure you’re using a digital scale made specifically for babies. Avoid kitchen scales and bathroom scales – they are not sensitive enough to detect slight changes in infant weight.
- Same Time and Place: Weigh baby at the same time every day, in the same place and preferably at the same temperature. Before putting your baby on the scale, remove any clothing and blankets that add weight to the reading.
- Check the Setting: Before placing your baby on the scale, make sure you have the weight setting adjusted correctly. Set it to the lowest reading, since it’s unlikely that your baby will weigh more than the maximum capacity of the scale.
- Stay Calm and Comfortable: When you place your baby on the scale, be sure to keep him/her calm, comfortable and secure. If baby is crying and squirming, the accuracy of the reading will likely be thrown off.
Interpreting the Weigh-In
Weighing your baby at home can be helpful, but it’s important to remember that slight differences in weight are normal. If you detect any significant changes in weight, it’s a good idea to call your doctor to be on the safe side.
In conclusion, weighing your baby at home can be a useful tool to monitor their growth and development, but it’s important to understand how to do it correctly to ensure accuracy. Make sure you’re using the right scale and stay consistent with weigh-ins. Be sure to discuss any changes in weight with your doctor to stay on top of your baby’s health.