Back arching when being picked up?

kmcd23

For mobile users: Back arching when being picked up?

I was reading one of the books we were given on baby's development, and it said if your baby arches his back when you're picking him up, you should let your provider know.

 

G does this often, but usually when being picked up out of something that had him curved the other way, like the swing or the RNP. Sometimes he cries when you pick him up, or grunts, even if he was quiet before. I mentioned it to my husband, and we figured he was just stretching, or agitated by the movement.

 

Having read this, I emailed our pedi about it, but it's Friday afternoon, so I did the worst thing ever, and googled. Bad, bad idea. 

 

Anyone else's baby do this? I really wish I hadn't googled.  

TheyCalledHerKate

I just looked it up and most sites say it is not a concern and could be related to reflux

DiFazette

I'm not sure what you read but it's my understanding it's a sign of reflux.  

kmcd23

When I googled 'baby arches back when picked up' I got discussions about cerebral palsy. Then I stopped.

Reflux has been discussed, but our pedi just wanted to continue to watch him, because he doesn't spit up a ton. But he does show discomfort when eating, and gags on nothing when lying down.

I hate to say I hope he has reflux! But it would explain a lot, and would be easily treated.

Thanks for calming my fears. This is the worst part about being alone. Everything seems scarier when you can't discuss it.

mommatotwo2

Don't Google. When I googled it just now, just to try and figure out what you might've seen, I saw everything from a baby just stretching to a whole range of diseases. Don't do that to yourself! I would not be worried at this point, newborns are weird and do seemingly weird things sometimes

kmcd23

mommatotwo2:

Don't Google. When I googled it just now, just to try and figure out what you might've seen, I saw everything from a baby just stretching to a whole range of diseases. Don't do that to yourself! I would not be worried at this point, newborns are weird and do seemingly weird things sometimes :

Google is evil. Seriously.

kmcd23

KateRN08:

Brynn does this and people often comment on how stiff she is. She has reflux and is on Prevacid. When I googled I got results about CP too. It's crazy but a lot of the symptoms of CP in early infancy and similar to reflux. I couldn't believe it.

The gagging is making me feel confident that it's reflux, or I guess in his case, silent reflux. He goes stiff often when he's eating, then cries until he passes gas from one end or the other. And I'm starting to think the pervasive sour milk smell that lingers might be his breath... Again making me think reflux.

But I still panicked when I read CP! Thanks for sharing your experience. Does the Prevacid work well for her?

kmcd23

Oh my gosh, our new Pediatrician is awesome. She already emailed me back! They say it's a 3 day turn around, and being Friday after hours, I definitely wasn't expecting a quick response.

Because he has so much gas pain, she wants me to try Mylicon first, and if he's still showing signs of pain, to bring him back in for a reflux evaluation.

Whew! It's such a relief when docs aren't worried either!

ILoveSnacks

Wow so glad to hear that you already got a response! Google is definitely the best and worst, all at once.

mommatotwo2

kmcd23:

mommatotwo2:

Don't Google. When I googled it just now, just to try and figure out what you might've seen, I saw everything from a baby just stretching to a whole range of diseases. Don't do that to yourself! I would not be worried at this point, newborns are weird and do seemingly weird things sometimes :

Google is evil. Seriously.

It really is! I cant even tell you how many times Ive scared the crap outta myself with Google!

mommatotwo2

kmcd23:

Oh my gosh, our new Pediatrician is awesome. She already emailed me back! They say it's a 3 day turn around, and being Friday after hours, I definitely wasn't expecting a quick response. Because he has so much gas pain, she wants me to try Mylicon first, and if he's still showing signs of pain, to bring him back in for a reflux evaluation. Whew! It's such a relief when docs aren't worried either!

Awesome doc!

caden1206

I don't understand how a baby arching their back could be an indication of CP. Then again I learn something new everyday. I do know CP is caused by a brain bleeds and unless there is an event that your LO might have experienced a possible brain bleed the likelihood is low your LO has CP. Natalie use to arch her back when I picked her while sleeping and that looked a lot like stretching to me. Either way, I hope and pray everything is ok with your LO.

kmcd23

caden1206:

I don't understand how a baby arching their back could be an indication of CP. Then again I learn something new everyday. I do know CP is caused by a brain bleeds and unless there is an event that your LO might have experienced a possible brain bleed the likelihood is low your LO has CP. Natalie use to arch her back when I picked her while sleeping and that looked a lot like stretching to me. Either way, I hope and pray everything is ok with your LO.

What I read was that the back arching was a sign of high muscle tone, and that can be a symptom of CP. I don't know anything about CP really, so I don't know enough to think it didn't make any sense, and I stopped reading too quickly to learn more. I'm much less worried now. I mean if it was high muscle tone, it would be evident in other areas too I assume, and hopefully a doc would have noticed it by now.
I just tend to freak out. A lot. Especially now as a Mom. It's so hard not to!

Thanks for letting me know your LO stretches like that, too!

LovestruckAJ

Yep, and with DS it was either reflux related (after eating), or a major stretch. I wouldn't worry! Just stay away from Google!

jedimindtrick

My guy arches sometimes when picked up, and often when he falls asleep on me and I put him down. I always assumed its a stretch. He has his hands up by his face and appears to be stretching.
He also has that sour milk breath. But I've never thought he has reflux. He's not a very gassy baby and doesn't spit up a lot. I figured the breath and stretching were just normal.

caden1206

KateRN08:

kmcd23:

caden1206:

I don't understand how a baby arching their back could be an indication of CP. Then again I learn something new everyday. I do know CP is caused by a brain bleeds and unless there is an event that your LO might have experienced a possible brain bleed the likelihood is low your LO has CP. Natalie use to arch her back when I picked her while sleeping and that looked a lot like stretching to me. Either way, I hope and pray everything is ok with your LO.

