Hatch Grow Smart Changing Pad and Scale Review

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The Hatch Grow Smart Changing Pad and Scale is a smart changing pad (or a baby scale that you can change your baby on) that lets you accurately track your baby’s growth, feedings, diapers, and sleep on your smartphone.

I would have LOVED something like this when my son was born. When the hospital said that I should track wet and dirty diapers to make sure my son was getting enough fluids, I took to it like a WWII code cracker and I painstakingly recorded every feeding and diaper change. However, I couldn’t always tell how much he was eating. I was breastfeeding so I was never certain how much was going in. To make matters worse, he’d spit up afterward so I would really be unsure of what was in the tank, so something like this would have been a dream for me.

Things I loved about the Hatch Baby Change pad:

Tracks the good stuff – Between the pad and the app you can track weight, feeding, diaper changes, length, and sleep.
Sharable – you can share the stats with your medical practitioner and caregivers can send you alerts so you stay in the loop.
It’s nice looking – the simple, clean design will fit pretty much anywhere
Really easy to use – you know how I hate reading instructions. I opened the box, downloaded the app and I was off and running.
It’s nice and light – only 9lbs – I thought it would weigh a ton
Fits standard changing pad tables

Things to consider:

I prefer to view it as a scale rather than a changing pad because $250 seems steep for something I clean poo off of. That said, I would have taken one of these over a glider or a fancy crib.
I would add a waterproof pad or receiving blanket on top so you’re not constantly washing the pad.
Know yourself! Some people may freak out at the level of information they have. Are you the type to flip out and run to Emergency because your baby ate a half-ounce less than last time? Are you the type to crash through the door like the KoolAid Man because your babysitter didn’t log a diaper change? I would have found this reassuring, and loved the level of insight, but you know you, Boo.
Here's a video I made about it when it first came out in 2016. They've made some major upgrades but it gives you an idea of the thinking behind it. (Plus, you get to hear my Canadian accent.)

Is the Hatch Grow Smart Changing Pad and Scale Worth It?

There will be people that roll their eyes at this and launch into a “we didn’t need these kinds of bells and whistles when I had kids.” so keep a facecloth handy to toss over the screen while they’re in the room so you don’t have to hear how “this generation doesn’t know the struggle and has had everything handed to them on the Google.”

Is it an essential baby item? Probably not. Would I have found it helpful when I had a newborn with my data-loving type A personality? For sure.