What Are Grams? Translating Medical Numbers
During ultrasounds and when your baby is born, the nurses may tell you your baby’s weight in grams, which is the medical language of weight. Sometimes they will automatically tell you in pounds and ounces too, but other times they may assume you can figure it out and you may have to ask. Likewise at many well-checks your baby will be measured and you will be told how many grams he weighs. This can be very frustrating unless you have either lived in a country where they use grams instead of pounds, or have studied medicine on your own and know how to convert metric to imperial measurements.
Below are two charts that will help you easily convert grams to pounds and ounces so that you’ll have an idea of your baby’s weight in imperial measurements. Pounds are on the top, ounces are on the side.
In order to find your baby’s weight locate the weight in grams in the center and then check to see the corresponding weight in pounds and ounces it lines up with. If you keep this chart handy, you’ll always have an easy way to know exactly what your baby weighs in pounds and ounces.
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If you still find it confusing or find that it doesn’t make sense, be sure to ask the ultrasound technician or your pediatrician to translate grams to pounds and ounces for you. Chances are, if you don’t know what 3600 grams translates to, your friends and family won’t either!
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