FYI Reflux babies and carseats... (re MommaBrowns warning)

skoorbnibor

I was just catching up on posts, and saw MommaBrowns car seat warning, and I wanted to add to it..

I have a reflux baby and a friend suggested letting E sleep in his carseat when he was first dx. I mentioned it to my pediatric GI doc and she said it is one of the worst things to do for a reflux baby. The shape the carseat forces that baby's body into can actually be much worse for reflux. The L shape the babies body is in can cause acid to be pushed up into the esophagus and it can cause some really serious esophageal damage. You might never know it, because generally the baby does not protest this particular event, and by the time the baby cries, the acid has gone back down.  It does not cause spit up, nor does the baby necessarily seem unhappy.The best way to keep the baby upright is to be held, to use a swing or to use a bouncy seat. I also elevated his crib mattress by putting 2 phone books side by side.

As always with advice, ask your pedi, but it was a risk I was not willing to take, since E already has some damage to his esophagus. 

PMJacobsen

good to know. thanks for the info!

Monkeybuttwhat

Where is the MB post? I want to read it.

MRSGOLABONTE

yikes, i started a sh!tstorm unintentionally! ;-( Good info to know. I only did it for a few days, and it did seem to help, but we have since gone back to using the bassinett. Did not know there would be unknown damage. I assumed since I didn't see spit up that all was OK. I will go back to being a good mommy now! ;-)

MommaBrown

good to know! thanks for adding to that. in light of this info and what i've already mentioned, its actually kind of shocking that so many pedis?recommend?this. but i am endlessly shocked by some of the things i read on these boards and what people say their pedi recommends.

Monkey, my OP is here:?https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/8074516.aspx?

MommaBrown

MRSGOLABONTE:

yikes, i started a sh!tstorm unintentionally! ;-( Good info to know. I only did it for a few days, and it did seem to help, but we have since gone back to using the bassinett. Did not know there would be unknown damage. I assumed since I didn't see spit up that all was OK. I will go back to being a good mommy now! ;-)

aw i hope you are not taking my post and this post as flames! i dont think they are meant to be at all - i know mine wasnt!

we are all going to make some mistakes along the way. I think the lesson here is that we shouldnt always take our pedi's word as gospel. they can be wrong too!

oh and the reflux w/out spit up is called silent reflux. I *think* that it never actually comes up into the mouth. but it can still be painful because it burns the esophagus.?