According to Julia Danser, DO, a mother and board-certified pediatrician at One Medical in San Francisco, California, there are a variety of benefits to owning an at-home baby scale. “A baby scale might be useful if in-office appointments are hard to come by,” Dr. Danser says. “They also help monitor your baby’s weight in between doctor’s visits, [provide] peace of mind that your baby is gaining weight well, and can help you catch any potential weight issues so you can ask your baby’s doctor about it.” One important note to keep in mind: When using an at-home scale, it should be placed on a flat surface and calibrated regularly to provide the most accurate readings. We spoke with a board-certified pediatrician and a certified lactation educator counselor about the benefits of using a baby scale and what to look for when purchasing one. We researched a variety of at-home scales and curated a list of the top 12 recommendations based on accuracy, design, and functionality. Here are the best baby scales to track your baby’s growth. To use the Hatch Grow, you’ll need to set it up on a flat, level surface (ideally, a changing table) and download the free Hatch Baby app, which is compatible with iOS (9 and higher) and Android (Lollipop and higher). And if you ever need to troubleshoot your device, Hatch has a thorough online support system that covers every topic imaginable. The Grow can take measurements from 0 to 44 pounds and is accurate down to a quarter of an ounce, and it can also track diaper changes, time sleep and feedings, and even compare your baby’s growth to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). However, some parents dislike that there’s no display on the actual device and that it needs to sync with the app before providing an overall weight reading. Price at time of publication: $150 This scale can store measurements for eight different children with up to 15 weigh-ins per individual. However, this data isn’t transferred to an app, so parents will need to record the measurements themselves. Although this scale has a weight capacity of 55 pounds, it’s better suited for infants since its shape isn’t practical for holding larger children. Price at time of publication: $48 The scale itself has multiple functions. In addition to a “zero” button to calibrate the scale, you can also use the “tare” feature to compensate for a baby blanket or an item of clothing. This scale has a large, backlit LED display and can switch between ounces, pounds, and kilograms with the touch of a button. Length measurements are only available in centimeters, so you’ll need to make the conversion to pounds and ounces. Price at time of publication: $45 It’s also a good option for families who have multiples or children of different ages because there’s no limit to how many profiles you can make on the Greater Goods Smart Baby app. Seconds after weighing your baby, the app provides detailed information about their weight, including a comparison to national averages and a longitudinal graph displayed over a day, week, month, or all time. This scale can withstand up to 66 pounds, which makes it usable for several years. Price at time of publication: $68 As a toddler scale, this product has a low weight capacity. However, it does come pre-assembled and only requires you to snap on the infant tray. When using the “tare” and “hold” buttons or switching from pounds and ounces to kilograms, you may notice that the buttons can be a little sticky. While not a major flaw, it can impact the “hold” feature if you’re trying to weigh a wiggly baby. Price at time of publication: $100 Another helpful feature is its rotating LCD screen, which makes it easy to read your child’s weight while they’re on the scale. The removable infant tray has slightly curved edges to cradle your baby and can also measure their length in inches or centimeters. When it’s time to measure your toddler, you can download Graco’s animal-themed growth chart and use the included leveler tool to get a precise measurement. Price at time of publication: $79 Weight can be measured in both pounds and kilograms on this scale, and there’s a “tare” button to subtract the weight of a diaper, blanket, or item of clothing. There’s also a “hold” function to capture the weight of a moving baby. This scale will also warn you if its battery is running low or you’ve reached its maximum weight capacity. Price at time of publication: $60 The plastic surface on the scale is easy to clean, but it doesn’t have any cushioning. If you need to place a blanket on the scale to help your baby feel more comfortable, be sure to use the “tare” function to subtract the weight of the blanket or extra item of clothing. Price at time of publication: $69.99 The scale itself weighs slightly more than 8 pounds, making it one of the heavier scales we researched. However, the baby tray features a security lock to ensure it stays firmly in place, which will give you peace of mind that it’s secure enough to hold your baby. In addition to the scale, you’ll also receive a detailed growth chart on which to track your child’s weight and height against national averages, as well as a tooth loss timeline and shoe size chart. Price at time of publication: $76 In addition to a “hold” button to accommodate wiggly babies, it has a “tare” button that allows you to subtract the weight of a blanket or an item of clothing placed on the scale. With the touch of a button, it can switch between decimal pounds, pounds and ounces, and kilograms, giving you plenty of options for weighing your bundle of joy. Price at