spitting up in car seat

Mrs.Purdue

Starting this week, DD has begun spitting up when I put her in her infant seat in the morning.  She usually gets her bottle around 7:15 (finished by 7:45), and then hangs out in her bouncy seat in the bathroom while we finish getting ready.  Then I finish getting her ready and put her in the car seat around 8:30.  Monday and today, she spit up huge amounts pretty much as soon as she got settled in the seat.  Monday was like the whole bottle (6 oz) and today was probably 3oz.  She doesn't spit up at all really the rest of the day (maybe just a little dribble here and there), including when she comes home from daycare in the car seat.  

so, i was reading that infant seats can really scrunch their tummies and cause worse reflux (I always thought she had silent reflux but lately i've been hearing a lot more 'wet burps' from her - reflux peaks around 4-5 months, right?). 

any ideas on what we can do to help?  go ahead and move to a convertible car seat?  she's probably about 18 lbs now, so I don't carry her in the seat all that much anymore anyway.  put something in the bottom of the seat (i was reading about this) to make it not so 'bucket-y'?  feed her less in the morning (she's always gotten this same amount and since she sleeps 11.5 hours at night, she's pretty hungry when she wakes up)?  other ideas?  we tried oatmeal cereal over the weekend and she wasn't a big fan, but maybe i could try it again in the morning to see if it helps keep some of the formula down? 

 

flymansWife

i don't have any ideas... sorry! :-( But um, sleeping 11.5 hours? Excuse me please while i go bang my head against a wall. JEALOUS!

ssinca

flymansWife:

i don't have any ideas... sorry! :-( But um, sleeping 11.5 hours? Excuse me please while i go bang my head against a wall. JEALOUS!

add me to the jealous banging head against wall group.

Mrs.Purdue

ssinca:

flymansWife:

i don't have any ideas... sorry! :-( But um, sleeping 11.5 hours? Excuse me please while i go bang my head against a wall. JEALOUS!

add me to the jealous banging head against wall group.

eek!  sorry to brag-plaint ladies!  we got lucky with a good sleeper and it probably helps that i formula feed too.  

at least you don't have to try and clean up a car seat full of spit up and then figure out how to dry it before putting her right back in it to go to daycare!  look at the brightside!

intheatx

I'd suggest trying the convertible. We did this in hopes of reducing pain caused by DD's reflux, and it seemed to help (less screaming during car rides). I'd be hesitant to add any padding or positioners to the infant carrier - it seems like that might reduce the safety of the seat, since it would compress differently from the original materials if you were in a crash.

txbabs111

Is she big enough to hang out somewhere other than the bouncy seat after her bottle? If she's more upright (like in a bumbo or sitting in a boppy- not sure if she can sit on her own yet or not) maybe that will help her digest more before she gets in the car seat?

rssnlvr

I wouldn't put her in the bumbo or a boppy--that makes DS spit up more b/c he has to use more ab muscles to hold himself/control himself. And 6 ounces doesn't seem like a lot for a 5-month-old, so I wouldn't cut back on the amount.

Are you getting good burps out of her after the bottle? We usually let DS hang out in his jumperoo after eating in the morning so that he's upright but fully supported while he digests...

Mrs.Purdue

yep - good burps about halfway through and at the end of the bottle - we never stop until we get a really big one (there's always one). 

we do let her hang out in the bumbo sometimes - she doesn't normally spit up in that, although laying on her back or tummy definitely will cause it.  

jumperoo might be a good option.  she'd definitely jump in it though (check out my facebook link today if you want some good laughs), which might cause the spit up anyway.  hmm.  all good things to think about!  thanks, ladies!