Convertible suggestions for severe refluxer

J

jmwesterman

New member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #1

My son is 3 months old 13.5lbs and 25 inches. He has severe reflux and is 90% controlled on meds. However he still screams bloody murder in the car t. He is in a Graco Snugride 30. I need convertible suggestions that might help take some pressure off his belly. I buckled him into my 2.5 year olds traditional marathon and the straps are way too high. Car trips are miserable and I'm willing to try anything!

 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

• Apr 1, 2013

• #2

jmwesterman said:

My son is 3 months old 13.5lbs and 25 inches. He has severe reflux and is 90% controlled on meds. However he still screams bloody murder in the car t. He is in a Graco Snugride 30. I need convertible suggestions that might help take some pressure off his belly. I buckled him into my 2.5 year olds traditional marathon and the straps are way too high. Car trips are miserable and I'm willing to try anything!

Click to expand...

Poor little guy! I am so sorry to hear that his belly is bothered by the straps of his carseat.

We have a member who put her son who has a feeding tube into a NextFit (the new Chicco seat) and found that the straps didn't bother his feeding tube. Perhaps the NextFit would be a good one to try?

Is it the crotch strap that is up on his belly?

 

J

jmwesterman

New member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #3

Ill have to look into that one, thanks! I think it isn't so much the straps as it is they way his hiney is positioned in the seat, however when I tighten the straps the screaming does intensify.

 

mom of six

Active member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #4

I would suggest a Diono Radian. The seat is a little more *L* shaped and does not let their little bums sink in so much like the Britax, NextFit, or Peg do. Since he is still pretty little I would look at the R120 or RXT as they have great infant inserts and fit small ones well.

 

Jeni-GAcpst

New member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #5

The snugride has a scooped seat and it reclines to 45*. Not very comfortable for an upset tummy.
You want a convertible seat (a little more upright than infant seat) with more of an L-shape to the seat bottom than a scoop. Avoid the britax seats. Graco convertibles are scooped too in my experience.
Radian is a great L-shape, but needs to be almost all the way reclined for your little guy, which would take up a ton of room. What vehicle do you have?
Cosco scenera fits littles well and is very compact. It's more of an L-shape. The Safety 1st Onside Air is L-shaped too.

If you have a Babies R Us or BuyBuy Baby near you or even target and walmart, take a look at the convertible seats. You need something with low harness slots to fit your son (harness needs to be below the shoulders) and you want a seat that sits more like this:

than this:

Good luck! Hang in there; it gets better!

 

J

jmwesterman

New member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #6

Thanks! I drive a Nissan Murano. I was curious about the Radian fitting. My MArathon touches the back of the driver seat. I'm really leaning toward the Radian though if it will fit in my car.

 

Jeni-GAcpst

New member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #7

Radian should fit great in the center position of the Murano. You'll be doing a seat belt install. I hear it's a compatible combination

 

J

jmwesterman

New member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #8

That's awesome to hear. I would love to have him in the center and free up a space in the backseat. Should it puzzle ok next to the rear facing marathon?

 

Jeni-GAcpst

New member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #9

Totally. Radian and new Britax seats are best friends. See my avatar? The radian and Britax have the same profile but Britax sits up higher.

 

F

Frenchgirl

Member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #10

I've had the same problem until February.
My son cried and cried in his brand new snugride. Because of this first expense and it was so easier to carry, I've decided to continue to use my bucket. But everybody was unhappy. In February, when my son was 9 months, I've tried him in my Radian...... And NO MORE tears.... I can't beleive it!! It made a huge difference and my son is now able to deal with our car rides. That's too bad that I didnt move him to the Radian earlier....
Anyway, I hope that it will help your son too!
Good luck!

 

J

jmwesterman

New member

• Apr 1, 2013

• #11

Thanks so much for the encouragement! I've been hesitant to switch him so soon to the convertible since we bought the seat brand new when he was born (I didn't like the infant seat I had with my daughter). I kept thinking it was going to get better but it's not. I already wear him everywhere anyway so switching to a convertible at this point won't be so inconvenient. I feel so bad for him screaming and we hardly go any further than church a mile down the road.

 

Lnp838

New member

• Apr 4, 2013

• #12

if you find that the scooped seats are making it worse then I would avoid the Nextfit. Its a nice cushy seat but it is VERY scooped. Like a bowl! lol

 

Kac

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Apr 4, 2013

• #13

I would look at a Diono Radian. They can be as upright as you want, and that might help with the reflux.

 

J

jmwesterman

New member

• Apr 4, 2013

• #14

Ended up getting a Radian. We have had one car trip since installing and the screaming was reduced and he even fell asleep! Praying it isn't a fluke!

 

xursusmaritimusx

New member

• Apr 4, 2013

• #15

glad you found a seat that hopefully works. I was going to suggest the combi coccoro. it has worked really well for my refluxer especially with the insert in place.

the buckle also doesnt apply the same kind of pressure or position that most other seats do.

so just in case anyone in the future is reading this post i wanted to throw that out there.