Baby and Infant Scales Compared

Infant weighing has requirements adult scales do not meet, and the gap is larger than it looks.

Graduation is the key specification

Newborn weight loss in the first days, and subsequent regain, are assessed in grams. A scale graduated to 100 g — normal for adults — cannot resolve that.

Look for 5 g or 10 g graduation at the low end of the range. Some scales offer finer resolution below a threshold weight and coarser above it, which is exactly the behaviour you want.

Damping and hold

Infants move. A scale without motion damping cycles through readings and never settles, and a rushed reading taken mid-movement is simply wrong.

A hold function that averages movement and freezes a stable value is the single most useful feature on an infant scale. Without it, weighing a crying baby is guesswork.

Tray design

The tray should be contoured enough that the infant does not roll, smooth enough to clean properly, and wide enough for a larger baby. Removable trays that convert the scale to toddler use extend its working life.

Warm the tray or use a liner — a cold surface produces a startle and then a crying baby, which is a measurement problem as well as a kindness one.

Tare

A tare function lets you zero out a blanket or liner. Use it rather than subtracting afterwards — mental arithmetic in a busy clinic is where errors get in.

Capacity and growth

Consider how long you want the scale to serve. A scale that converts to a toddler platform covers a longer age range from one purchase.

Infant scales are in infant scales, with accessories in baby scale accessories. For length, see paediatric measuring tools and height measurement.

This article is part of our guide to Medical Scales: Choosing the Right Scale for Your Practice.

Browse the range in our medical scales collection.