What is the best baby scale to weigh your baby?
That’s a great question.
If you want to keep a close eye on your baby’s growth and development, weight is a good way to do it. Your baby will first have their first weight within a few hours of birth. Then they should be weighed at regular intervals to monitor their growth.
It’s normal for your baby to lose up to 10% of their birth weight in the first few days. After this stage it’s important to monitor your baby is steadily gaining weight. Personal use baby scales allow you to weigh your baby accurately at home and make sure baby is on the right track.
We’ve reviewed all the baby scales on the market and weight up the pros and cons on each. Check out our comparison chart and keep reading to discover our top recommended baby scales.
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Baby Scale Comparison Chart
| Scale | Model | Type | Weight Limit | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Health o meter Grow with Me | Table Top | 60lbs | $$ | 4.1 Stars |
  | Salter 914  | Table Top | 44lbs | $$ | 4.2 Stars |
  | American Weigh H-110  | Hanging | 110lbs | $ | 3.9 Stars |
  | Afendo Baby Scale | Table Top | 44lbs | $$ | 4.0 Stars |
  | iMedSnow Baby Scale | Table Top | 220lbs | $$ | 4.6 Stars |
Buying a Baby Scale
The 6 criteria we’ve measured all the baby scales against include:
- Cost
- Ease of Use
- Precision
- Durability
- Features
- Portability
Your needs will mean that the importance of each of these aspects will change your situation. Check out our top 5 baby scales which will give you the best performing scales for each criteria.
Top 5 Best Baby Scale
1. Health o meter Grow with Me
Pros: Very accurate, Affordable, Extra features, Easy To Use
Cons: Requires 9 volt battery (not included)
Let’s start with the most popular Grow with me baby scale by Health o Meter. These tabletop scales are very simple to set up and user-friendly. We love the ‘hold’ feature which allows you to maintain a reading when your baby is squirming about. It also has a ‘zero’ feature which allows you to reset the scale so that the weight of any cloth or blanket used to lay baby on isn’t included in the weight.
These scales are affordable and perform great for under $50 and come with a 10-year warranty so you can be assured they will last. These scales weigh up to 60lbs and come with a baby growth chart.
2. Salter 914 Electronic
Pros: Very Durable, Accurate, lightweight
Cons: Can fluctuate if baby moves a lot
We love that these Salter 914 baby scales can be adapted for a baby and a toddler. They come with a tabletop tray to use with baby and a standing option for weighing toddlers. It has a large LCD screen making it easy to read the weight quickly. It is precise to 0.5oz increments up to 44lbs, and you can measure in both pounds and kilograms.
3. Hatch Baby Grow
Pros: easy to use, doubles as a change mat, looks modern, accurate
Cons: Expensive, requires smartphone
The Hatch Baby grow is a modern looking option. rather than having a bulky scale stored away, this one double as your diaper changing mat.
The mat can be linked to the Hatch phone app that will display your baby’s weight. The great thing about having the weight tracked on the app is that it’s automatically charted. That way you can see the pattern of your baby’s weight gain.
I love how hygienic this scale is, just simple wipe and go. Plus if you have a wiggly baby there is a strap which keeps them in place, so no one one-handed changing.
The scales are very accurate and measures in both lbs and kg. The max weighs a capacity up to 44lb (20kg), so you’ll get full use of it right up until your baby is out of diapers.
4. Smart Weigh Mother and Baby
Pros: Very precise, unique design, good for active babies/toddlers
Cons: Measurement switch not easily accessible
The Smart Weigh mother and baby scales have a unique take on baby weighing. The idea is that you stand on the scale and then pick up baby, and the weight is calculated between the differences. We think it’s a great idea especially if your baby is too wriggly and is more settled when held. The design means it can double up as adult scales too. The maximum weight is up to 400lb, so can be used for pets and even luggage too. It comes with three measurement options, lbs, kg and st.
5. Ultrababy Scale
Pros: Large tray, Accurate, works with mains power, portable
Cons: More expensive
The Ultrababy scale is a larger size scale which can weigh up to 55lbs. You can change the measurements between lbs, oz, and kg to suit your preference. You can use a mains power plug with this baby scale, so no need to rely on battery power which can cause inaccuracy in weight. It’s surprisingly lightweight and portable for its size. If you struggle with digital reading, it comes with a blue backlight which makes it very clear to read.
