The Withings Smart Kid Scale was one of the items we were most excited to try out when we brought our newborn home from the hospital and one that we continue to enjoy using. Because our son was jaundiced, the nurses stressed how important it was for our baby boy to show steady weight gain in his first few days. The Withings Smart Kid Scale and accompanying iPhone app provided a simple way to both measure and track his growth.
When you first pull the scale out of its package, it looks like your ordinary scale (though better looking than most in sleek white). However, it comes with a two-part curved tray that you can mount atop the scale, providing a safe and comfortable platform for laying down an infant. The tray is made of plastic to ensure easy cleaning, so to create a softer surface, we like putting a blanket between the tray and our baby. A nice feature is the ability to calibrate the scale to remove the weight of the blanket by placing the blanket on first and tapping the power button to zero the scale. Then, we place our baby boy on the scale, and a reading appears on the easy-to-read digital display with an accuracy of 0.02lb. This accuracy is essential, given that we are looking for even the slightest gain from day to day.
The scale pairs nicely with an accompanying iPhone app (Android version available as well), with your baby’s weight communicated over Wifi or Bluetooth, so that sleep-deprived parents don’t need to keep numbers in their heads or even think to write down each day’s reading. In those early days, the less work the better! The app then records the weight along with the date and time, so that you can track growth from one day to the next. The app displays growth over time and along a growth chart depicting typical weight for various age/gender categories. The scale comes with a tape measure if you also want to record your child’s height and enter that alongside weight.
The scale works great for multiple children and can accommodate weights up to 55lbs, allowing it to grow with your child until approximately age 8. If you’re weighing both an infant and an older child, as we are with our baby boy and 2-1/2 year old daughter, you’ll love how easy it is to add and remove the tray to easily transition between the two modes. In addition, the app is smart enough to determine which weight reading is for which kid, making tracking each child’s weight absolutely work-free. I love that I can put each child on the scale, see their name appear on the scale to give me assurance that their weight has been properly recorded and then turn on the app at a later time to see the readings show up on their weight charts.
Here’s the quick rundown of pros and cons:
PROS:
– automatically syncs with the free Withings Baby Companion app via Wifi or Bluetooth (you don’t even have to have the app open at the time of weighing!)
– identifies which child you’re weighing to keep an ongoing history of growth as well as help you understand your child’s height/weight in relation to children of similar age
– easy-to-read digital display
– accuracy within 0.02lb, which is great for tracking newborns
– max weight is 55lbs, so this scale will grow with your child until he’s about 8 years old
– easy to zero the scale to account for blankets, clothing, diapers, etc – basically, you don’t have to weigh a naked baby to get an accurate reading
– infant basket can be easily attached/removed to accommodate both infants in a lying down position as well as older kids who can stand on the scale themselves
– infant basket is a two-part design, making for easy storage when not in use
– sleek design looks great and is easy to wipe clean
CONS:
– runs on 4 AAA batteries, which will need to be replaced somewhat frequently if you’re doing regular daily weighings
– includes a tape measure for measuring your child’s height, but getting an accurate read with the small tape measure can be quite tricky
Available from Withings.com and other retailers for $179.95