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BB Hokie

Joined: 09/06/2010 Posts: 3161
Likes: 3006


I have used this exact case in an engineering class ...


when discussing uncertainty and signal-to-noise.

When we had our first kid (over 8 lbs, healthy, etc.) we came back several days after he was born for the routine follow up, and the doc said she was concerned about his weight. She said the kid should be gaining about an ounce per day. I thought, "OK, that seems like a reasonable rule of thumb." Then she said to bring him back THE NEXT DAY to see if he gained an ounce. I said that when I just changed his diaper, the diaper weighed over an ounce. How in the hell are you going to get a signal (a gain of 1 oz in a day) when the noise is of the same (or greater) magnitude!? Sure, you can look over the course of a week or two and see if he's gained about 7 to 14 oz, but looking for a gain of an ounce in one day when his weight will fluctuate by an ounce or two throughout the day is just ridiculous.

(for the record, we came back the next day. He weighed the same, so we came back a week later, he gained a few oz, and that was that).

PHNC, of course, has the best advice. You're not going to help things by saying anything. Just reassure her that she's doing a great job with the kid, and save any "intervention" for something that's really important.

(In response to this post by HokieMacDaddy)

Posted: 08/29/2019 at 4:42PM



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Current Thread:
  That kid is in deep doo doo -- Vienna_Hokie 08/30/2019 06:42AM
  "But the book says.......".......SMH.... ** -- tylerhokie 08/29/2019 9:53PM
  Lady might have too much insurance -- MEHOKIE 08/29/2019 9:52PM
  Meh rub some dirt on it and get back out there. ** -- Major Kong 08/29/2019 9:48PM
  ...mind you don’t cut yourself Mordecai... -- chumley 08/29/2019 9:19PM
  She sounds crazy like 50% of the women today, sorry ** -- MrBayAreaHokie 08/29/2019 8:03PM
  LOL. In my case, just one more. ** -- reestuart 08/29/2019 5:29PM
  Was the baby a premie? If not you are right ** -- Nelsonia Hokie 08/29/2019 5:18PM
  Put the little bugger on a corn syrup drip -- mancunian 08/29/2019 5:02PM
  That's abnormal. ** -- hoosnowahokie 08/29/2019 4:45PM
  ^^Post of the century!!^^ -- PhotoHokieNC 08/29/2019 4:48PM
  She should get a baby peloton so that way -- GreenvilleVT 08/29/2019 7:39PM
  Yeah and peloton has a discount for babies -- fordham 08/30/2019 10:33AM
  As someone who was never a parent, perhaps I can help. -- PhotoHokieNC 08/29/2019 4:28PM
  We've been telling her - she just doesn't hear it -- HokieMacDaddy 08/29/2019 4:31PM
  Just remember that this is a first time new mom -- HokieAl 08/29/2019 5:50PM
  Seems like a scale is cheaper. And faster. ** -- 48zip 08/29/2019 4:23PM
  First child, I assume? -- Tafkam Hokie 08/29/2019 4:22PM
  Yep ** -- HokieMacDaddy 08/29/2019 4:25PM
  Is this on her own or by doctor's orders? -- Nova Hokie 95 08/29/2019 4:19PM

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