Who may use scales?
Baby scales are not required by all parents, as long as your baby is getting regular health checks. There are special situations where accurate baby scales can be helpful. These situations include:
- Monitoring how much breast milk your baby has consumed
- Premature baby
- Slow weight gain
- Baby medical problems
If you have concerns over your baby’s development, a baby scale can give you an idea of how your baby is progressing with any changes to your feeding routine. Baby scales can also benefit you even if you have a healthy term baby who is feeding well.
Advantages of using baby scales
Modern personal use baby scales have been developed to provide you with affordable and accurate information about your baby’s growth. Here are a few more reasons why you should consider using a baby scale.
Progress – Any changes to your baby’s routine, such as supplementation or addressing feeding issues, can be picked up by how much baby weighs. If you can see that your baby’s weight has improved over time, this encourages you to keep going.
Convenience – If you’re a busy parent, it’s not always practical to be making numerous doctor appointments when you can check at home. You can use your scales at any time on a schedule that suit your needs.
Money saving – A doctor check-up can cost anything between $60-$250 per visit. It is recommended you take your baby to health check-ups at least 7 times during the first year. We’re talking over $400 for a healthy baby if you need more checks than this is going to add up very quickly. You can buy a reliable and accurate baby scale for around $50-$100.
Milk Intake – You can weigh your baby before and feed, then after to give an accurate intake of breast milk. If you are expressing, this information can be useful to estimate how much breastmilk baby will require in a bottle if you can nurse directly on the odd occasion.
Disadvantages of using baby scales
Frequent use – Think how you will feel if the scales are not reassuring you. Will it make you anxious or obsessive about weighing? We suggest you leave the weighing to your professionals to prevent you developing anxiety over baby’s weight.
Inaccurate measurements – It’s important that the scales are used as per instruction and are regularly maintained. Otherwise, they can easily give inaccurate information and cause unnecessary worry or medical costs.
Types of baby scales
Manual
If you prefer the old school style equipment, you can still buy manual baby scales. These scales can be very accurate if you purchase a professional balance beam model. The downside is they are more expensive at around $200 and can be difficult to master. You can get manual baby scales on a budget, around $15, but they tend to need often calibrated so beware of inaccurate results.
Digital
This type can give you a very precise and accurate reading, often down to point three of a gram. You will be required to maintain these with both calibration and a power source, often battery or a mains plug. Digital scales are available at an affordable price, so expect to pay around $30- $70 for this type.
Table top
With a flat or curved tray, these scales can easily be used on a surface to obtain an accurate reading. They are perfect for babies and can often accommodate lots of wriggling. Be sure to use the scales on a hard, flat surface as a carpeted or uneven surface can lead to inaccurate results. A great feature to look out for is an inbuilt spirit level.
Hanging
A more portable and space-saving option is a hanging baby scale. This consists of a small scale spring which attached to a baby sling. You can either hold the scale by hand or hook it onto a stable pole. This type is recommended for younger babies who won’t wriggle too much.
How to weigh baby at home
Here are the steps you should take to weigh your baby at home. The most important aspect is that an accurate measurement is taken as quickly as possible. This is because your baby will lose heat quickly when exposed to the open air.
1. Switch your scale to the desired measurements reading (usually lb, oz or kg)
2. Set up your scales on a hard, flat, and even surface.
3. Have a soft blanket or muslin cloth laid on the scale tray.
4. Remove all of baby’s clothing including the nappy.
5. Zero the scales and lay baby on the tray.
6. Note the measurement.
7. Quickly wrap baby in the blanket and begin to dress.
8. Wipe down the scales with a wet wipe.
Premature baby weight
Premature babies often do not show the usual feeding cues of a term baby. The worry is that your baby is feeding ineffectively and sleeping for long periods of time even when hungry. Signs used with term babies to judge effective milk intake (gulping, jaw motion, diaper contents, etc.) is not as reliable with a premature baby as these actions are often delayed. The biggest concern with breastfeeding a premature baby is we cannot actively see how much milk a baby has taken during a feed. Most moms will over supplement rather than take the chance that their baby is not getting enough breast milk.
Using baby scales can provide invaluable information if you have a premature baby. It enables you to know exactly how much your baby is taking in. This means you are less likely to over supplement and transition quicker to feeding at the breast.
