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The development of an accurate test weighing technique for preterm and high-risk hospitalized infants
Barbara Haase1, Jeanne Barreira, Pamela K Murphy
1Lactation Consultation Service, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
Insights
Accurate test weighing of infants before and after breastfeeding can now objectively measure breast milk intake. This technique provides reliable data for medical decisions regarding infant supplementation.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal nutrition
- Infant feeding assessment
- Clinical measurement techniques
Background:
- Test weighing for infant milk intake is controversial.
- Previous methods lacked accuracy for preterm and high-risk infants.
- Need for a reliable method to assess breast milk consumption.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify variables affecting test weighing accuracy.
- Develop an accurate test weighing technique.
- Validate the technique for hospitalized high-risk infants.
Main Methods:
- Hospitalized high-risk infants (with/without leads) were studied.
- Bottle- or nasogastric-fed infants were included.
- Volume consumed was compared to weight gain.
Main Results:
- High correlation (r(2) ≈ 0.998) between weight gain and volume intake.
- Minimal deviations outside confidence limits and clinical acceptability.
- Accurate measurement of milk intake was demonstrated.
Conclusions:
- The developed test weighing technique is accurate and objective.
- Supports evidence-based medical decisions on infant supplementation.
- Improves assessment of breast milk intake in clinical settings.
Background:
Test weighing, or weighing the infant before and after breastfeeding to assess milk intake, in which weight gain in grams is converted equally to volume of intake in milliliters, is a controversial topic in the literature. This study was initiated to identify variables that impact test weights and to develop an accurate test weighing technique for preterm and high-risk hospitalized infants.
Methods:
Test weights were performed on a sample of hospitalized high-risk infants with and without leads who were bottle- or nasogastric-fed. Volume consumed was compared to weight gain to determine whether the developed technique was accurate.
Results:
In each group, with or without leads, only one measure of actual intake versus test weight result was found outside the confidence limits (95%), and only one measure was found outside the clinically acceptable difference of +/-5 g. Correlation coefficient (r(2)) values of weight gain by test weight to volume of intake were 0.998 for infants without leads and 0.997 for infants with leads.
Conclusions:
The data from this study support the use of this test weighing technique as an accurate, objective assessment of the measurement of breastmilk intake after a breastfeeding session, thus allowing medical decisions regarding supplementation to be based on objective data rather than inaccurate clinical indices of the quality of infant feedings at the breast.