What I read was that the back arching was a sign of high muscle tone, and that can be a symptom of CP. I don't know anything about CP really, so I don't know enough to think it didn't make any sense, and I stopped reading too quickly to learn more. I'm much less worried now. I mean if it was high muscle tone, it would be evident in other areas too I assume, and hopefully a doc would have noticed it by now. I just tend to freak out. A lot. Especially now as a Mom. It's so hard not to! Thanks for letting me know your LO stretches like that, too!

Yea the hypertonia can be a sign of CP but I think most often it colic and reflux related. S

Ya, I freak out about everything too.  That is why places like this can be good so we can avoid evil google sometimes. 

flyliceandcoffee

NJAZgirl:

My guy arches sometimes when picked up, and often when he falls asleep on me and I put him down. I always assumed its a stretch. He has his hands up by his face and appears to be stretching. He also has that sour milk breath. But I've never thought he has reflux. He's not a very gassy baby and doesn't spit up a lot. I figured the breath and stretching were just normal.

This is S too. I just assumed it was normal. Maybe I need to stop assuming everything is normal...

gradmommy13

I agree with the PP who said that Google was evil (I'm being lazy and I don't feel like scrolling back up to quote the post, haha). I haven't Googled anything baby-related (unless it's positive things) since my girl was born! It just scares me too much. Our pediatrician says that LJ is healthy and that's all that matters to me!

TheyCalledHerKate

crazycoffeegirl:

NJAZgirl:

My guy arches sometimes when picked up, and often when he falls asleep on me and I put him down. I always assumed its a stretch. He has his hands up by his face and appears to be stretching. He also has that sour milk breath. But I've never thought he has reflux. He's not a very gassy baby and doesn't spit up a lot. I figured the breath and stretching were just normal.

This is S too. I just assumed it was normal. Maybe I need to stop assuming everything is normal...

Our little girl did this today when I picked her up out of her carseat but it also looked like she was just stretching to me because she had been cramped up in there. It's not like she does it all the time. 

jedimindtrick

crazycoffeegirl:

NJAZgirl:

My guy arches sometimes when picked up, and often when he falls asleep on me and I put him down. I always assumed its a stretch. He has his hands up by his face and appears to be stretching.
He also has that sour milk breath. But I've never thought he has reflux. He's not a very gassy baby and doesn't spit up a lot. I figured the breath and stretching were just normal.

This is S too. I just assumed it was normal. Maybe I need to stop assuming everything is normal...

I was thinking the same thing. lol.

kmcd23

NJAZgirl:

crazycoffeegirl:

NJAZgirl:

My guy arches sometimes when picked up, and often when he falls asleep on me and I put him down. I always assumed its a stretch. He has his hands up by his face and appears to be stretching. He also has that sour milk breath. But I've never thought he has reflux. He's not a very gassy baby and doesn't spit up a lot. I figured the breath and stretching were just normal.

This is S too. I just assumed it was normal. Maybe I need to stop assuming everything is normal...

I was thinking the same thing. lol.

I feel like I've assumed some things were normal that I really shouldn't have, and then I freak out over things that are nothing.

Like how when the skin under his nose turns grey, and someone posted about their LO's turning blue... I thought it was normal because our pedi said their skin can change color a lot. {ETA, and since his lips never changed color, which is what I thought was the danger sign.} But nope, not normal. The ER made a huge deal out of it, and even though it looks like it was nothing, the pedi wants to know if there are any changes immediately.

Then this. I thought he was just stretching. And then I read in the book it's something you should notify the pedi about. Whoops. Hopefully, it's just another 'no big deal' kind of thing, but I'm starting to second guess my gut instincts! 

flyliceandcoffee

kmcd23:

NJAZgirl:

crazycoffeegirl:

NJAZgirl:

My guy arches sometimes when picked up, and often when he falls asleep on me and I put him down. I always assumed its a stretch. He has his hands up by his face and appears to be stretching. He also has that sour milk breath. But I've never thought he has reflux. He's not a very gassy baby and doesn't spit up a lot. I figured the breath and stretching were just normal.

This is S too. I just assumed it was normal. Maybe I need to stop assuming everything is normal...

I was thinking the same thing. lol.

I feel like I've assumed some things were normal that I really shouldn't have, and then I freak out over things that are nothing.

Like how when the skin under his nose turns grey, and someone posted about their LO's turning blue... I thought it was normal because our pedi said their skin can change color a lot. {ETA, and since his lips never changed color, which is what I thought was the danger sign.} But nope, not normal. The ER made a huge deal out of it, and even though it looks like it was nothing, the pedi wants to know if there are any changes immediately.

Then this. I thought he was just stretching. And then I read in the book it's something you should notify the pedi about. Whoops. Hopefully, it's just another 'no big deal' kind of thing, but I'm starting to second guess my gut instincts! 

I'm going to have as our pedi about all of this on Tuesday when we have our 2 month appt. He initially told us all babies have some reflux but we should be paying attention to if she coughs a lot. S sometimes coughs but that was usually after having a crying fit so I don't count that. She's been incredibly fussy for the last week or so and we were thinking she might be having some digestive issues so we gave her gripe water tonight and it made her poop twice. That then just made her hungry again, which I don't think is helping the issue! I'd be interested in hearing what your pedi says about the back arching.

RussianMommy

hopefully this will make you feel better, but a knew a baby who had CP and believe me, you will KNOW if your baby has it. they usually have other signs too, like tight muscles... im sure your baby is just fine.