Why Do Lactation Consultants Use Marsden Baby Scales?
Weight loss in babies is normal, but extreme weight loss can cause severe health issues with babies and can be fatal – which is why lactation consultants need a scale they can trust.
Due to fluid loss, babies lose weight in the first few days of their life. Many hospitals identify a 10% weight loss from birth as ok, however recent studies indicate that a 7% decrease in weight may be more normal. By the time they reach 14 days old they should have regained their birth weight.
Why Do Lactation Consultants Use Baby Scales?
Weighing from an accurate scale is one of several tools to assess growth and well being. There is no nationally agreed protocol, however it is recommended that weighing is frequent enough to pick up problems with feeding, especially during their first two weeks.
If weight loss is extreme (greater than 12%) it can be accompanied by dehydration and possible hypernatremia (high sodium levels). Brain cells are particularly at risk, and hypernatremic dehydration can cause fits and make the baby behave abnormally – and this can be fatal – which is why lactation consultants need a scale they can trust.
Why Do Lactation Consultants Choose Marsden Baby Scales?
Class III and MDD Approved
If you use a scale to monitor, treat or diagnose someone then you have to use a Class III Approved scale. Additionally, all medical devices in Europe must be MDD Approved.
Reliable
If you choose a Class III Approved scale, then you know that you can trust it.
Class III Approved scales are tested to ensure that they provide accurate, repeatable readings when used multiple times. If they fail this test then they will not be approved. The same cannot be said for generic scales.
Range of Features
Marsden's baby scales are designed for weighing babies. That's why they have a range of features to make weighing a baby even easier.
Use HOLD to stabilise a reading if a baby is wiggling around.
If you want to weigh the baby wrapped in a blanket then weigh the blanket first and TARE the weight to remove the unwanted weight.
Little Bellies Lactation
The Marsden M-300 has been the scale of choice for lactation consultants to keep track of a baby’s weight. In our case study with Little Bellies Lactation, Carolyn Hose explained why.
“I’m a IBCLC (board certified lactation consultant) using the scale to keep track of an infant’s breast milk intake and track the weight of the baby to determine optimal growth while breastfeeding.”
She concluded, “The scale is also very accurate - to hospital standard - and is half the price which we expected to pay.”
You can read the full case study by clicking here.
About Marsden's Baby Scales
Marsden has a number of both professional baby scales and baby scales home use.
They are all Lightweight and portable, which is perfect for lactation consultants. Plus most of them are powered by AA batteries and have optional carry cases available to make transporting the scales even simpler.
Accuracies start at 2g for the most precise weighing and the highest capacity is our all-in-one baby, toddler and teenager scale which weighs up to 50kg.
Related Products
View our full range of baby scales for lactation consultants: Professional Baby Scales For more information about any of our baby scales, call us on 01709 364296 or contact us.