time of publication: $60 Another bonus is its clean, all-white design, which is bound to complement any home or nursery. With the touch of a button, it can switch between pounds and kilograms and give parents the option to “hold” for movement and “tare” to compensate for extra items. While the length measurement feature is a plus, the tray doesn’t extend beyond 23 inches. Since the average baby will reach this length after only two to three months, the long-term use of this scale may be limited. Price at time of publication: $54 It’s easy to calibrate this scale—just push the “tare” button to reset it to zero. There’s also a “hold” button to compensate for movement and an LCD screen that clearly displays your baby’s weight. You can track your baby’s growth history on the HubbleClub app, which also stores data on their height, feedings, diaper changes, and mom’s pumping sessions. The Hubble Grow comes with a hypoallergenic changing pad cover that can be cleaned as needed in the washing machine. Price at time of publication: $80
What to Look for in Baby Scales
Accuracy
Quite possibly, the most important factor of any scale is its accuracy, or how close it comes to detecting your baby’s actual weight. The scales we selected range from an accuracy of 0.1 ounces to 0.5 ounces, each with its own design and set of features. The most accurate of our picks are the Ozeri All-in-One Baby and Toddler Scale and the Greater Goods Smart Baby Scale, both of which can provide readings with a margin of error of 0.1 ounces. Digital scales are more accurate than mechanical scales, but they still need to be calibrated regularly and placed on a hard, level surface—ideally, the same one—every time they’re used. “Most [at-home scales] are pretty accurate,” says Dr. Danser. “Consistency is key, so be sure to weigh the baby on the same scale each time.”
Smart Capabilities
These days, most people probably have at least one smart product. In many ways, they can make life easier and be integrated with other devices we own. In terms of a baby scale, having one with smart capabilities allows parents to manage their child’s data with ease and even access or share it from their smartphone. Some smart baby scales, like the Ozeri All-in-One Baby and Toddler Scale, may be able to measure your baby’s length and head circumference, compute how much they’ve grown since using the scale last, and manage measurements for multiple children at once. Other scales that connect with an app can compare your child’s weight to national or worldwide averages and incorporate other data, such as the number of diaper changes during any given day.
Multi-Functional
From bibs and bottles to toys and clothes, it’s easy to accumulate excess items when you’re a new parent. Babies are constantly growing, and they need larger or more age-appropriate things, leaving many parents wondering how they’ll ever find space for yet another baby product. Using items that serve a dual purpose can help caregivers with this challenge by saving them money, time, and space. For example, instead of purchasing a baby scale and a changing pad, parents can invest in a Hatch Baby Grow Smart Changing Pad, which allows them to weigh their baby while changing their diapers. Other scales, like the MomMed Baby Scale, have removable trays so that the scale can be used by the whole family. If a baby scale can be used for other purposes or by other people, it makes the purchase of one much more worthwhile.
Design
Baby scales vary in design, so it’s important to find one that fits your space and lifestyle. Before purchasing a scale, you may want to measure your baby’s nursery to determine how much space you have to fit one. If you intend to put the scale away when it’s not in use, you may want to choose a collapsible model like the Greater Goods Smart Baby Scale. Alternatively, some scales are thin and sleek, such as the AccuMed Baby Scale, while the Salter Baby Scale has high edges to help prevent your baby from rolling side to side while on the scale.
Why Trust Verywell Family
Laura Lu is an experienced health writer who has a Master of Science degree in Health Communication. Her work has appeared in publications like The New York Times, Media Psychology, Brit+Co, and Parents.com, to name a few. She’s also a mother of two young children and dutifully relied on a baby scale to weigh her son and track his breastmilk intake. Some parents may also want to know how much milk their baby is getting at each feeding. According to Brianna Jonsson, CLEC, this can be especially challenging for new caregivers. “There is no way to measure [how much a baby is consuming] unless a mom is pumping and bottle feeding expressed milk or using formula. Baby scales can provide peace of mind if a mom wants to see an increase in weight after a feeding,” she says. In addition to weighing your baby, there are signs you can look for to determine if they’re getting enough nutrition. Brianna Jonsson, mother of four and certified lactation education consultant (CLEC), explains that the color of your baby’s poop is a big indicator. “While feeding your baby, you can also watch to see if they’re swallowing, have milk in their mouth, and seem satisfied and relaxed,” Brianna says. Caregivers should keep in mind that almost all newborns lose an average of 10% of their weight during their first week of life. After that, they start gaining around an ounce per day and should be back to their birth weight by the time they’re two weeks old. If you’re concerned about your baby’s weight gain, contact your child’s pediatrician right away.
