CREAMATOCRIT
What Is A Creamatocrit?
The creamatocrit is an easy, safe and accurate method for testing breastmilk to measure the calories and fat content in the breastmilk. This may be useful information when evaluating calories for low birth weight babies, preterm babies, and for infants that are not gaining despite appropriate intake of breastmilk. However, the creamatocrit can be for anyone who would like to evaluate their breastmilk to see the calories and fat intake of their baby.
How Does It Work?
The creamatocrit is a centrifuge that spins rapidly, which forces the different components of the breastmilk to separate. When the breastmilk is separated, the creamatocrit is able measure the “cream layer” fat, which then measures the calories per ounce. This allows for more acute measure of what baby’s caloric intake is.
Insurance and Cost?
Insurance currently does not cover the analysis of breastmilk, however, the Breastfeeding Center, is able take your HSA. Each test is $65.00.
How Do I Prepare?
Each specimen needs to be in a separate, small clear container with one ounce in each. (bag, bottle, etc.). To get an accurate result, collect milk from pump sessions that replaced a nursing session. If the baby has already fed from the breast before pumping, results will be inaccurate. Each sample should be from a separate pump session, preferably from different times of day (ie., morning, afternoon, evening). Label each container.