Convertible for baby with reflux

[Lara]

So I'm a bit out of the loop lately. My cousin has a 6 month old little guy who has bad reflux. He's currently in an Onboard 35 Air but I guess as he's grown he has started sitting in the seat differently and it aggravates his reflux (she says its squishing his stomach, so I'm kind of imagining a slouching problem or something). She has messed with the angle of the seat and nothing seems to help
She wants to try him in a convertible to see if that helps...has anyone had this issue and found a seat that may help him sit straighter? He is 17 lbs and 27 inches (though I realize total height doesn't matter. I can probably get a pic of him in the seat for better reference).

TIA!

 

[icnee]

pics are ussually pretty helpfull. For it to be squishing his tummy I would guess that his butt is not all the way back. So like you said slouching.

 

[swtgi1982]

So I'm a bit out of the loop lately. My cousin has a 6 month old little guy who has bad reflux. He's currently in an Onboard 35 Air but I guess as he's grown he has started sitting in the seat differently and it aggravates his reflux (she says its squishing his stomach, so I'm kind of imagining a slouching problem or something). She has messed with the angle of the seat and nothing seems to help
She wants to try him in a convertible to see if that helps...has anyone had this issue and found a seat that may help him sit straighter? He is 17 lbs and 27 inches (though I realize total height doesn't matter. I can probably get a pic of him in the seat for better reference).

TIA!

maybe she still has the buckle all the way back in the crotch buckle. this can squish his stomach, easpecially if it came set for a "little baby" i know mine did. This setting marks the crotch buckle really close to the set itself. If you put it in like normal seats then it will give him more room and more likely it may need to be moved out to give him more room, but you could be right too that it is to far out and he is slouching.

I hate to say, maybe the harness is over tightened and the buckle top itself is poking his stomach, i found mine was very easy to over tighten

 

[Lara]

Here is a pic of him in his seat (hopefully this attachment thing works, I usually use photobucket). He's not usually buckled in like this and I told her to take the strap covers off

It looks like he's sitting back in the seat all the way, so I'm not sure what's up.

 

[sunnymw]

my first was a puker in the infant seat and convertible... for him i think it was the vibration of the car moving :/

 

[Kat_Momof3]

the straps aren't even snug enough... and the chest clip needs raised of course

Can she put him outboard, so he could see out the window??

motion sickness is all about the body and brain not both being sure whether the person is moving or not.

 

[leighi123]

Maybe its the chest clip squishing his tummy.

 

[Lara]

Don't think its the chest clip. Here are a couple pics of him buckled in how he would ride in the car.

I wonder if its cause the straps are obviously below his shoulders, they are pushing him down and scrunching his belly up. maybe something with an infinite adjust harness so it can always be at his shoulders would help?

 

[leblanlm]

It could be an angle issue for him or he may just be a refluxer no matter what. He is diagnosed with reflux or just a spitter? Is he on meds? Since she has already played around with the OnBoard and it hasn't helped I would try him in a convertible. Does she have to to try or would she need to purchase one? Even though he is 6mo and age wise probably doesn't need the full 45* recline, reflux wise the 45* is key. It takes the upper body's pressure off of the abdomen.

 

[Lara]

He is diagnosed and on meds for the reflux. I'm not sure she has one she can try, so it would have to be purchased. I'll tell her to recline it more if she doesn't have it fully reclined already and see if that helps any..that does make sense that having it at 45 degrees would help take the pressure off his stomach!

 

[Defrost]

He is diagnosed and on meds for the reflux. I'm not sure she has one she can try, so it would have to be purchased. I'll tell her to recline it more if she doesn't have it fully reclined already and see if that helps any..that does make sense that having it at 45 degrees would help take the pressure off his stomach!

Just keep in mind it can't be more reclined than 45 degrees.

All four of my kids were refluxers, and they all hated infant carseats. I didn't even bother with one for my fourth; she went straight to a convertible. Usually being more upright is what refluxers need, but it could be that her particular vehicle isn't allowing an infant seat to be upright enough. So it's possible switching to a convertible could result in a more upright install, and help the reflux issue.

 

[leblanlm]

If the angle doesn't help any it might be that the bucket seat just gives too much of a "C" curve to his body. Both of my boys were preemies and we had to deal with reflux with my older one. I also used to work in the NICU/Peds where many babies were discharged with reflux. As far as the convertible seats go, I would try a Radian out. They have such a straight back on them that he wouldn't be so scrunched up.

 

[leblanlm]

Thinking about it more I think the Radian really will be his best bet. It does help refluxer's to be in a more upright position but I don't think that is going to help him in his current seat. If he's in a more upright position in the OnBoard there is just going to be more pressure put onto his abdomen with the deep curve that the seat makes. The Britax seats also don't have a large well (where the seat back meets the seat) to them.

 

[Lara]

Thanks for the recommendations. We were hoping for a seat in the $150 range...how are the new britax seats? I see the Roundabout 55 is right about there price wise. Or do you know if the truefit shape is conducive to refluxers? I've just secretly been dying to get my hands on one

 

[leblanlm]

I'm going to pick up a new seat at Buy Buy Baby for my 4yo tomorrow. I'll check on the Truefit then. I know that the older Britax seats (2006) had a pretty shallow well. The MyRide is pretty deep so I'd stay away from that. I wonder if anyone else has some recommendations of shallow seats?

 

[momtoo3]

I would try a Complete Air. The back is really straight and it is easy to install at 45* or more upright. Mine goes in my van at 30-35* and needs noodles to get it more reclined. The base on the CALX would help eliminate the noodles.

 

[Kaede's_Mom]

My severe refluxer is in a true fit premier RF as up right as we can get it in my car, about 38*

He does rather well in it, better then he does in an older Marathon. He is upright enough, but not so upright that he is squishing his tummy. If that makes since.

 

[Kat_Momof3]

if you want to try a convertible (and I can see why you might want to now that I see him properly buckled... the lap straps seem right against the squishy part of his tummy and so do the buckles... and I know that isn't going to be the same in every seat...

I would advise going to the store and trying seats... see what mom likes, what he likes, and (this is more doable in stores like BRU and specialty baby stores) possibly try them in the car.

I'm thinking the Evenflo convertibles with infinite straps might be just the ticket.

 

[Lara]

I was thinking the triumph too, but its definitely got a bowl like shape to it (or, at least the old ones did) and from what the PPs are saying that would probably not be a good thing.

I'll see what stores she has near her and what seats she can try out. So it looks like radian if I can find a smokin' deal on one, TF, or CA? Oh, she has a chevy venture...do we know about installs in that van?

gosh I feel so out of the loop. once upon a time like, oh, 2 years ago (before my life got stolen by school) I probably could have answered all these questions myself

 

[momtoo3]

I love our Triumph but it is bowl shaped and the Evenflo crotch buckles tend to push in on the stomach when rear facing.