Key takeaways: A weighed feed (test weighing) means weighing your baby before and after a feed on a very accurate scale, under the same conditions. The difference in grams roughly equals the milk taken in milliliters. One feed is just a snapshot. Regular bathroom or kitchen scales aren’t accurate enough.
If you’re worried about how much milk your baby is getting, a weighed feed can give useful information.
How It Works
- Your baby is weighed on a sensitive digital scale, wearing the same clothes and diaper.
- Your baby breastfeeds.
- Your baby is weighed again without changing anything, even a wet diaper.
- The difference in weight equals the amount of milk taken. About 1 gram of weight is about 1 milliliter of milk.
Why the Scale Matters
Test weighing requires scales accurate to within a few grams. Studies, including research by Meier and colleagues and by Savenije and Brand, found that sensitive electronic scales can measure intake reasonably accurately. Regular baby scales and home scales are often not precise enough.
What It Can Tell You
- Roughly how much milk your baby took in that feed.
- Whether your baby transfers milk well.
- Whether changes in latch or positioning help.
- How much to supplement, if needed.
What It Can’t Tell You
- Your baby’s total daily intake. Babies take different amounts at different feeds.
- Your full milk supply, since one feed doesn’t show the whole day.
A single low result doesn’t mean you have low supply.
Home Scales
Some families rent hospital-grade scales for use at home, often for preterm or medically complex babies. Work with an IBCLC or your pediatrician if you do, since frequent weighing can add stress.
Other Signs Feeding Is Going Well
- Steady weight gain over days and weeks.
- Enough wet and dirty diapers.
- Audible swallowing.
- Baby seems satisfied after most feeds.
The Bottom Line
Weighed feeds are a useful tool when done on an accurate scale, but they show only one feed. Overall growth and diapers matter most.
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Sources
- Meier PP, Engstrom JL, Crichton CL, et al. A new scale for in-home test-weighing for mothers of preterm and high risk infants. J Hum Lact. 1994;10(3):163-168.
- Savenije OE, Brand PL. Accuracy and precision of test weighing to assess milk intake in newborn infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2006;91(5):F330-F332.
- Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM. Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession. 9th ed. Elsevier; 2022.
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.
