Comparison of human milk bottle with infant/toddler test weights in the community setting.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-25-2024

Publication Title

BMC nutrition

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The accuracy of infant intake using test weights (TWs), the change in weight before and after an infant feeds, has only been validated in hospitalized premature infants. This study's primary aim was to identify how accurate parent infants/toddler (< 2 years old) TWs are at measuring infant intake.

METHODS: Data were collected from 101 paired bottle and infant/toddler TWs with 31 participants. Parents participated in the feeding sessions by completing infant/toddler TWs blinded to the researcher. Research assistants completed human milk bottle TWs. Infants were fed previously expressed human milk, initially 30 g, but volumes were increased to not exceed the scale's capacity.

RESULTS: The mean difference between the bottle TWs measured using the Tanita and OHAUS scales was not significantly different from zero (95% CI (Tanita - OHAUS): (-0.251, 0.108) g). The mean difference between infant/toddler and bottle TWs was significantly different from 0 (95% CI (infant-bottle): (-3.45, -0.915 g or -3.57, -0.95 mL). Infant/toddler and bottle TWs were in agreement with a difference of 2.18 g (SD = 6.63) or 2.25 mL within the scale stated accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS: The Tanita infant digital scale accurately measures bottle TWs. The differences in parent infant/toddler TWs are within a clinically acceptable range.

Volume

10

Issue

1

First Page

105

DOI

10.1186/s40795-024-00911-4

ISSN

2055-0928

PubMed ID

39054548

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